# Presentation: 476232

## Operation Staff Meeting (OSM)July 2003

- Presented by the
- DCP ARC

**National Institutes of Health**

**DHHS**

## AGENDA

_**Reminders and Updates                        **_
- Receiving
- A Change of Schedule
_**Procurement**_
- DEMO:  Obtaining ECSIII Bidding for Hardware Purchases
- Poll:  Would a Credit Card Seminar or Workshop for CH’s & CAO’s Be Useful?
- Unauthorized Purchases List
_**Travel**_
- NBS News
- Trip Reports
- Revised Foreign Travel Policy
- Revised Local Travel Policy
_**Personnel**_
- TSP Catch-Up
_**Open Discussion**_

## Reminders & Updates

## Another Receiving Update

- Try to keep up the good work:
- After everyone was doing so well, receiving is starting to become delayed again;
- Open ROC and PSO’s are piling up.
- Please continue to make an effort to close these out in a timely manner.
- Remember, receiving is due 7 days after the meeting.
- As we near Sept 30th, it becomes extremely important that we close out all open files.

## A Change of Schedule

- Our Operation Staff Meetings (OSM) have been on the 2nd Tuesday of Every Month from 2:30pm-3:30pm.
- This schedule creates a conflict for a staff member who’s research group has a meeting on that exact date & time:
**We’d like to change our schedule to the 2****nd**** **_**Thursday**_** of every month from 2:30pm-3:30pm**
- Email me ASAP if this will create a “steady” problem for you.

## Procurement

## DEMO:  Using ECS III

- ECS III Contracts:  This is easiest 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.
- 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!*

## Visa IMPAC Card Poll

- The monthly Purchase Card Survival Meetings have basically stopped.
- At next month’s OSM, we’ll focus on purchase card close out issues.
- In the meantime, would a Credit Card Seminar or Workshop be of value to you?  Perhaps have a test audit?
- Email Eric if you or your CAO would be interested in either a Visa IMPAC seminar or ‘test’ audit.

## Updated NIH Purchase Card Program Unauthorized Purchases List

- The Visa IMPAC Unauthorized Purchases list was not attached to last month’s OSM handouts.
- In case you didn’t get a chance to stop by my office to pick one up, I’ve included a copy to this month’s handouts

## TRAVEL

## New Business System

- The NBS TRAVEL SYSTEM GOES LIVE 9/1/03!
- In the ADB:
- Enter all travel in the ADB taking place in FY2003, including travel with a departure date in FY2003 and a return date in FY2004.
- The ADB will not allow FY2004 travel to be entered.
- The ADB will be available until September 30, 2003 for processing new FY2003 trips.
- The ADB will be available after September 30, 2003 to close out FY2003 trips.

## New Business System

- In the NBS:
- Enter all travel in the NBS that begins on or after October 1, 2003 (FY 2004)
- The NBS will not allow FY 2003 travel to be entered.
- No FY 2004 travel should be entered until the NBS System goes live

## New Business System

**Need to refresh your skills and knowledge of the NBS Travel System?**
- Refresher training activities are available to help you make the transition to the new Travel system:
**TRAVEL TOWN HALLS:**
- Large forums to provide you with new information for using the NBS Travel System - Last one July16th
- Register with CIT at 301.594.6248 or _<http://training.cit.nih.gov/>_.
- If you can not attend the NBS Town Hall, all the handouts can be found at the following website: _http://nbs.nih.gov/Travel_Refresh_Training.html#townhall_.  You can also view a videocast of the June 25 Town Hall at: _http://videocast.nih.gov/PastEvents.asp?c=998_

## New Business System

**NBS TRAVEL REFRESHER WORKSHOPS:**
- Local, Foreign, and Sponsored Travel workshops to augment the Travel training you have already received from the Training & Development Branch (TDB) or the NBS training team.  Attend any or all of these hands-on workshops being conducted between July 7th and August 29th.
- Space is limited, so register with CIT at 301.594.6248 or _<http://training.cit.nih.gov/>_.
- Haven’t yet completed the NBS Travel System training course? _<http://learningsource.od.nih.gov/_show_details.asp?cd_crs=2600>_

## New Business System

**TUESDAY TRAVEL TIPS:**
- Every** **Tuesday from June 17th through August 26th, you will receive an email with links to brief Job Aids, Slide Shows, and Exercises to complete.
- The ARC highly recommends that you complete these exercises.
- Note: June 17-July 8 exercises are in your handouts
**Training for your travelers:  ** Job aid will be emailed to all NIH employees in August
- Questions?  Contact the ARC or NBS Customer Support at _<http://support.cit.nih.gov/>_ or 301-435-NBS7

## Confirming NFT’s & Completing Trip Reports [revisited]

- Foreign trip reports are now required for all travel entered after June 10th.
- Travelers must prepare a brief report indicating who, when, where, what, why.
- The reports must be in a .PDF format.
- As of June 20th, Anne Rogerson was trying to get instructions from her IT staff on how to prepare and save a report in .PDF.  She will keep us posted.

