There are several mechanisms with which to engage FCMF and we appreciate the opportunity to meet your needs. Please email us at fcmf@utk.edu with some details explaining your project/work needs and we will determine the best mechanism to serve you.
In broad terms the various project mechanisms are:
- The company/sponsor/customer may request a mutual Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA) to be executed between them and the university. This would be the first step in most cases. This takes about two to three weeks depending upon the terms and conditions of the respective parties.
- For projects less than $10k in estimated value, the mechanism of fee-for-service (work for others or also called ‘receivables’) can be used. Based on discussions with the company/sponsor/customer, a quote will be provided by FCMF. The company issues a P.O. and an invoice will be submitted upon completion of the work/report. These projects are typically one to three months in duration. The payment terms may be negotiated up front such as 50% with the P.O. or 100% upon completion of the work etc.
- In some cases the company/sponsor/customer may have a ‘phased’ work – i.e. a limited Phase 1 work will be undertaken to reach a certain milestone in the project. This may provide the company/sponsor/customer sufficient information to move on to the next phase of the project. FCMF will provide a tiered quote, first for Phase I and then subsequently for Phase II and so on. These projects can start as one to three month projects and then extend up to one year depending upon the work scope. The value of such projects can range from $5k to $50k.
- A sponsored project where FCMF provides a budget/cost estimate submitted through the UT Office of Sponsored Programs.
*Indirect costs apply to all mechanisms briefed in items 2 to 4 above.
**All technical reports will include the team’s technical expertise, interpretations, and science discussion.
***For additional details, please contact us at fcmf@utk.edu