# Presentation: 830956

## ARC BriefingAugust 2006

- Presented by the
- DCP - DCCPS ARC

**National Institutes of Health**

**DHHS**

## ARC Briefings are held the 2nd Thursday of every month.
From 2:30 to 3:30pm
We encourage agenda submissions and active participation.  If you have a topic for next month’s meeting, email Eric Graves in the DCP ARC.
Previous meeting presentations may be downloaded at http://www3.cancer.gov/prevention/arc/presentations.html

Please note:  we will NOT have an ARC Briefing in Sept

- From 2:30 to 3:30pm
- We encourage agenda submissions and active participation.  If you have a topic for next month’s meeting, email Eric Graves in the DCP ARC.
- Previous meeting presentations may be downloaded at *http://www3.cancer.gov/prevention/arc/presentations.html*
*Please note:  we will NOT have an ARC Briefing in Sept*

- Welcome!

## AGENDA

_**Welcome**_
- New Staff
_**Procurement**_
- Submit Remaining Purchases by 9/8/06
- IntraMall Issues (for shoppers)
_**Travel**_
- Submit Pending FY06 Travel Authorizations & Vouchers
- Travel Authorizations Crossing Fiscal Years
- FY07 Per Diem Rates
- Travel Reminders
_**Information for Employees**_
- Coming Soon: Supplemental Vision & Dental Insurance
- OHR Employee Benefits/Calendar of Events

## Welcome New Staff

**Quinci Murphy:**
- Quinci is new to the DCP DEAS and is working with the COPTRG on the 2nd floor of EPN.
**Arniesa Wilson:**
- Arniesa has returned to the DCP DEAS and is working with the CADRG on the 2nd floor of EPN.
**Stephanie Craver:**
- Stephanie is new to the DCCPS DEAS and is working with ARP on the 4th floor of EPN

## Procurement

## Procurement Deadlines for FY2006 Submit Purchases by 9/8/06

- Please alert your customers that the deadline for this fiscal year’s purchases is rapidly approaching.
- Now is a good time to inventory what supplies and equipment your customers need for the next 2 months.
- Also keep in mind that we may be under a continuing resolution next fiscal year, so please stock your offices accordingly.
- We ask that you please submit any final hardware or supply orders to the ARC by 9/8/06.

## Shopping Baskets in the IntraMall

- For all Intramall Shoppers:
- When filling your shopping baskets in the intraMall, it would help the ARC technicians with reconciliation if you can separate the order by vendor as well as by CAN.
- Be aware that shipping can cost more than the items when only 1 or 2 items are ordered.  Please order several items at once.
- Please submit a Purchase Request along with ALL electronic IntraMall Shopping baskets.
- Please be sure to submit the invoices to the ARC immediately after receiving your order.
- When large orders are delivered, ( ex. Office Depot) please check all items against the invoice to insure that all supplies are indeed received.
- Some vendors substitute items with other similar items changing the price of the order.  Please be sure to make a note on the packing slip if this occurs.

## Travel

## Please submit pending FY06 Travel Authorizations and Pending Vouchers

- Our current fiscal year [FY06] ends Sept 30, 2006.
- Travel Authorizations for FY06 should be submitted to the ARC no later than 8/31/2006.
- It’s also important that you check to make sure your travelers don’t have any outstanding travel vouchers.
- Don’t forget the following travel authorizations and vouchers:
- Local travel where travelers usually claim expenses quarterly
- HHS-99 travel with $0 claimed
- If local travel takes place after 8/31/2006, be sure to submit the local voucher within 2 days after the trip.

