Pricing policy for the Institut Pasteur's technology core facilities

The Technology Department and the Financial Affairs Department have introduced a new long-term business model for the Institut Pasteur's core facilities and set a new pricing policy, with the aim of strengthening the Institut Pasteur's scientific leadership by leveraging a state-of-the-art technological environment and an optimized organizational process.

The business model is based on Institut Pasteur funding as well as contributions from users in the form of fees charged for services provided by core facilities.

User contributions will be adjusted in line with direct costs incurred by the facilities to improve the overall investment and funding strategy for technological resources.
 

The aim of the pricing policy is to provide a sustainable, clear and consistent framework and approach.

The challenges are as follows:

•    to provide all campus units with equitable and priority access to shared resources, while preventing congestion in the core facilities;
•    to promote synergies between entities and core facilities and enhance the latter's involvement;
•    to attract external resources through grants via the establishment of a standardized internal invoicing system that does not distinguish between different funding sources, making the various funding bodies eligible for all service charges;
•    to find the right balance by offering an incentive pricing structure while ensuring that appropriate contributions are made to cover the direct cost of services;
•    to support the Institut Pasteur's future investments in cutting-edge technologies and on new technological fronts.

 

The pricing policy applies to:

 

•    The Center for Technological Resources and Research (C2RT);
•    The Center for Animal Resources and Research (C2RA);
•    The Center for IT Resources and Research (C2RI): for the Image Analysis Hub and the Data Management Core Facility only.

It does not currently apply to the Biological Resource Center (CRBIP).
 

The new pricing policy adopted by the management team for services provided by core facilities involves three rates:

1/ The internal price, for Institut Pasteur units, under which users pay for operating, maintenance and staff costs directly attributable to in-house services.

2/ The academic price, which in addition to the above costs also includes equipment depreciation costs.

3/ The external price, which is 50% higher than the academic price.

An alternative progressive approach known as the "compensatory price" will be applied to internal prices if the increase exceeds 100% of the current price.

The new prices are applicable from January 1, 2023 and will be reviewed on an annual basis. They are approved jointly by the head of the core facility, the Financial Affairs Department and the Technology Department. With the adoption of this new approach, some prices will fall and others will increase.

The Financial Affairs Department will monitor the situation closely and produce a detailed analysis of the financial impact for the units and core facilities.
 

The memorandum setting out the methodology behind the pricing policy is available via this link