MEMORANDUM
To: BSD and PSOM REDCap Project Owners, Principal Investigators, and Research Staff
From: Julie Johnson, PhD and Yoav Gilad, PhD — Center for Research Informatics
Date: October 2, 2026
Re: An Update on REDCap Support for BSD and PSOM
We’re writing to share an update about how the Center for Research Informatics (CRI) will support REDCap for the Biological Sciences Division (BSD) and the Pritzker School of Medicine (PSOM) going forward. We know any change to how a well-loved tool is funded can raise questions, so we wanted to walk you through what’s changing, why, and just as important, what stays the same: our commitment to keeping REDCap reliable, secure, and growing alongside your research.
Who This Affects
This change applies to REDCap projects owned within BSD and PSOM. If you work in another University division or at UCM, the doesn’t affect you — those areas have operated under a REDCap recharge model for the past five years, so BSD and PSOM are simply joining a financial structure that’s already well established elsewhere.
Why We’re Making This Change
The CRI operates as part of the University’s federal recharge operations, which means the rates we charge — and how we charge them — are governed by federal cost-accounting rules meant to keep things fair and consistent across all users. As part of this framework, the CRI will no longer receive full subsidization for BSD and PSOM REDCap projects. At the same time, REDCap Central is preparing to migrate to REDCap+ (Plus), an evolving suite of powerful new features and services that extend the capabilities of REDCap. This new platform carries an associated subscription fee charged by the REDCap Consortium at Vanderbilt University of all institutions moving to this new platform.
Rather than let these changes catch anyone by surprise, we wanted to introduce a modest, predictable fee now — one that lets us keep investing in REDCap for you while staying within federal compliance requirements.
We’re also using this moment to grow, not just to charge. We’re adding support staff dedicated to expanding REDCap’s features as we move to REDCap+, and we’ll continue providing 21 CFR Part 11–compliant services for the projects that need them. And honestly, we like to think of the fee as a gentle nudge toward good data stewardship — a small incentive for all of us to be thoughtful about the projects we keep active and the resources we use.
What the Fee Looks Like
• $125 per project, per year
• Billed in quarterly increments ($31.25 per quarter)
• Applies to each REDCap project owned by a BSD or PSOM creator
A New Step When Moving to Production
As part of this transition — and as a requirement of federal recharge operations — every project will need a valid funding source on file before it can move from Development to Production. When you submit a production request, you’ll be asked to complete a brief survey to gather required administrative data including a Chart of Accounts (COA) or POETAF string, along with your PI’s or your Department Chair’s information.
We know this is a new part of the process, so we’re building it right into the existing production request workflow. And if you’re ever unsure what to enter, our team is happy to help you sort it out before you submit.
There’s nothing you need to do today. We’ll share full instructions, examples, and support resources well before Go Live, and we’ll be right alongside you as the new workflow rolls out.
Timeline
• Today – December 2026: Log into REDCap and close out completed projects. We’ll share additional guidance and walk through the updated production-request workflow ahead of Go Live.
• January 1, 2027: The recharge model takes effect (FY27 Q3).
• End of Q3 (March 2027): We’ll issue the first quarterly invoices, covering projects that are live in Production status as of January 1, 2027.
• Ongoing: Invoices will be issued quarterly thereafter, at $31.25 per project per quarter.
We’re Here to Help
Change like this is never entirely simple, and we’re grateful for your patience and partnership as we work through it together. We invite you to share your questions, comments, and concerns through our REDCap Recharge Model Feedback Survey: https://redcap.link/recharge_model
Your feedback will help us better understand what information and support our REDCap community needs as we move forward. Your feedback will help us develop additional guidance and a comprehensive future set of FAQs.
Thank you for everything you do for research at BSD and PSOM, and for continuing to trust REDCap — and us — with it.
With gratitude,
The Center for Research Informatics
