What Is the Benefit of Snowball Metrics to an Already Successful Research University?

University research offices are busy places, where research management data is requested with increasing frequency for a wide range of reasons. UK research offices are additionally stretched in the approach to the submissions to the Research Excellence Framework 2014, a national exercise whose results dictate the allocation of about £1.5 billion in annual quality-related research funding. Why is an already successful university stretching its resources yet further to engage in Snowball Metrics?