## Travel Crossing Fiscal Years

- Use the following guidelines to enter trips taking place during the change of fiscal years:
**FY 06 Travel:**** ** For trips occurring entirely in FY06 (begin and end dates are_ no later than_ September 30, 2006), process travel documents as usual.
**FY 07 Travel:**  For trips occurring entirely in FY07 (begin and end dates are_ after_ September 30, 2006), process travel documents as usual with the following three caveats: **1**      ** No Cash Advances** may be requested for travel with start dates of October 1-10, 2006. **2     ** For all new travel that occurs after September 30, 2006, insert the comment: ** “Pending availability of funds.”  ****    ** If applicable on 10/1/06, insert the comment on all documents:  “Pending continuing resolution.” **3**      ** The ARC will not final approve** FY07 authorizations until** September 1, 2006** or after**. **** **

## FY06/FY07 Cross-over Travel:  For trips beginning before October 1st, 2006 and ending after September 30, 2006, process TWO Travel Authorizations: one for expenses charged to FY06 and a second for expenses charged to FY07:        This means you will have two distinct TR #’s for the trip (one for the FY06 portion and one for the FY07 portion).       Include ticket, TMC fee, rental car, and personal calls home from an International TDY location on the FY06 authorization.         Per diem and all miscellaneous and other expenses should be included on the authorization that corresponds with the fiscal year in which these expenses actually occur.       Insert a comment into each Authorization referencing the other’s TR #.  

- Travel Crossing Fiscal Years

## NOTE:  As you process these two documents, be aware that you need to provide FULL per diem for the last day of the first document (September 30th) and the first day of the second document (October 1st).  Please use the following process for each of these two days: 
M&IE Select the Edit (pencil) icon for each day.  Select the OVERRIDE Lodging and M&IE button Enter ‘4’ in the Quarters field on the Override Screen – leave the M&IE field ‘blank’. SAVE. 
Lodging Lodging for Oct. 1 should be calculated accurately Lodging for Sept. 30 is set at $0 on Lodging screen – cannot be changed. Use Expense Screen – add MISC Expense for Sept. 30 lodging amount.  Explain in Comments box that system programming does not allow the Sept. 30 to display. (For LOA Travel:  Limited Open Authorizations with dates spanning both fiscal years will follow this same process.)  
What if you already started FY06/FY07 documents in the NBS Travel System?  Please process the documents according to the guidelines above.  For further assistance, contact your Help Point of Contact (HPOC) or the NIH Help Desk at helpdesk@mail.nih.gov or 301-496-4357.

**M&IE** Select the Edit (pencil) icon for each day.  Select the OVERRIDE Lodging and M&IE button Enter ‘4’ in the Quarters field on the Override Screen – leave the M&IE field ‘blank’. SAVE.
**Lodging** Lodging for Oct. 1 should be calculated accurately Lodging for Sept. 30 is set at $0 on Lodging screen – cannot be changed. Use Expense Screen – add MISC Expense for Sept. 30 lodging amount.  Explain in Comments box that system programming does not allow the Sept. 30 to display. (For** LOA Travel:**  Limited Open Authorizations with dates spanning both fiscal years will follow this same process.)
**What if you already started FY06/FY07 documents in the NBS Travel System? ** Please process the documents according to the guidelines above.  For further assistance, contact your Help Point of Contact (HPOC) or the NIH Help Desk at_ __helpdesk@mail.nih.gov_ or 301-496-4357.

- Travel Crossing Fiscal Years

##      Helpful hint:  
To give your FY06 and FY07 crossover documents consecutive (or at least very close) TR numbers for a trip, create one document for FY06, and then as soon as you've auto-named that document and clicked on Itinerary, close out of it.  Go immediately back into Create a Document, and create another document for that same person and the same trip.  This second document will be used for the FY07 portion of the trip.  The NBS system will give it a TR number that is very close to the first travel authorization's TR number because the authorizations are numbered consecutively, in real-time, as travel planners go into the system.  Once you've created two separate documents, you can then fill in each one as necessary.

- To give your FY06 and FY07 crossover documents consecutive (or at least very close) TR numbers for a trip, create one document for FY06, and then as soon as you've auto-named that document and clicked on Itinerary, close out of it.  Go immediately back into Create a Document, and create another document for that same person and the same trip.  This second document will be used for the FY07 portion of the trip.  The NBS system will give it a TR number that is very close to the first travel authorization's TR number because the authorizations are numbered consecutively, in real-time, as travel planners go into the system.  Once you've created two separate documents, you can then fill in each one as necessary.

