CSP.112 (2010.1.0) Guidelines for Application of Standard and Non-standard Billing Rates

CSP.112 (2010.1.0) Guidelines for Application of Standard and Non-standard 
Billing Rates
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I. Background
   For many years, our department has partially recovered the cost of
   providing computer support by billing for computer support
   services.  Originally, there was a single rate for all services
   provided.  Now, we apply either of two different rates: a
   "standard" rate, applied when providing services to systems and
   software that comply with departmenal computing standards, and a
   higher "non-standard" rate for systems and software beyond or at
   odds with these standards.

II. Decision process
   The departmental computer support staff will decide which of the
   two rates should be applied to a particular billable item, based
   on the guidelines in part III, below.  These decisions will be
   reviewed for appropriateness by the IT Manager and Director of
   Laboratories.

III. Examples
   The following examples illustrate how the standard and non-
   standard billing rates will be applied in a variety of common
   situations.  These examples are only guidelines.

   A. Software:
      ---------
      General questions about software currently (or planned to be)
      installed globally on standard (CSP) workstations will be be
      billed at the "standard" rate.  Questions about other software
      will be billed at the "non-standard" rate.  Detailed help with
      a specific problem, requiring substantial time, may be billed
      at the "non-standard" rate, even if the problem revolves around
      a piece of standard software.
       
   B. Hardware:
      ---------
      Hardware support for standard (CSP) computers will be billed
      at the "standard" rate.  Hardware support for other computers
      will be billed at the "non-standard" rate.

   C. Purchasing:
      -----------
      The time spent spec-ing out hardware for new computer
      purchases will be billed at the "standard" rate if the IT
      manager agrees that the hardware either conforms to current
      standards or will integrate well with future standards.
      Otherwise, the time will be billed at the "non-standard" rate.