ARC Briefing August 2005

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ARC BriefingAugust 2005

• Presented by the
• DCP / DCCPS ARC

National Institutes of Health
DHHS
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AGENDA

• Welcome
• Travel
• New HHS Travel Guidelines
• Cross-Over Fiscal Year Travel
• Travel Cut off dates for Local vouchers FY05
  Travel
  
• Omegas Ticketing Policy during a CR
• Procurement
• Reminder Procurement Cut off Dates
• Turn in Receiving
• Submit Hardware Supply Purchases Now
• Foreign FedEx / Shipping forms
• Ethics Issues
• HHS-520 forms should be typed
• Information for Employees
• e-OPF Information
• NIH ID Badge Tests
• Calendar of Events for Benefits
• New TSP Fund is Available

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Welcome!

• ARC Briefings are held the 2nd Thursday of every
  month.
  
• From 230 to 330pm
• We encourage agenda submissions and active
  participation. If you have a topic for next
  months meeting, email Eric Graves in the DCP
  ARC.
• Previous meeting presentations may be downloaded
  at http//www3.cancer.gov/prevention/arc/presentat
  ions.html
  

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Travel
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HHS Travel Guidelines

• New HHS travel policies went into effect April 3,
  2005.
  
• NIH is working on updating the NIH Manual
  Chapters to reflect the new changes.
  
• In the meantime, NIH has disseminated both a
  travel matrix and Q As to address the most
  important changes.
  
• http//camp.nci.nih.gov/admin/revisedtravel.doc
  (matrix)
  
• http//camp.nci.nih.gov/admin/qaguide_revised.doc
  (Q As)
  

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Key Changes to Travel

• Travel advances for non-cardholders are NTE 60
  of total expenses, but travelers can request up
  to 100 if there is justifiable significant
  financial hardship.
• Travelers are expected to work or take
  appropriate leave for remaining duty hours in the
  day of travel.
  
• Non-Contract fares must be at least 40 cheaper
  than contract fare when cost is primary
  justification.
  
• Personal phone calls home allowed starting first
  lodging night (receipts now required) no
  reimbursement for personal calls on personal cell
  phones.

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Authorizations for Travel Crossing FY05 FY06

• Fiscal Year 05 (FY05) ends Sept 30th Fiscal Year
  06 (FY06) begins on Oct 1. If one of your
  customers travels across these dates, you must
  enter their travel authorization a little
  differently
• If a trip crosses 2 fiscal years, you must
  process 2 authorizations
  
• An FY05 authorization with only FY05 dates
  expenses.
  
• Provide full per diem for Sept. 30, lodging will
  be added in the misc field. In the description
  state that this is for lodging for Sept 30th.
  And an
• FY06 authorization will only have FY06 dates
  expenses.
  
• Provide full per diem for Oct 1.
• Each travel authorization should reference the
  other in the Comments box
  
• Reference the FY05 travel auth. number on the
  FY06 travel auth.
  
• Reference the FY06 travel auth. number on the
  FY05 travel auth.
  

Continued
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Authorizations for Travel Crossing FY05 FY06
(continued)

• The following expenses should be placed on the
  FY05 Authorizations
  
• Tickets
• TMC fees
• (check the Omega Itinerary to be sure only 1 TMC
  fee is charged)
  
• Rental Car
• Any other expenses such as parking, tolls,
  lodging, meals, or taxis should cite the FY
  CAN/Project Number for the fiscal year in which
  the expense occurs.
• For example, a taxi ride on Sept 30th will be on
  the FY05 travel and a taxi ride on Oct 1 will be
  on the FY06 travel.
  
• All GTA expenses belong on the FY05 Travel Auth.

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Travel Cut off dates

• All Travel Authorizations for FY05 travel are to
  be submitted to the ARC by 8/31/2005.
  
• Local Vouchers for trips that have already
  occurred should also be submitted by 8/31/2005.
  
  
• If local travel takes places after 8/31/2005, be
  sure to submit the local voucher within 2 days
  after the trip.

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Getting Tickets From OmegaDuring a Continuing
Resolution

• The new fiscal year FY06 begins on Oct 1,
  2005.
  
• If we start the new fiscal year without a signed
  Appropriations Bill, we will be under a
  Continuing Resolution (CR).
  
• We would like to remind you and your customers
  that Omega will not issue tickets for travel
  starting beyond the current CR period.
  
• Its possible that there will be several CR
  Extensions well have to deal with.
  
• If this occurs, the ARC will let you know the
  details on each CR Extension as soon as we
  receive the information.
  
• Please remember to use the Pending Availability
  of Funds drop down from the Other
  Authorizations when entering travel
  authorizations

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Procurement
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Procurement Cut Off Dates

• If your group intends to purchase any items
  listed on the Acquisition Deadline chart,
  (distributed at the June 2005 ARC Briefing),
  please submit a purchase request to the ARC for
  that item at least one week before the posted
  cut-off date.
• For your convenience, weve attached another copy
  of the 2005 Acquisition Deadlines to your slides.

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Please Turn in Receiving

• If anyone has any receiving documentation
  outstanding for any FY 2005 procurement, please
  be sure to turn it into your ARC office in
  preparation for the year-end closeout.

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Submit Purchases ASAP

• Please alert your customers that the deadline for
  this fiscal years purchases is rapidly
  approaching.
  
• We ask that you please submit any final hardware
  or supply orders ASAP.

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DEMO Using ECS III

• ECS III Contracts An easy way to obtain quotes
  for your hardware purchases over 2,500
  
• What Is It?
• The Electronic Commodities Store Contract (ECS)
  offers computer hardware, software and other
  equipment to NIH.
  
