My PI’s project involves fabricating a new piece of major equipment. How do I treat this in the budget if the final equipment is made from many materials and supplies?

Many research projects include the design, development, and building of equipment that is not available commercially. Equipment that cannot be purchased “off the shelf,” and is built by the research team, is fabricated equipment. There are instances where the whole research project is the fabrication of equipment.

The act of assembling a CPU, monitor, and keyboard does not meet the definition of a fabrication, since the computer system is not unique.

The Property Office is responsible for determining whether budgeted items meet the definition of “fabricated equipment.”