Services
CSTAT collaborates on contracts and grants, including:
- Study design and analysis planning
- Power analysis
- Statistical analysis, modeling, and visualization
- Data management and reproducible workflows
- Machine learning, AI, and large language models
- Participation on sponsored projects as key personnel or consultants
- Grant proposal writing and reviewing
- Contribution to manuscripts, reports, and regulatory documentation
Grant Proposal and Sponsored Research Support
CSTAT supports investigators during proposal development and throughout funded sponsored research projects. We help strengthen the statistical and methodological components of grant applications and provide ongoing collaboration when CSTAT effort is included in the project budget.
Support may include study design consultation, power analysis, statistical methods writing, data management planning, analysis planning, budget planning for CSTAT effort, statistical modeling, visualization, interpretation of findings, manuscript development, reports, presentations, and regulatory documentation.
CSTAT personnel may serve as key personnel, co-investigators, consultants, or methodological collaborators on sponsored projects. Proposal development support is generally provided at no cost when CSTAT’s post-award effort is appropriately included in the proposed project budget.
When ongoing CSTAT support is needed after award, the minimum recommended effort is typically 5–10% FTE for a CSTAT statistician per project year, depending on the scope of work. CSTAT makes a good-faith effort to complete the work within the effort and budget allotted to the project.
If only a few hours of proposal support are needed and CSTAT will not be included in the post-award budget, proposal development support may need to be paid using hourly rates.
Contract Research and Fee-for-Service Work
CSTAT supports contract research and fee-for-service work with external partners, including:
- Industry and commercial organizations
- Healthcare and clinical partners
- Governmental agencies
- External academic institutions
All external engagements are conducted through MSU-approved agreements and coordinated with the appropriate university offices, such as Business Connect and/or the Office of Sponsored Programs.
If a project proceeds, MSU executes the appropriate agreement, which may include a Sponsored Research Agreement, Data Use Agreement, Business Associate Agreement, or other required agreement. CSTAT prepares a Scope of Work outlining deliverables, estimated effort, timeline, costs, and responsibilities. Work begins after agreements and the Scope of Work are approved.
Getting Started
Start by submitting the Request a Consultation form and telling us about your project goals, timeline, data context, and the type of support you are seeking. CSTAT will review the request and, when appropriate, assign a statistician with relevant experience.
An initial meeting is free and may be used to clarify the research question, discuss proposed statistical methods, assess feasibility, identify regulatory or data considerations, and define the potential scope of work. This meeting is non-binding and occurs before any contractual commitment or paid work begins.
Pricing and Invoicing
CSTAT is committed to transparent and predictable pricing. Fees depend on the type of engagement, project scope, funding source, and whether the partner is internal or external to MSU.
Rates follow MSU Service Center policy. External and industry rates may differ from internal academic rates. Short-term external projects may require partial advance payment. Invoicing is typically monthly and includes documentation of services provided.
For grant-funded projects, CSTAT effort should be included in the post-award budget when ongoing statistical support is expected. For contract research, work begins only after the required agreement and Scope of Work are approved.