Apply for access
The first step of any access application is to have a conversation with our staff to discuss your project and requirements. We can advise on the process from there.
Usage charges are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, however for those planning research proposals to the EPSRC, access charges do NOT add to the FEC cost of your grant (we are listed on Je-S under Research Council Facilities).
Once you have discussed your project with Facility staff please complete the EPR application form.
What happens next?
When your application is approved, you will be contacted by a member of the Facility staff to arrange the experiments. You will also be given a password and username for our online sample tracking system. All samples must be accompanied by a COSHH form.
Sample prioritisation and scheduling
The requests for time will be prioritised according to:
- EPSRC funded grant or contract holder
- Other peer-reviewed RCUK funded grant-holders
- Pilot study for EPSRC application
- Other peer-reviewed non-RCUK grant holders (eg. Wellcome, Leverhulme, CRUK).
- Pilot study for non-EPSRC application
- Industrial (non-EPSRC supported)
- Other
Work will be prioritised and scheduled on a rolling one-month basis by the Facility Executive Committee. If your project is part of a funded application to EPSRC (or other UK Research Council), where EPR was in the case for support, or if the project is part of a contractual agreement with EPSRC, then use of the Service is guaranteed. Non peer-review funded projects will be referred to the ISC for independent assessment.
Project scheduling by the Facility Executive Committee will be on the basis of:
- Project prioritisation
- Nature of sample (eg. stability)
- Commonality of process setting (eg grouping samples for measurement for a given frequency/technique)
- Criticality of research (eg. need to respond rapidly to referees’ comments)
- Facility capacity
EPSRC-funded applicants
New grant applications to EPSRC including access charge funding
Step one: Application
PI lists EPR Facility in JeS. Select 'EPSRC' in dropdown box on JeS. In the "Research Council Facilities" section select 'EPSRC National Service for Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy'. Enter 'Units' - the number of days' access being requested - and 'Cost' - calculated as units' EPSRC rate. The number of units should be discussed with Facility staff. The access charges do NOT appear as an additional cost on the proposal. Applicants will also require a Technical Annex from the Facility, to be submitted as an attachment with the proposal, which will confirm the access arrangements and the feasibility of the proposed experiments.
Step two: Award
When the grant is awarded the Principal Investigator should inform the Facility. The Facility will report to the EPSRC on number of days used per quarter, and the access charges will be transferred from the EPSRC (via Purchase Order) to The University of Manchester. The total number of days for the grant will be limited to that requested in the original proposal.
Note: Principal Investigators that have EPSRC grants funded, but that did not explicitly request EPR Facility time, will be charged at the EPSRC rate via invoice. Access requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the Facility management board. The Principal Investigator and Facility staff will decide on required days and hence cost.
Current EPSRC grants, ie. funded prior to date of announcement of new costing rules (19/7/2017)
We will honour free at point-of-use commitments to such users up until the end date of the grant. Where users included consumables costs, these will be transferred to The University of Manchester via invoice / Purchase Order (or internal transfer if is is a University grant).
Exemptions to charging
EPSRC DTG - or CDT-funded PhD students will not be charged, as they have no additional funding mechanism. Limited (1-2 days) exemptions for feasibility studies to support EPSRC applications, or rapid addressing of referees' comments. Access requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the Management Board.
Non-EPSRC (all other RCUK, charity, etc.) funded applicants
New applications for funding
Step one: Application
For non-EPSRC RCUK applications, costs for EPR Facility access should be included under 'Other Directly Incurred', charged at non-EPSRC rate. Number of days access to be discussed with Facility staff. For applications to charities, etc, these costs should be included under the equivalent heading.
Step two: Award
When grant is awarded, the Principal Investigator informs the Facility, and The University of Manchester Finance Office raises an invoice against the Principal Investigator institution; the Principal Investigator's institution then raises a Purchase Order.
Industry
- Industrial contact speaks with Facility staff to discuss how many days of access they require.
- Industrial contact raises a PO, based on non-EPSRC rate; The University of Manchester Finance Office raises an invoice.