[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
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