This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Objective: To deliver proactive leadership and outstanding service to ensure WNPRC's mission attainment. To provide all necessary services and assistance to support the Center's infrastructure and the independently funded research projects of WNPRC principal investigators. This mission will be done by creating a positive work environment that embraces all team members and their contributions and by striving for """"""""excellence in all we do"""""""", developing transparency and instilling a lead turn attitude. Operational Services is the WNPRC's business office and serves as the central point for the following administrative functions: Human Resources, Payroll and Benefits, Grants Management, Financial Management (including Purchasing) Services, Facilities Management and Shop Services. All personnel in Operational Services appreciate and promote a customer service approach in carrying out the day-to-day administrative functions. In addition, Operational Services staff work to assure compliance with all administrative and regulatory requirements of the university, State of Wisconsin and federal cognizant agencies. The position of Associate Director for Operational Services was filled in April of 2008 by Jim Butts. Over the last 12 months, Operational Services has accomplished the following: Human Resources (K. Kaminski) During the last year the Human Resources Office has had a 100% turnover in personnel that included the HR Manger, Pay &Benefits specialist and Office Operations Assistant. The HR Manager position has been adeptly filled by Kate Kaminski, who has significant HR experience, brought with her from the School of Education. The Office Assistant position has also been filled and a recent hire has filled the payroll/benefits position. HR continues to focus on equity and diversity with a member on the Graduate School Equity and Diversity Committee. In addition, HR continues its relationship with Madison Area Technical College working with their team to develop training and certification for animal care takers. This cooperative effort continues to provide a diverse applicant pool for the entire campus. The HR unit still lead the university in its English Language Learner program. A few self-initiated programs this year include developing and implementing an electronic classified timesheet that saves time and reduces errors with payroll calculations. In addition the HR unit has worked to take full control of travel in order to reduce redundancy, confusion, and accelerate reimbursements. In another effort to expedite transmission of personnel information the unit now uses a scanner to send information electronically rather then using inter-d mail to ensure timely receipt and avoid possible miss deliveries. To aid the Graduate School the unit will take over unclassified and classified payroll. This will allow entry at this unit level which reduces duplicate work for us and Grad School. The HR unit is also in the process of re-evaluating the Primate Center's New Employee Orientation. Another program under current review is an evaluation of the employee annual review process in order to decide if we need a simpler form and if it would encourage more timely and complete responses. Grants Management (K. Nagle) This year Grants Management processed 57 funding actions including proposals, agreements, modifications, etc., as well as 17 MTA's and 7 NDAs. The total awards for this year including the base grant amount to over $11M. In coordination with HR and Finance they also provide post-award management of over 100 grants. This year the unit has designed and implemented a new filing system and is currently in the process of archiving or destroying files as appropriate per policy and procedures. The unit has also brought the Center and PIs through multiple system conversions and has created an electronic Center-wide grants tracking system for Operational Services and PI use as well as developed a proposal checklist to increase efficient proposal development by PIs and the Grants Office. Work will continue on the web page and coordination with Graduate School and RSP will be emphasized to ensure timely turnaround on pre/post award actions. Financial Management Services (B. Gay-Seehawer) We provided excellent customer service to internal service units, campus units, and external clients answering a vast array of account and grant questions. With the assistance of the university's consulting group we resolved and closed out outstanding grants, completing transfers, and providing explanations as necessary. The financial management office served as liaison between the Center, graduate school and research and sponsored programs. Monthly revenue by service unit, and year to date financial status reports were provided to WNPRC senior management. We successfully electronically (JET) transmitted charges monthly to our internal (UW-Madison) accounts within the university accounting system (WISDM). In 2008, 7,741,931 Primate Center charges for services were processed, of which 3,207,672 were invoiced. Charges of $2,811,783 were billed to internal (UW) accounts and $395,889 to external customer accounts. 