Billable Services Guide | Facilities Operations and Development

This guide outlines which FOD services are considered billable and non-billable. It is intended to help customers understand which services are covered by university funding and when costs may be the responsibility of the requesting department. Use the service categories below to find guidance for common requests. Some services may require additional review based on the specific request, equipment, space or existing service agreement.

Carpentry & Furniture Repair

Non-Billable Request	Billable Request
Ceilings, grating, and hanging Door repair and installation Flooring in public spaces Sheetrock repair, patching, and floating Standard window coverings and hardware in public spaces Walls and wall coverings in public areas	Cabinet repairs Cubicles and partitions Departmental storage caging/interior fencing Flooring replacement inside department spaces Hanging/mounting of whiteboards, glass boards, monitors, artwork, and awards/ plaques. Painting of interior walls inside departmental spaces Window treatments (blinds/shades) inside department spaces

Custodial

Non-Billable Request

Billable Request

Routine cleaning aligned with FOD Cleaning schedule

Areas Outside FOD’s Scope: Spaces managed by other departments, including Student Life and WMC.
Special Event Custodial Support: Additional cleaning services required for special events.
Enhanced or Detail Cleaning: Services beyond routine cleaning, such as detailed office cleaning or enhanced interior window cleaning.
Increased Cleaning Frequency: Requests for cleaning services more frequently than the established standard schedule.

Electrical

Non-Billable Request	Billable Request
Building power distribution  Campus & building natural gas infrastructure Campus underground domestic water and wastewater infrastructure Domestic water pumps Drinking fountain maintenance Exterior & interior building lighting Maintain pumps servicing domestic hot & cold water, storm, and sanitary systems Motor control Pump controls Storm and waste pumps	Any work performed on departmental equipment Small project installations/modifications UPS System or department-specific generator/backup power equipment, including ATS and MTS

Environmental alarms (Separate alarm setup and alarm response)

Non-Billable Request

Billable Request

EnteliWEB alarming -  

Standard facility alarming for FOD assets

Alarm Response 

Immediate response alarms - FOD will be onsite within 2 hours to respond to immediate response environmental alarms for standard facility alarms is non-billable 

Non-billable alarms include major mechanical system alarms (AHUs, Chillers, Boilers, Heating systems, Cooling systems, Central compressed air systems-control air)

Urgent response alarms - FOD will be onsite within 48 hours to respond to urgent response environmental alarms for standard facility alarms is non-billable 

Room temperature alarms should be defined as urgent response alarms

Routine alarms - FOD will be onsite within 3 days to respond to routine environmental alarms - standard facility alarms are non-billable 

EnteliWEB alarming-

Additional alarming setup outside of standard alarms for FOD assets for installation, configuration, and testing

Additional alarming for non-FOD assets for alarm installation, configuration, and testing

Alarm Response 

FOD responses for non-standard facility alarming is  billable 

FOD does not respond to alarms for non-FOD assets - alarm received by unit staff only 

Immediate response alarms - FOD will be onsite within 2 hours to respond to immediate response

Billable alarms include all humidification alarm responses, room temperature alarm responses for individual spaces

Room temperature alarms for individual spaces should be defined as urgent response alarms - if spaces require faster response for FOD assets, the unit should provide an annual funding purchase order to attach to alarm messaging and automatic work order generation

Fire Alarm Systems

Non-Billable Request	Billable Request
Annual testing Assist in all new installations Fire alarm system maintenance for main campus POM buildings First response team in fire-related warnings	Specialty fire alarm/suppression systems serving specialized spaces or assets (pre-action, clean agent systems, Vesda systems, etc.)

HVAC Systems

Non-Billable Request

Billable Request

Climate control for all buildings

Ducts, stand-alone chillers, boilers, and refrigerant A/C systems

Exhaust system maintenance (non-Lab)

General control repairs/modifications

HVAC shared with common spaces

Air scrubbers for department spaces

Any specialty filtration above building standard

Dedicated HVAC systems that feed only lab space (to be dedicated means it does not serve common spaces, stairwells, lobbies, corridors, hallways, restrooms, offices, classrooms, etc)

HVAC alarms servicing dedicated departmental equipment: All alarm points monitoring for installation, configuration, & response

Departmental boilers, autoclaves, lab-specific cleaning equipment, steam-fed departmental-owned equipment

Humidification or dehumidification of specific equipment or at the room-level. Examples include heat wheel, enthalpy wheels, and humidification alarms for spaces

HVAC heating and cooling beyond shell space

Interior Finish and Departmental Equipment

Non-Billable Request	Billable Request
All Requests for this category is billable.	Department-specific equipment maintenance and repair Kitchen equipment located in departmental spaces Lighting (display cases, ORs) Moving (furniture, boxes, surplus equipment, etc.)

Key, Lock & Electronic Access Control (Lenel card access system)

Non-Billable Request

Billable Request

Overall security access to buildings

Technical consulting for access

Key cutting services, excluding cabinet and desk keys, along with lock changes

Maintain existing doors, closers, and associated door hardware

Public Electronic Access Control (EAC) (exterior access)

Capital or Project EAC Support

Electrified door hardware (Lenel card access system)

Cabinet and desk keys are billable. Keys cut as part of a lock change are also billable.

