Core Consolidation Without Chaos: A Data-Driven Path Forward

Fifteen years ago, Haley (2009) laid out a strategic framework for managing core facilities in academic institutions. Today, the conversation feels more urgent than ever, but the tools have finally caught up.

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From ABRF panels to hallway conversations, one theme echoed throughout this year’s meeting: core consolidation is accelerating. Institutions are reevaluating their footprint, streamlining overlapping services, and attempting to scale shared research infrastructure across departments or even campuses.

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But here’s the rub: most are doing this without the right data, tools, or strategy.

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Why This Matters Now

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According to the latest HERD data, 42% of all academic R&D spend is now concentrated in just 30 institutions. These are national hubs, increasingly expected to support external demand, cross-institutional projects, and even government initiatives.

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Yet many of them still rely on fragmented systems different LIMS platforms, decentralized billing practices, and limited visibility into what’s being used, where, and by whom.

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💬 ABRF Core Leader Quote: "We're being asked to do more with less consolidate services, increase external access, and reduce redundancy but without adding headcount or sacrificing quality."

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Haley’s Framework: Still Relevant, Still Unresolved

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In 2009, James Haley proposed a four-part framework for effective core facility management:

Each area remains a pressure point today. But the biggest gap? Haley’s framework assumed the existence of better tools than most institutions actually had and in many cases, still have.

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What’s Missing: A Unified Front-End

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What GRAVL offers is not another LIMS or internal scheduling system. It’s a centralized, data-driven storefront an interface layer that:

• Surfaces services from distributed cores in one place
• Captures usage and billing data in real-time
• Standardizes visibility across labs, departments, and partner sites

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This is what we mean by a “single pane of glass” for scientific services. You can consolidate operations without actually centralizing the work.

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Where the Data Comes In

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Institutions need evidence-based ways to evaluate which cores to scale, merge, or sunset. That means:

• Tracking usage trends across departments and users
• Understanding actual costs vs. billed revenue
• Monitoring service quality and turnaround times
• Identifying underutilized capacity or bottlenecks

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GRAVL gives you this data without requiring every core to change how they operate behind the scenes.

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A Soft Landing for Tough Decisions

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Core consolidation can feel threatening to staff and researchers alike. But with the right infrastructure:

• You can preserve scientific autonomy while improving administrative efficiency
• You can grow external partnerships without overwhelming staff
• You can make data-informed investment decisions without relying on anecdotes

As Haley put it: “Well-managed core facilities… are vital to the success of institutions and their researchers.” That’s still true but today’s scale requires modern systems to match.

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Final Thought

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The institutions that win the next wave of NIH and DOD funding won’t be the ones with the most cores they’ll be the ones with the clearest operational visibility, financial sustainability, and strategic focus.

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If your institution is in the middle of this consolidation conversation or just beginning to have it we’d love to show you how GRAVL is helping others do it without chaos.

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📩 Reach out for a demo or case study. You can find me at gabor@gravl.io

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