Billing
Rates
For more information about industrial rates, view our Industrial Users webpage and register to work with CharFac.
CharFac Internal (UMN) Rate Change History
| July 1st, 2024 | Equipment Most instrument hourly and per run rates increased by 5%. Some instruments not increased, as cost is already being recovered based on previous rates. *Versaprobe hourly rate decreased by ~15% to better align with cost projection. *Additional increases to Ganesha SAXSLAB rates to account for additional maintenance effort. Staff Time Increased by 3% to: $99/hour for assistance and for common analytical work. $155/hour for advanced analytical work Narrative/Justification Rates had been static for 2 years. Inflationary increases to cover increased staffing and maintenance costs. Increases were not across the board, and instruments that already recover their costs were not increased. |
| July 1st, 2022 | Equipment Hourly: Increased by 10%, both base rates and discounted rates for long sessions (when applicable).* Per run (e.g., coaters): Increased by 10%. No increase in per session surcharge. *Additional increase in the base rate for the Ganesha SAXSLAB to $17. New long session discount ($8.50) rate invoked after six hours Staff Time Increased by 5% to $96/hour for assistance and for common analytical work. Increased to $150/hour for advanced analytical work. Narrative/Justification Hourly rates had been static for 3 years. Defray uptick in inflation, especially staffing and maintenance contracts. One year left in ISO compliance office’s allowance of special rates to replenish losses accrued during COVID closure (and slow recovery of activity); but only ~1/4 has been replenished to date. Additional SAXS increase based on usage and cost numbers. |
| March 1st, 2022 | Training Fees Newly calculated based on individual staff salaries instead of a single common staff-time rate. Narrative/Justification Better recoup staff-time costs in training, especially for the more veteran staff members (with higher salaries). Keep other rates fixed while monitoring revenue accrued by per session surcharges. Staff salaries increase by only 1.5% for FY22 (U wide). |
| September 1st, 2020 | Equipment Per session surcharge: Newly invoked to recover COVID-related losses, over three years, set per instrument statistics to increase total session revenue for each instrument by 15%. Narrative/Justification Keep other rates fixed while monitoring revenue accrued by per-session surcharges. Staff salaries cut for FY21 (U wide). |
| July 1st, 2019 | Equipment Hourly: Increased by 3%, both base rates and discounted rates for long sessions (when applicable) Per run (e.g., coaters): Increased by 3% Staff Time Increased by 3% for assistance and for common analytical work Narrative/Justification Routine inflationary rate increases, mostly to cover staff raises and increases in maintenance contracts. |
Billing Forms
For any billing questions, please contact Characterization Facility Administration (cfacadmin@umn.edu).
Tax Forms
- UMN signed W-9 Tax Form for your institutions accounting department
- UMN partially completed MN ST3 Form which provides some sales tax exemption for qualified users (your accounting department must have declared this status to the government).
Analytical services are not subject to sales tax; however, unless the ST3 form is provided there is sales tax for self, hands-on instrument usage (hourly charges). With the ST3, exemption is provided to academics, some government agencies, and companies that provide payments directly to the Minnesota Department of Revenue via the pay forward method.