Technical Services Policies and Procedures
LAR provides, on a fee-for-service basis, technical assistance for animal manipulations and other services that are not included in the per diem rate. It is the goal of LAR to provide essentially any animal manipulation needed by a CVM researcher or instructor, in order to free up time or otherwise improve the utilization of research staff. LAR contracts both technical and veterinary services. The LAR Veterinary Services program differs from the Technical Services program as it is specific to the veterinary medical needs of the animal. Technical Services cover breeding programs, blood collection, antibody production, animal delivery, overnight food withholding, and euthanasia for research purposes.
Policies
- Although the goal of LAR is to provide complete technical assistance as requested, logistics may prevent such support for some projects or manipulations; advanced notice is always helpful and appreciated.
- Requests for routine support must be received by 12:00 noon, 2 business days before requested service.
- Requests for non-routine service (e.g., after hours or intensive assistance) should be made at least one full week before service needed.
- The hourly Technical Service Charge will be posted on the LAR per diem rate schedule. This rate applies to regular work hours (7:30-5:00), while after-hours, weekends and holiday assistance will be charged at one-and-one-half this rate; call-back time may be charged for service needed after techs have gone home for the day. Charges will be based on actual time spent to the nearest 15 minutes. There will be no charge for incidental technical assistance, which means time spent less than 15 minutes on an occasional basis.
- Technical service will be charged for most activities beyond what is associated with normal animal maintenance (i.e., feeding, watering, and sanitation). This will include: animal transportation; research-related treatments; non-standard animal colony management (e.g., maintaining breeding records); and special procedures, such as weighing, bleeding, injections, ear tagging, gavaging.
- Training of research staff in animal-related techniques is provided at no charge.
- Routine clinical care in cases of spontaneous animal disease or injury is provided at no charge to PIs until a diagnosis and prognosis are reasonably established. Subsequent care is provided at the expense of the PI. Protocol- related health problems are the responsibility of the PI, unless arrangements for treatment are made with LAR.
- Euthanasia of individual animals for health/welfare reasons is performed at no charge to PIs.
- Incidental supplies and drugs associated with providing special procedures will not be charged. Non-incidental supplies, e.g., euthanasia solution for large animals, will be charged using the Central Procedures Lab schedule.
Procedures
- LAR will designate a Technical Services Coordinator who will receive requests for service and coordinate all aspects of the program. The Technical Services Coordinator should be consulted directly for any technical service requests that are new, late, or involve long-term or otherwise extensive support ( lartechservice@ncsu.edu ).
- Technical service request forms can be obtained from the LAR Forms web site. Completed forms should be emailed to lartechservice@ncsu.edu .
- LAR asks for as much notice as possible for all technical assistance, but will attempt to satisfy unforeseen needs that arise after this time; direct contact must be made with the Coordinator.