[AG-USERS] Funding model request

Stephen Bosch sfbosch at netera.ca
Thu Mar 6 16:21:48 CST 2003


Hourly fees are a non-starter with our user community, which consists of 
researchers who have to strictly manage their grant money. Most research 
grants are very specific about what the researcher can and cannot use 
her research money on. Distance collaboration is typically not in the 
"can" list.

The other problem is that expectations change dramatically once you 
begin charging for service. If a fee is in involved clients usually want 
a service guarantee, and as we all know, Access Grid is not at the level 
where we can offer an assurance of reliability. It is useful, but 
expectations have to be managed.

One idea I am interested in is the workability of negotiated, flat-rate 
contracts with different user groups. Funders seem to be a lot more 
comfortable with funding arrangements where the costs are fixed. It also 
makes it easier to plan -- if you have a set of flat-rate contracts you 
know that you can pay an operator for X months and you have some money 
left over to cover equipment and maintenance.

If anybody is doing something like this, speak up!

Cheers,

-Stephen-

-- 
Stephen Bosch
Collaborative Systems Specialist
Netera Alliance Inc.
Biosciences 530B
2500 University Dr NW
Calgary AB T2N 1N4
tel (403) 220 2546
fax (403) 282 0838




More information about the ag-users mailing list