• What are the benefits?
• Dozens of contractors will compete for your
  business by submitting online bids- this saves
  you a lot of time! No more repetitive phone calls
  and faxes to different vendors.
• You may select the specific brand names/models
  you want.
  
• Place one online request for quote with your own
  deadline
  
• After receiving the bids, you choose the lowest
  price, print the RFQ page and submit this with
  your purchase request to the ARC.

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DEMO Using ECS III

• Youll need to go to the ECS III Home Page
• http//nitaac.nih.gov/Ecs3homepage.asp
• Or, go to
• CAMP, Admin, Business Areas, Procurement,
  Electronic Computer Store, ECS III
  
• First, youll need to submit an instant
  registration
  
• From the Home Page, click on
• Youll go to
• Click on

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DEMO Using ECS III

• Soon after registering, youll receive an email
  with you user name and password
  
• When youre ready to use the ECS III RFQ
• Just like when you registered, go to the ECS III
  homepage, click on ECS III quoting system, and
  this time click on
  
• Theres an on-line manual at http//nitaac.nih.go
  v/UserManuals/ECS3CustomerManual.htm

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DEMO Using ECS III

• Creating a New Request For Quote (RFQ)
• Click on RFQs at the top of the page
• Use the drop down to choose Create New RFQ
• Select the equipment type (or ALL types)
• You may click Attach File if you have a
  document on your computer with your desired
  equipment spec.s
  
• If you wish, click, Notify by email for RFQ
  responses
  
• Click create RFQ
• Choose a deadline for all bids by entering the
  date
  
• Submit the quote, and sit back and wait for the
  vendors to battle over your business!

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International Shipments

• We are not allowed to use Fed Ex to send
  documents to foreign countries.  It is an
  Unauthorized Procurement.
  
• There are 2 ways to send documents to foreign
  countries
  
• If the shipment is not time sensitive  Use U.S.
  Postal Service. Or,
  
• If the shipment is time sensitive  Use the NIH
  Shipping Office
  
• The document should be 30 or less unfolded pieces
  of paper in an addressed envelope (name, bldg,
  room, street address, zip code, phone number)
  
•  Form NIH 1884-1 should be completed and attached
  to the front of the document.  (A copy is
  attached to your handout)
  
• Call the NIH Shipping Office at [phone] for
  pickup.  Delivery is within 2 days.

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Ethics Issues
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HHS 520 Forms

• All HHS 520 forms should be typed or completed
  electronically.
  
• The electronic version of the new form is posted
  on the DCP ARC website at http//www3.cancer.gov/p
  revention/arc/ .
  
• Simply save this Word document onto your computer
  as you complete the form. This makes changes for
  the form significantly easier.
  
• If your customers complete the 520 forms, we
  recommend you advise them to do save the Word
  document.

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Information for Employees
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e-OPF Information

• Your personnel folder is now available on-line
• You will be able to see, print, and group items
  in your Official Personnel Folder (OPF)
  
• You will be able to receive emails as items are
  added to your eOPF
  
• You will be getting 2 emails from the Program
  Support Center (PSC)
  
• One will give you instructions on how to log into
  your eOPF.
  
• The other will give you your password.
• You should log into your eOPF as soon as you get
  the email to make sure your information is
  current and accurate
  
• You can visit the HHS eOPF website _at_
  http//intranet.hhs.gov/eopf/ for Frequently
  Asked Questions and eOPF Quick Reference Guide.
  

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NIH ID Badge Tests

• On August 29, 2005 changes will take place with
  ID badge validation
  
• Things each employee must do before August 29,
  2005
  
• There are ID badge readers located at validation
  stations (similar to the card readers at building
  entrances.
  
• When you approach a validation station, the light
  will be RED, when you present your ID badge to
  the reader, it will beep and the light will turn
  GREEN (indicating a valid, functional ID. The
  reader will then reset to red, ready for the
  next customer.
• If the reader stays on RED or alternates between
  RED and GREEN, This indicates and problem with
  your ID card and it needs to be replaced
  
• PLEASE NOTE If you are carry more than one
  badge, it is important that you separate your NIH
  ID badge from other badges before presenting it
  to the card reader. This will prevent signal
  interference and a possible false red light
  caused by other cards.
• Please advise your customers to Test their ID
  badge ASAP at the nearest validation station
  located at 6130 Executive Blvd, next to the guard
  desk
• Pease contact your Administrative Officer if your
  badge needs to be reissued.
  

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Benefits Calendar of Events

• The August Benefits Calendar of Events is
  attached to your handouts along with a
  description of the Service Days.
  
• Weve also included several important employee
  benefit websites.

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Put Your TSP Investments on Cruise Control with
the L FUNDS

• The L Funds provide you with a convenient way to
  diversify your account among the G, F, C, S, and
  I Funds, using professionally determined
  investment mixes that are tailored to different
  time horizons. Your time horizon is the date
  (after you leave Federal service) that you think
  you will need the money in your TSP account.
  Because it is important for each L Fund to
  maintain its target investment mix, the TSP will
  automatically rebalance each L Fund daily. Then,
  each quarter, the investments in each L Fund will
  shift to a slightly more conservative mix. In
  addition, experts will review the investment
  mixes periodically to be sure they are still
  appropriate.
• For more information on the (L) Funds go to
  http//www.tsp.gov Click on each L Funds pie
  chart to see the potential investors, objectives,
  and asset allocations associated with that Fund.
  To see more detailed information on all of the L
  Funds, click on the box labeled L Funds
  Information Sheet.
• Questions and answers about the (L) Funds can be
  answered on the website as well!

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OPEN DISCUSSION
Problems? Issues? Concerns? Anything youd like
to see on next months agenda?
Do you have something youd like to present?
Just let us know!