# Presentation: 542209

## ARC BriefingJan 2005

- Presented by the
- DCP ARC

**National Institutes of Health**

**DHHS**

## AGENDA

_**Welcome**_
_**General Admin Issues**_
- Using the Matrix Org Chart
_**Travel**_
- Electronic & Hard Copy submissions to ARC
- Travel OC Codes
- HHS 348 Issues
_**Procurement Issues**_
- Intramall Shoppers
- ECS III discussion
_**Information for Employees**_
- Retirement
- Updating Beneficiary Forms

## More new DEAS Staff

- Angela is located in Chemo (east wing, 2nd floor)
- Please stop by and say, ‘hi’ if you haven’t already.

- Welcome Angela Stallings

- Perquita  Perry-Ogbe will start working with DEAS on Monday 1/31.

**Notes:**
Welcome visitors.  Just to avoid confusion, the discussion points from the DCP ARC are specific to our Division.  Your Divisions may have different procedures.  At the end of our presentation Felicia will have some DEAS information. 

## General Admin Issues

## Use the Matrix Org Chart

- Matrix Org Chart
- Note the circled 1, 2, or 3 on each research group.  These correspond to the AO/Tech team in the ARC.  Everything should be routed to the AO/Tech team accordingly.
- Each Research Group’s CAN# is on the left side of its square;
- Each Research Group’s custodial code is on the right side of its square.

## Slide 6

## Travel

## Submitting Travel Orders and Vouchers to the ARC

- When submitting travel orders or vouchers to the ARC, please remember that we need to have the hard copy within 24 hours of receiving the electronic copy.

## Travel Object Class Codes

- Attached is a list of the most common travel OC codes
- Please pay special attention to SITE VISIT travel.
- Site Visit travel is mandated by the terms of the contract/grant.  The Travel Auth purpose should indicate the institution and either the project title or the contract or grant number.
- The only travel citing 21.51 / 21.52 are trips to AACR and ASCO meetings.

## HHS 348 (Sponsored Travel) Issues

- Dr. Peter Greenwald must sign on line #8 of the HHS-348
- In addition, you must type or pen his title by his name.
- Printed labels with this info might be useful.

## HHS 348 (Sponsored Travel) Issues Continued

- New Requirement: You must type or print the supervisor’s name, and the supervisor must sign at the bottom of the 348 Checklist.
- There’s really no designated place for this on the form.  Just pen the name, and have them sign here

## HHS 348 Issues (continued)

- Please remember:  Titles of speeches, presentations, abstracts, posters, etc. must be included in the Description Block of the travel order (and on the NFT if applicable).
- Note:  ALL TRAVEL AUTH.s  should have full descriptions with these titles, dates, etc.
- A full HHS 348 Job Aid is available at: *http://camp.nci.nih.gov/admin/guidance348.doc*

## NIH Traveler’s Guide

- Feel free to pick up a copy of the _**NIH Traveler’s Guide**_.
- The guide is easy to read; it doesn’t cite specific FTR.
- It provides clear guidance to your travelers (and you) on such things as:
- Citing misc expenses;
- Rental cars;
- Local travel guidelines;
- AEA;
- Conference Allowance;
- And a variety of other travel related policy.
- If you have this handy at your desk, you’ll be able to provide your travelers with regulations and definitions in a snap.

## Procurement Issues

## Intramall Shoppers

- In order to make the purchase request process easier, we will set up the DEAS staff to be Intramall Shoppers so that:
- As Shoppers, you can fill a shopping cart with a research group’s purchases.
- Then submit the cart to your ARC cardholder.
- Shopping carts can be filled via:
- Rapid Order Entry using a catalogue
- Or, shop online on the Intramall.
- Intramall Shoppers will not need to fill out a purchase request.  Just print the shopping cart, have the chief sign approval for the purchases and submit that and the electronic cart to the ARC.
- We will set people’s user names as: “ARC”, last name, 1st initial
- In the event you are set up as a shopper for a Division Card Holder, the preface of “ARC” will distinguish one user name from another
- DEMO:
- How to log in and use the Intramall to shop.
- Selecting CAN#’s

## Using ECS III

- ECS III Contracts:  This is easiest way to obtain quotes for computer 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!
- 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 and computer hardware justification to the ARC.
- Procurements are made via BPA (ROC) or on Visa (made by Eric).

## DEMO:  Using ECS III

- You’ll 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, you’ll need to submit an instant registration:
- From the Home Page, click on
- You’ll go to:
- Click on

## DEMO:  Using ECS III

- Soon after registering, you’ll receive an email with you user name and password
- When you’re 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
- There’s an on-line manual at: http://nitaac.nih.gov/UserManuals/ECS3CustomerManual.htm

## DEMO:  Using ECS III

_**Creating a New Request For Quote (RFQ)**_
- Click on “RFQ’s” 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!*

## Information for Employees

## Thinking About Retirement

- If you or your customers are planning to retire from the Federal government within the next five years, you are encouraged to attend a pre-retirement seminar. Learn how to estimate the value of your retirement annuity and the tax implications of the various withdrawal methods. Learn from experts about your retirement system: CSRS, CSRS-offset, and FERS. Also, learn about Social Security and Medicare benefits, financial planning, legal considerations, and traditional planning.

## Thinking About Retirement (continued)

- An annuity estimate can be obtained at the following website  _http://hr.od.nih.gov/Benefits/default.htm#retirement__ _ Click the link to #5 “Thinking about Retirement”
- NOTE: When someone makes the decision to retire, they MUST submit an application for retirement in order to receive their annuity. The person should submit the application two to three months in advance of the retirement date. The Benefits Contact people are there to help.

## NEW PREMIUMS UNDER THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE (FEGLI) PROGRAM

- Effective January 1, 2005, the _[premiums](http://www.opm.gov/insure/life/em_rates.asp)__ for Option B [Additional Life Insurance in an amount equal to one, two, three, four or five times your annual basic pay (after rounding up to the next $1,000)] will increase for employees age 65 and older. Use the __[FEGLI calculator](http://www.opm.gov/calculator/worksheet.asp)__ to determine your cost. If you wish to decrease your FEGLI coverage, complete the __[Life Insurance Election Form](http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf2817.pdf)__ and submit to the __[Benefits & Payroll Liaison Branch](http://hr.od.nih.gov/Benefits/BenefitsContacts.htm)__ located in Building 31, Room B3C33, MSC 2215._

## If you have had any significant life changes recently (divorce, birth of a child, marriage, etc.) you may need to update the 4 beneficiary forms common to most federal employees.

- Updating Your Beneficiary Forms

##  Updating Your Beneficiary Forms (continued)

- All 4 forms can be found at the following website:
-  http://www.opm.gov/insure/designations/

## The 4 beneficiary forms that should be updated are:
FEGLI (government life insurance)
FERS or CSRS (retirement)
TSP (Thrift Savings Plan)
Unpaid Compensation

- FEGLI (government life insurance)
- FERS or CSRS (retirement)
- TSP (Thrift Savings Plan)
- Unpaid Compensation

-  Updating Your Beneficiary Forms (continued)

## Updating Your Beneficiary Forms (continued)

- Once you complete the forms, all of them except for the TSP form should be sent to the NCI Benefits contact:
- Jackie Makle
- 31 / B3C33
- The TSP form should be sent directly to the Thrift Savings Board at the address listed on the form.

## 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!