FAQs - External Users and Academic Research Services Orders (ARSO)


 

I am an external user. Should I use the RIMS registration process to establish my user profile and billing account?

No, A RIMS user account for new external users is established as part of the overall paperwork process that external users go through with the facilities administrative and technical staff to create an external account. (See New User Guidelines.)

 

Who do I contact to inquire about services or capabilities?

Some of the user facility web sites include a description on their technical staff personnel lists of what areas staff members have expertise in or are responsible for in that respective user facility.  If you consult the facility web site and are still unsure of which technical staff member you should contact, you can contact the facility manager or administrative contact to be directed to the appropriate technical staff person based on your needs.  Contact information for facility managers and administrative contacts is available at www.rims.psu.edu/facilities/index.asp.

 

PSU technical staff will be performing my research for me. What forms do I need to complete to initiate a billing account?

The Academic Research Services Order (ARSO) should be completed by the Principal Investigator on the project and signed by authorized personnel from your organization.  (See New User Guidelines.)

 

I plan to become trained to utilize the user facilities to perform my own research. What forms do I need to complete to initiate a billing account?

The Academic Research Services Order (ARSO) should be completed by the Principal Investigator (PI) on the project and signed by authorized personnel from your organization.   The External User Term Sheet (EUTS) is also required to allow on-site personal training and use.  Any additional users, other than the PI who completes the ARSO, should sign the EUTS and complete New User Forms. (See New User Guidelines.)

 

What is an Academic Research Services Order (ARSO)?

An Academic Research Services Order (ARSO) is the type of contract that is typically used to govern the work performed in the Penn State User Facilities.  The ARSO contains terms and conditions that must be agreed upon by the “User”, which includes reports, a mini non-disclosure clause, confidentiality, intellectual property, publicity, termination, university status, warranties and indemnity, export control, and governing law.

 

What is an External User Term Sheet (EUTS)?

An External User Term Sheet (EUTS) is a basic risk and liability contract for facilities users who are not Penn State employees or students.  This form is only required when your organization’s personnel are to be trained to operate the equipment in the User Facilities.  The EUTS contains terms and conditions in regard to background, status of user employees/agents, user safety, liability, insurance, warranties of user, confidentiality, and intellectual property.

 

What is the process to establish a billing account for user facility usage?

 

What if my organization cannot agree to the standard terms and conditions of the Academic Research Services Order (ARSO) or External User Term Sheet (EUTS)?

If your organization cannot agree to the Terms and Conditions as listed on this ARSO Form or the External User Term Sheet, please strike-through the language you wish to revise and write in your suggested alternate language (use additional sheets if necessary).  Complete the remaining portions of the form as required and return.  No signature is necessary under these circumstances until all negotiations are complete.  Deviating from the standard Terms and Conditions will require review and approval through the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP).  An OSP representative will contact you to negotiate your request.  Please be aware that the negotiation process may delay the implementation of your research project by several weeks to months.  Please take this delay into consideration when entering your project end date.  

 

How long will it take to process paperwork and begin research?

If your organization can agree to the standard Terms and Conditions of the Academic Research Services Order (ARSO) or External User Term Sheet (EUTS), paperwork can be processed within a few days.  Deviating from the standard Terms and Conditions will require review, negotiation, and approval through the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP).   The negotiation process may delay the implementation of your research project by several weeks to months.  Paperwork from foreign organizations will also be submitted to the Office of Sponsored Programs for export review.  This process may also delay the implementation of your research project by several weeks to months.

 

What if my organization requires a confidentiality agreement?

Some organizations request that an NDA be executed in place of or along with an Academic Research Services Order (ARSO). However the ARSO already contains standard non-disclosure terms and executing a separate NDA would be redundant. All work in the Penn State facilities must be performed under the ARSO. 98% of our customers end up using the ARSO’s built-in confidentiality clause without issue.

 

What if I need a formal quote?

A formal estimate can be developed by thoroughly discussing your project with a technical staff member.  Keep in mind that any estimate provided by the User Facilities is an approximation.  All work is performed on a “best effort” basis and results are not guaranteed.  Any deviation from the original estimated scope of work could incur additional charges.  The customer will be charged for the actual cost of all work performed.  

 

Do I need to generate a Purchase Order?

A Purchase Order is not required by Penn State to initiate a research project.  If desired, you can supply a PO number to be referenced on your monthly invoice(s).  The work performed in the User Facilities will be governed by an Academic Research Services Order (ARSO) or similar agreement and will supersede the terms and conditions of any purchase order.

 

What is Penn State’s current Intellectual Property (IP) policy?

Penn State will not seek to retain ownership of IP resulting from industry-sponsored research. See Penn State’s Fundamental Principles for working with industry sponsored research [PDF].

 

Is there a minimum that must be entered on the Academic Research Services Order (ARSO) for the estimated cost of the project?

We recommend entering no less than $1,000 for the estimated cost; however, if your organization can agree to the standard Terms and Conditions of the Academic Research Services Order (ARSO) or External User Term Sheet (EUTS), then we will process an ARSO for less.  If negotiations or export review is required, we reserve the right to not accept projects based upon cost of implementation in relation to anticipated sponsor spending.

 

What is a reasonable Performance Period?

Even though your research could be performed within one day, there are many factors that could delay the start of the project. It is best to overestimate the performance period to avoid additional paperwork. Most organizations enter several months to a year for the performance period. Penn State prefers a performance period of no less than three months.

 

Who should sign the Academic Research Services Order (ARSO) and External User Term Sheet (EUTS)?

The signature authority of a commercial organization may be a CEO, Financial Officer, Purchaser, etc.  The signature authority of an academic institute varies among organizations.  You should check with your administration or contracts office to find out who is authorized to sign contracts.  At Penn State and many other universities, professors do not have binding authority to sign contracts.  Usually Sponsored Programs, Contacts Office, Provost Office, Purchasing Agents, etc., would be the signing authority.

 

If I am going to be an onsite user, how do I access the facilities?

This process varies depending on the user facilities you will be using.  You will be provided information regarding access upon the execution of your paperwork. (See Building Access.)

 

How will I monitor the costs of my research project?

If you are a remote user, meaning the technical staff is performing your research; you can go to the Friends of Penn State website (www.fps.psu.edu) and apply for a Friends of Penn State (FPS) Account.  This account will allow you to log into the Research Instrumentation Management System (RIMS).  (Email your FPS username to leohelp@psu.edu so we can enter it into your user profile.) Reports are available via the Reports link on the www.rims.psu.edu website. (See Monitoring RIMS Transactions / Project Charges.) 

If you are an onsite user, you will use an FPS account, a short term access account, or a full access account (provided upon execution of your paperwork) and will follow the same procedures above.

 

What is RIMS?

RIMS stands for Research Instrumentation Management System and is the web-based software tool for reserving, tracking, and billing for facilities usage in a number of units within the Vice President for Research (VPR) division at Penn State.