2,081 credit card transactions totaling $903,843 have been processed. The purchasing card site manager has audited and assured proper documentation and compliance for these. Additionally, approximately 100 blanket purchase orders allowed end users to directly place orders with those vendors. January 17, 2008, we implemented the WNPRC purchase order request system. To date 5,124 order requests have been processed, 394 are in process and 10 are pending. This enhanced our financial system reporting features, and functions allowing users to input charges, produce their own expenditure reports for their service unit. December 2008 we collaborated with IT staff on a stockroom inventory/ chargeback project. This system now interfaces with our existing accounting and purchasing systems. It tracks stockroom inventory, customers, and accounts charged. Customers will now complete online charge slips rather than manual paper copies as the mechanism to charge-back their account. After contracting with a confidential paper shredding company a clean sweep project was completed in March. We successfully eliminated several (95) gallon containers of papers that staff had amassed for years. May 2008 we reviewed our maintenance contract identifying and updating the list of equipment in service units. We determined if they still had the equipment listed and if maintenance coverage was required. Our goal is to do a cost analysis on premium versus pay for services as needed. The Center needs to calculate equipment life expectancy and plan for in future budgets. Through July and August 2008 our Nextel walkie-talkie cell phone contract was renegotiated, Seventy-two phones were upgraded, activated, and issued to employees. The center received a cost savings of $730 for a buyback rebate on old phones and $1300, or one month's credit for a one-year contract renewal. August 2008 we audited UW Materials Distribution Services (MDS) monthly billing for cylinder rental and discovered charges for tanks the center no longer had. They were never identified as such when MDS converted their billing system. This resulted in a cost savings of $5,819.40 to the center. Facilities Management and Shop Services (B. Pape) The unit which is currently staffed by four individuals, is responsible for monitoring the function of the major operational services (HVAC, electrical, plumbing), interacting with the UW Physical Plant to oversee major system and structure repairs to center equipment and facilities, designing and fabricating specialized research and animal care equipment, and participating in planning for future renovation and construction of the WNPRC facilities. Merging the facilities and instrument maker shop has streamlined the organizational structure and clarified the process for facility maintenance and planning decisions. Kirk Boehm, Assistant Director for Facilities Management has been reassigned to the NHP vivarium project within the Interdisciplinary Research Complex (IRC). In his new responsibilities as the Construction Manager for the IRC, Mr. Boehm will continue to work closely with WNPRC to coordinate final design of the vivarium. A small sample of projects accomplished or in progress follow: 1) WIMR (previously referred to as IRC) has been completed. The handoff to the University occurred in February and occupation took place very recently. This unit will house approximately 275 macaques and creates a complexity of management due to its geographically separate location. 2) In conjunction with Animal Services and Pathology, coordinated necropsy remodel project. Purchased new necropsy table and grossing station, worked as contact for all trades involved in the remodel and equipment installation. 3) Renovated 3 animal holding rooms cb22, c436 an ab118. Removed stationary primate holding units, repair and modify as needed. Coordinated the installation of new lights, FRP (fiberglass reinforced panels) to ceiling areas and re-grouted all tile walls and floor. Improvements are compliance issues noted by the USDA and AAALAC. 4) Designed and fabricated 9 social housing tunnels for the Behavior / Enrichment group and fabricated 25 aluminum transport cages to be used at WIMR. Coordinated the purchase and installation of a two ton air conditioning unit to cool the expanding server unit in the Annex as well as purchasing and installing a new air compressor for Assay Services nitrogen generator. In addition to the WNPRC, maintained and modified primate holding rooms and housing units at Biotron and Charmany Farms. 5) Providing guidance and assistance to Washington NPRC for the building of a table top restraint device similar to the one we built locally. Working with local PI to build a foot and arm manipulandums along with a hydrolytic reward system. Primate Center Capital Equipment Purchases The following capital equipment purchase was completed during the last project period: 1) Ultrasound, Transducers $39,950 2) DNA Analyzer $125,000 3) BD LSD II $125,000 4) Freezer $9,304 5) DNA Sequencer $17,201 6) Glucose Analyzer $10,916 7) Microplate Reader $13,235 8) Cleaning System $19,849 9) FACSCALIBUR Sensor 101,065 10) Freezer $5,584 11) Liquid Chromatograph $35,687 12) HDO VET BO Monitor $16,000 13) Air Techniques Vet Scanner $22,000 14) Progeny DC-X0Ray Unit $4,600 15) Computer Equipment, $27,729 Publications note: Operational Services support is involved in numerous journal articles that depend in part or in full on WNPRC resources. Note: AIDS related.
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