Establishing a Service/Recharge Center

Center types

A Service Center:

Sells predominantly to internal users, and has more than $1,000,000 in total revenue per year OR charges more than $175,000 per year to federal grants or contracts.

A Recharge Center:

Sells predominantly to internal users, and has less than $1,000,000 in total revenue per year AND charges less than $175,000 per year to federal grants or contracts.

User types

Internal users are those that pay with a UW budget number. This could be a department, grant, or another service or recharge center.

External users are those that pay with something other than a UW budget number. Faculty, staff, and students who pay with cash are considered external users for recharge center purposes.

Non-university entities also are considered external users.

Requirements

Rates to internal users should be set to recover not more than the cost of providing the goods and services over a reasonable period of time.

Rates to non-federal external users do not have to be based on cost.

  • Service and recharge centers are required to update their rates annually.
    • MAA reviews rates for service centers annually, and recharge centers when, initially established, there is a change in methodology, or new services are added.
    • The Dean or VP's office reviews rate proposals for existing service and recharge centers.
  • Service and recharge centers are required to submit various financial reports.
    • MAA reviews financial reports for service centers.
    • The Dean or VP's office reviews financial reports for service and recharge centers.

Other than the proposal review process, the policy is the same for service and recharge centers. Unless otherwise noted, the information in these web pages is the same for service and recharge centers.

Other Reimbursable Budget Types

There are other budget types that charge for providing goods and services. Departments should review the Budget Type Flowchart to determine what type of budget is appropriate. Departments that wish to establish a non-service or recharge center may use the non-recharge proposal template to help determine their rates.

Powered by Drupal