- Travel Crossing Fiscal Years

## FY07 Per Diem Rates

- On October 1, 2006, the FY07 Federal domestic per diem rates will become effective.  GSA has posted the rates on the website, which is accessible through the NIH portal page.
-      TRAVEL REMINDERS
**Please remember:**
- After approval, fax approved travel authorizations to Omega World Travel.
- Quickly forward original paper travel authorizations to your technician for review soon after electronically routing it in NBS.  Administrative Technicians can only hold travel authorizations for a maximum of three days in NBS for review.  Please ensure that _**ALL**__ paperwork_ is submitted no later than one day after it is electronically routed.  _**ANY**__ authorizations_ that are electronically routed and not followed by the original paperwork will be returned.

## Information for Employees

## Coming Soon-  Supplemental Vision and Dental Insurance

- The new Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) will be available soon to employees as an** enrollee-pay-all benefit **(no gov’t contribution).
- Employees eligible for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program (whether enrolled or not enrolled) will be able to obtain a vision and/or dental plan during the FEDVIP open season.
- The FEDVIP open season _**will begin Monday, November 13, 2006**_ and will end Monday, December 11, 2006.   The effective date for this supplemental vision/dental coverage will be_** December 31, 2006**_.  Premiums will vary by plan and enrollment type and the FEDVIP deductions will be withheld from your salary on a pre-tax basis.
- There will be no government contribution to the premiums.  You will be able to select** self only, self plus one, or self and family** enrollment.  There will be no pre-existing condition limitations.
- Employees will be able to enroll on the new BENEFEDS website, which is a secure enrollment website at _*http://www.benefeds.com/*_  You will be able to begin using this site starting in the Fall 2006 to enroll and manage your enrollment in FEDVIP.

## Benefits Calendar of Events

| Date | Event | Time | Location | Comments |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 8/17/2006 | Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Service Day** | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Bldg 31/C Wing/ 6th Floor – Room 8 | Blue Cross/ Blue Shield |
|  |  |  |  |   |
|  |  |  |  | Kaiser |
| 9/12/2006 | Retirement Seminar* | 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Bldg 50/Room 1227 | No registration required  |
|  | (Note:  Includes a TSP presentation by a representative from the Thrift Investment Board beginning at approximately 10:45 a.m.) |  |  |  |
| 9/21/2006 | Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Service Day** | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Bldg 31/C Wing/ 6th Floor – Room 8 | Blue Cross/ Blue Shield |
|  |  |  |  |   |
|  |  |  |  | Kaiser |
|  |  |  |  | MD IPA |
| Multiple Class Dates Available | Mid-Career Benefits and Financial Planning |   |   | NIHITS Action Must Be Submitted |
| Multiple Class Dates Available | Pre-Retirement Seminar-FERS |   |   | NIHITS Action Must Be Submitted |

## Benefits Calendar of EventsNotations from the Calendar

- *The Retirement Seminar is for employees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), CSRS-Offset, and Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) who are contemplating retirement in the next 5 years.  This session gives you an overview of retirement.  There will also be a presentation by a representative from the Federal Thrift Investment Board.  No pre-registration or fee is necessary.  Individuals with disabilities who need Sign Language Interpreters and/or reasonable accommodation to participate in this event should contact Wanda Williams, Benefits and Payroll Liaison Branch, at 301-496-4556 or the Federal Relay (1-800-877-8339). Requests should be made at least 5 days in advance of the event.
- If you are unable to attend a Retirement Seminar you may view a previous session via the NIH Videocast.

## OPEN DISCUSSION

- Problems?  Issues? Concerns?
- Anything you’d like to see on next month’s agenda?
- Do you have something you’d like to present?
- Just let us know!