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  • 1.  Best practices for contracting with external customers

    Posted 06-05-2025 11:45

    Does anyone have a system for contracting with external core customers - that works well?  This would include template contracts, rapid legal review, an easy-to-use interface, etc.  I would like to include this topic in a session for the ABRF 2026 meeting - that is focused on how institutions support their cores centrally.  Thanks!



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    Christopher Gregory
    Professor, Director of Office of Research Technologies
    University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill
    Chapel Hill NC
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  • 2.  RE: Best practices for contracting with external customers

    Posted 06-09-2025 09:51

    I have a standard set of paperwork (Service Agreement, MOU) and a process for onboarding that works fairly smoothly. The downside is that I don't accept modifications to my documentation since that would take too long for a full legal review. Most of the time, when pressed, outside organizations are ok with accepting my terms. I'm happy to chat more if it's helpful.

    Claire Bailey Hartmann (she/her)

    Director of Bauer Core Facilities

    Harvard University

    Northwest Lab room B227.8

    52 Oxford St, Cambridge, MA 02138

    617-384-7913

    Bauercore.fas.harvard.edu



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    Claire Hartmann
    Director of Bauer Core
    Harvard University
    Cambridge MA
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Best practices for contracting with external customers

    Posted 06-09-2025 11:57

    Hi Christopher,

    We are using a platform called SecondLab, a platform that was created specifically to manage external core customers, for core facilities in our organization (QB3-Berkeley) at UC Berkeley. 

    Let me know if you would like to know more.

    -Donna



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    Donna Hendrix
    Managing Director, QB3-Berkeley
    University of California
    Berkeley CA
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Best practices for contracting with external customers

    Posted 06-11-2025 12:55
      |   view attached

    The University of Michigan Medical School Cores have worked out a standardized services agreement that was intended to not be modified by our external customers. I've witnessed a lot of our external customers asking for revisions, but mostly they are easily accepted. Our legal review team has become much busier these days with all things federal government and research grants, so it takes a lot of time to get things through. I've attached a copy of our agreement for reference. Our Exhibit A is generally the estimate we have created on the work required for the project. Hope this helps!

    Carrie L. Schray

    Biomedical Research Core Facilities Administration

    University of Michigan Medical School

    1150. W. Medical Center Drive, C560 MSRBII

    Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5613

    (734) 936-2638

    schrayc@med.umich.edu

    https://brcf.medicine.umich.edu/



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    Carrie Schray
    Administrative Manager
    University of Michigan Cores
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    Attachment(s)

    pdf
    UM Services Agreement 20240730.pdf   288 KB 1 version
    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Best practices for contracting with external customers

    Posted 06-12-2025 13:25
    Edited by Arvin Cesar Lagda 06-12-2025 13:27

    One of our core facilities here at the Institute serves a clientele that is 90% external. At Rutgers, the Office of Research provides assistance with NDAs and contract reviews; however, the process often becomes tedious due to the large volume of documents submitted. To streamline this, they eventually drafted a standardized document that I now use when working with clients. This document is generally not intended to be edited by the client, though minor adjustments can be made if necessary.



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    Arvin Cesar Lagda
    Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
    Piscataway NJ
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Best practices for contracting with external customers

    Posted 06-13-2025 10:46

    Similar to what others have described, Moffitt Shared Resources Management has drafted a Core Services Agreement that can be used when providing services to external customers.  It is not intended to be modified, but I have found that this is rarely the case, and most agreements with other institutions require many months for the attorneys to iron out the agreement.  Even then, external institutions often require affidavits that are rarely accepted as-is.  I have strongly considered avoiding taking on projects from any new academic institutions due to the delays and burdens associated with the process.  



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    Sean Yoder
    Molecular Genomics Core Facility Manager
    Moffitt Cancer Center
    Tampa FL
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    Original Message


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