Facilities

Using NDNF Facilities

The NDNF is available for use by both academic (internal and external) and commercial users. The following rates are effective January 1, 2021:

ND users:

General Lab $23.00/hour
SEM $40.00/hour
EBL (self-run)$84.00/hour
EBL (staff-run)$104.00/hour

Masks $118.00/plate consumed

Staff-operated rate on any$74.00/hour surcharge
tool or process (except EBL)


External users:

General Lab$95.00/hour
SEM$180.00/hour
EBL (staff-run)$300.00/hour (self-run EBL is not available for outside users)
Masks$355.00/plate consumed


Staff-operated rate on any$105.00/hour surcharge
tool or process


The University will assess facilities and administrative (indirect) costs as a percentage of direct costs at the rate effective at the time the direct costs are incurred.

All rates are subject to change.

To find out more about using the NDNF, please contact Patrick Fay at 574-631-5693 or pfay@nd.edu.


Gaining Access to the NDNF

To gain access to the facility, the following steps must be completed. Note: These steps typically require two weeks for processing, so external users should start the process well in advance of their expected arrival date to avoid delays:

  1. All cleanroom users must complete the Lab Safety Fundamentals training given by Risk Management and Safety prior to entering the cleanroom. The training is available online through complyND. This training must be scheduled through your department. Once the complyND training is completed, print out a certificate of completion and bring that with Safety Manual sign- off sheet from step 2.

  2. Carefully read the NDNF Laboratory Operations & Safety Procedures Manual (online at http://www3.nd.edu/~ndnf/safety/index.html), and fill out the last page (the lab user agreement). The FOAPAL number will be used to cover your usage fees for the cleanroom; in most cases, this number can be obtained from your supervisor or PI.

  3. A Cleanroom Safety Overview with Dr. Fay (pfay@nd.edu) is required; this can be scheduled by contacting Dr. Fay directly.

  4. After completing the Overview session, take the lab user agreement (from the safety manual) to Mark Richmond (B37 Stinson-Remick) to request a facility access badge. For the facility badge, you may email a picture of yourself (from the shoulders) up to Mark Richmond (mrichmon@nd.edu), or you may stop by Stinson-Remick B37 to have your picture taken.  Processing usually takes 1-2 days.

  5. Users also need an iLab account. Directions for establishing an account for ND Users are here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x0zrHWMGP9-gZSgnqhhDo2CmUjjLSR9Q/view?usp=sharing

  6. Once everything is established, you will receive an email to pick up your badge. A cleanroom safety walk-through that covers general operations, gowning, and safety inside the cleanroom must be scheduled through Mark Richmond (mrichmon@nd.edu).

  7. After completion of these steps, access to the cleanroom is granted and you may start requesting any tool-specific training required for your projects.

All users of the NDNF must attend mandatory safety orientation and training sessions appropriate for the equipment to be used. Users must follow laboratory procedures and protocols at all times. Reservation of processing time on the equipment is on a "first come, first served" basis. Processes or experiments that will require the use of a system for an extraordinary amount of time must be scheduled with the Facilities Manager or the Laboratory Director, as appropriate.