Lock re-keying, installation

Modifications to exterior doors, keys, locks, and associated hardware

Modifications to interior doors, keys, locks, & door hardware

New EAC reader installation, programming, and access schedules.

Relocating existing EAC readers

Laboratory Equipment & Sinks and Faucets

Non-Billable Request

Billable Request

Eye wash/safety showers: Eye wash/safety showers located in public areas and mechanical rooms

Fume Hood Certification and testing: Annual certification

Fume Hood Exhaust System: If lab exhaust is tied to the main exhaust system and main fan

Isolation valve before hood (Utilities, such as water, gas, air, before the unit)

Local shutoff valve for sinks and faucets in labs

Animal systems and waste disposal

Backflow preventers associated with departmental equipment

Commissioning and decommissioning activities: All departmental decommissioning activities, such as removing fume hoods, air change rate modification, and moving thermostats

Eye wash/safety showers: Eye wash/safety showers located inside labs

Fume Hood Certification and Testing: Off-cycle testing

Fume Hoods: All system elements inside the fume hood, including lighting.

Fume Hood Exhaust System: Dedicated exhaust systems for fume hoods, including exhaust fan systems, VFDs, and associated controls.

Lab gas, water systems

Processed chilled water loop and associated condensers, condenser loops, and any dedicated associated hardware

Sinks and faucets in labs: Billable up to wall, pipe chases are non-billable except for specialized traps, clean outs (grease traps), acid neutralizers

Specialty electrical systems—lab specific, vending power, departmental equipment, specialty lighting, etc.

Specialty hoods—BioSafety cabinets, tissue culture hoods, kitchen hoods, etc.

Specialty rooms (chambers/environmental/manufacturing)— repair/replacement and initial utilities installation

Ultralow Temperature Freezers (ULTs)

Plumbing

Non-Billable Request	Billable Request
Backflow preventers not associated with departmental equipment Building domestic water pumping systems Building plumbing systems	Acid pits Autoclaves Backflow preventers on specialty equipment Lab sinks and fixtures

Billable Vs. Non-Billable FAQ

What is the difference between billable and non-billable maintenance?

Non-billable maintenance is for the common upkeep of the entire building, while billable work is a special request for a specific area or department. The Ohio State University and FOD illustrate this by defining billable work as anything added to a building that wouldn't be there normally, such as furniture, office machines, or laboratory equipment. 

Who is responsible for paying for non-billable work?

These costs are paid for by the university's general maintenance and operating budget, commonly referred to as POM, and not charged directly to individual departments.

How are departments billed for billable work?

When a department submits a work request that is determined to be billable, the labor and material costs are charged directly back to that department's budget/cost center. Documentation is typically retained by the facilities department, Workday, and it is also provided to the department being charged. 

What is the process for submitting a request?

For one-time billable requests, the customer/department must submit a work order through S2F. The appropriate FOD shop will review the scope of work, and a quote/proposal for the requested work will be sent to the customer. If the customer/department approves the quote/proposal, a Workday-Buckeye Buy requisition will need to be submitted by the department for the billable work order to be created that outlines the budget and cost center(s) to be charged. Larger projects may also require approval from university administration. 

For recurring billable work, the department submits an annual blanket purchase order (PO) that will be used to charge the ongoing billable work. This is especially important to ensure FOD teams can respond to emergency billable work. All billable work will include detailed labor and material charges.

What if I'm unsure if my request is billable?

Departments can contact their FOD zone leaders to ask specific questions about a request, repair, or project. 

Will FOD be available to complete all requested work?

Our primary commitment is to execute essential preventative maintenance, routine repairs, and mission-critical services. While the focus remains on core POM responsibilities, skilled trade workers can perform additional departmental or billable work requests as time and operational capacity allow.

What are common examples of billable requests?

Billable work includes services and special projects that benefit a specific group or department outside of standard campus finishes. Examples include:

Customization: Constructing new walls, partitions, or permanent fixtures for a single department.

Specialized equipment: Installing, relocating, or maintaining equipment that is specific to one department, such as lab or IT equipment.

Upgrades/Alterations: Requests to upgrade/alter heating, cooling, or electrical systems in a specific office or lab.

Exceeding standards: Work requested by a department that is a preference rather than a necessity or exceeds campus standards for finishes.

Special cleaning: Services beyond routine custodial duties, such as non-routine carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, or special event setup and cleanup.

Damage: Repairs for damage caused by negligence or vandalism.

How are laboratory equipment maintenance and testing managed regarding billing?

Routine annual certification and testing of fume hoods and certain elements tied to the main exhaust system are non-billable. However, off-cycle testing, dedicated exhaust components, and repairs for elements located inside labs or individual spaces are typically billable.

What is the approach to environmental alarms and facility alarming services?

Standard facility alarm setup and response is typically non-billable, while additional alarming services for non-FOD assets or non-standard facility alarms are billable. Immediate and routine response times are specified, with urgent alarms for individual room temperatures being handled distinctly.

How are HVAC services divided between billable and non-billable categories?

Shared HVAC services with common spaces and general alarms are non-billable, but dedicated HVAC to lab spaces, specialized humidification/dehumidification equipment, and environment-specific parameters are billable due to their specialized nature.