The Current Price of LIMS

25 Jan 2022, Cape Town

Open Source LIMS a better deal than ever

In recent experience by Bika Lab Systems* and small to medium size laboratories, it was found possible to implement and support Bika through year one for as little as $15,000

This is achieved in optimal conditions where users have time to explore training content and forums online and experiment in a sandbox test server - thereby limiting the need for much training or support. Not always possible in busy labs

Drawing in super-users earlier during setting up their LIMS, transfers a lot of knowledge and the lab benefits from lowered support costs

No desktop installations are required, Bika requires a browser only

Full ISO 17025 ready functionality

More savings can be had

Project inputs are broken down overleaf, using averages for a 10 - 15 user system

Costs are service based - only hours really consumed are billed, savings might be had. Hard-working labs using fewer hours benefit, e.g. through taking over configuration tasks and using online resources for voluntary free support

Big labs?

Bigger labs have more users to train and support, and are likely to have more instruments for which interfaces will need to be coded

Own server installations may be preferred. Built in enterprise CMS, Plone, Bika easily scales

Savings on licence fees - Bika can be used by unlimited users - are often utilised towards further customisations the lab require for an even better fit. Such improvements provide much organic marketing benefit for sponsors 

* Bika Lab Systems is the primary sponsor of the Bika Open Source LIMS project. Bika Client Sponsors

A project budget given these assumptions, would look like this:

Implementation $12,000

Cloud Installation

Both Test and Production Servers

The secondary LIMS is used for acceptance testing, thereafter as e-learning sandbox for users to uninhibitedly test real life scenarios without interrupting production

Optionally installed on the lab's server of choice, + $2,000

Configuration

50 Hrs. This depends a lot on the lab’s complexity. Single-discipline LIMS with narrow diversity of sample types, services and specifications are easy to configure

Hours might be adjusted after analysis of requirements, hopefully downwards

The quote assumes much of the setup data to be available in spreadsheets, and super-users to take questions

Training

2 x 90 Minutes screen-sharing

Acceptance Support

32 hours. Assistance with learning how to use the LIMS, leading up to an Acceptance Notice and going live

LIMS Analysis, Project Management and Admin

Proprietary vs Open Source pricing

Regardless of customisation required, ill fitting and bloated proprietary LIMS will always make for expensive implementations. See a post on LIMS price feedback from lab managers and industry professionals, Bika user list

Year 1 post Implementation $3000

Hosting

12 Months

Support

2 Prepaid Support buckets of 15 hours each

Over time, in-house skills grow strong, diminishing support requirements. Labs use prepaid support buckets only when necessary.

Customisations - Optional

Unidirectional instrument interfaces

Highly recommended for their great return - interfaces halve labs' turnaround and go a long way towards eliminating transcription errors

Instruments not interfaced earlier, depending on complexity, $1500 - $2500 each for importing from instrument spreadsheets. The lab must provide examples of export files and the capacity to test the interfaces

Bidirectional, $2500 - $3500

Miscellaneous

COA and label templates, etc. $115 ph  

As always, the iron triangle rears its head - labs need time to fully exploit the above model. Fast  and Good is not Cheap

For affordability, slow down
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