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We used to have a pre-pay system. Federal auditors came in and praised our
record-keeping, noted all the adavantages mentioned below, said it was a
great idea, and then said it was completely illegal because paying for
services before they are rendered is fraud. Insinuated jail time if we did
not agree. So we're back to hourly charges, monthly billings, tons of
paperwork, no way to help clients encumber funds for upcoming work, and
we're always behind on our pay-in-advance service contracts on our
electron microscopes. Be careful what you set up!

Aloha,
Tina

> Instead of "annual" charges I think of trying a Pre-Pay system: Groups
> buy large chunks of usage hours in advance at discounted rates, hours are
> then taken off their credit.
>   Advantages: reduced paper work with billing, clear hourly records for
> facility management and funding bodies, cheaper rates for users - and
> prepaid money in our account. And it's only one calculation system for
> all charges (hourly & prepaid), so easier to handle.

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* Tina (Weatherby) Carvalho               * [log in to unmask]           * 
* Biological Electron Microscope Facility * (808) 956-6251                 *
* University of Hawaii at Manoa           * http://www.pbrc.hawaii.edu/bemf* 
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