There are times when a piece of equipment that is needed to conduct research is not available for purchase from a vendor. Fabrication is the process of creating that unique item to meet a specific research requirement for that project. It is assembled from a number of parts, supplies and components, and is composed of individual items which cannot function or be useful alone or which lose their individual identity when incorporated into this item. This new item will ultimately have a combined cost of $5,000 or more and a useful life of more than one year. The following steps are required:
- Complete a Notice of Fabrication and Request for Fabrication Fund(s) form. This form identifies the item to be fabricated, the location where it will reside, the estimated total cost, the responsible organization, the planned project start and end dates and whether the item will remain at Rice after completion. This information will allow reviewers to determine whether the work contemplated is in accordance with the terms and conditions of the funding sources. Copies of POs are not required, but a listing of the major costs is needed either on the form or as an attachment. Please be sure to indicate the Fund-Org-Acct of the funding sources of the item. The completed and signed form may either be mailed to Property Accounting, MS 70, or scanned and emailed to fascard@rice.edu.
- Property Accounting, Research & Cost Accounting, and the Office of Sponsored Research (if necessary) will review the request for a Fabrication Fund. If approved, Research & Cost Accounting or Current Funds Accounting will establish a new fund number or issue a new sub-fund number if the fabrication is part of an existing project, process the budget revision to transfer the funds to the new fund or sub-fund and inform you of the fund or sub-fund number. Your request may be denied if the planned fabrication violates the terms and conditions of any of the funding sources. If denied, Research & Cost Accounting will explain the issues that need to be addressed.
- This new Fabrication Fund number will be used for all costs relating to the equipment and a capital account code is to be used for all charges. There is no need to identify each item of cost as a component because the fund number does this for you.
Each purchase of a component, or components, of the fabrication must be made in accordance with the Rice University Purchasing Policy.