## Please remember: As NFT preparers, you must confirm trips once your travelers have returned from travel. 
Once a traveler has returned, have them submit a trip report to you using pdf
Or, have them send you the report in WP or Word and you can convert the file.

- Once a traveler has returned, have them submit a trip report to you using pdf
- Or, have them send you the report in WP or Word and you can convert the file.

- Confirming NFT’s & Completing Trip Reports *[revisited]*

## To confirm a trip:
Go to http://ogha.psc.gov/ogha/ and click on the WIP login screen.
Your username is your email address and your password is PREPARER.
Log in, go to the bottom bin called, “Awaiting Trip Report” 
If there are trips for you to confirm, click on “Confirm Trip/Save Report” next to the traveler’s name.
Review information, if correct, click the ‘Confirm NFT’ button

- Go to http://ogha.psc.gov/ogha/ and click on the WIP login screen.
- Your username is your email address and your password is PREPARER.
- Log in, go to the bottom bin called, “Awaiting Trip Report”
- If there are trips for you to confirm, click on “Confirm Trip/Save Report” next to the traveler’s name.
- Review information, if correct, click the ‘Confirm NFT’ button

- Confirming NFT’s & Completing Trip Reports *[revisited]*

## To confirm a trip (continued):
Check the box next to the traveler’s name
Put n/a in the ‘Report Description’ text box
Click on the gray browse button and find the NoTripRptReq.PDF file 
Double click this file
Finally, click on the submit button
The Report will no longer be in your AWAITING TRIP REPORT bin.

- Check the box next to the traveler’s name
- Put n/a in the ‘Report Description’ text box
- Click on the gray browse button and find the NoTripRptReq.PDF file
- Double click this file
- Finally, click on the submit button
- The Report will no longer be in your AWAITING TRIP REPORT bin.

- Confirming NFT’s & Completing Trip Reports *[revisited]*

## Revisions & Updates to Travel Policies

- NEW ANNUAL LEAVE POLICY for Foreign Travel:
- Travelers are allowed 2 days of annual leave per fiscal year for a single international trip.
- Both days must be taken on a single trip.
- You can’t bank one day and apply it to another trip.
- Weekend and holidays are not counted.
- No annual leave may be taken on a sponsored foreign trip.

## Revisions & Updates to Travel Policies

- LEAVE POLICY for **Domestic** travel
- Annual leave for domestic regular, and sponsored travel remains the same:
- The number of personal days (including weekends) cannot exceed the number of days of official business.
- Leave must be reflected:
- on the travel order,
- and in ITAS

## Revisions & Updates to Travel Policies

- _Vacations__ while on Official Duty Travel:_
- If a traveler is going on **vacation** (paying their own airfare) and is asked to conduct business while on vacation, the following applies:
- If business is** before or after vacation**, we may be authorized to pay Per diem, registration fees, miscellaneous travel expenses like tolls & taxis.  However,
- If business is** in the middle of vacation and is at or near the vacation area**, **no** Per diem may be paid (even if it’s sponsored travel).
- The rationale for this is if you are taking a vacation and then are asked to do business in the middle of the vacation at your vacation site, you would have already been paying for lodging and meals.
- Vacations combined with business where the employee is paying the airfare still requires a travel order and an NFT.

## US Citizens must use their official passport.  Rationale for use of official passport is that it’s considered a misrepresentation for an official traveler to use a tourist passport.
Premium class Sponsored tickets - In order to be able to accept a premium class ticket from a sponsor, the sponsor must make full payment to NIH in advance of the trip, or they must obtain an ‘In-kind’ ticket for the traveler.  
In order to accept a premium class ticket, this class of accommodation must also be provided to all meeting attendees.

- Premium class _Sponsored_ tickets - In order to be able to accept a premium class ticket from a sponsor, the sponsor must make full payment to NIH in advance of the trip, or they must obtain an ‘In-kind’ ticket for the traveler.
- In order to accept a premium class ticket, this class of accommodation must also be provided to **all** meeting attendees.

- Revisions & Updates to Travel Policies

## Attendance at foreign meetings with exorbitant registration fees (> $500) should be discouraged.
Attendance at foreign continuing education seminars or other training opportunities may be approved by managers only after determining that the same or substantially similar courses are not held within the US.

- Attendance at foreign continuing education seminars or other training opportunities may be approved by managers only after determining that the same or substantially similar courses are not held within the US.

- Revisions & Updates to Travel Policies

## The Annual International Travel Plan:
Beginning in fy’04 we will be required to submit an annual foreign travel plan to HHS for all travel being paid with appropriated or sponsored funds.  
NIH will be coming out in July or August with a list of meetings that we will have to gather specific information on.
In anticipation of this new requirement, we recommend you survey your travelers now to find out their foreign travel plans for fy’04.  You may want to create your own listing in preparation of this request.
The ARC will eventually need this information.  The format & specific requirements will follow as soon as we receive them.

- Beginning in fy’04 we will be required to submit an annual foreign travel plan to HHS for all travel being paid with appropriated or sponsored funds.
- NIH will be coming out in July or August with a list of meetings that we will have to gather specific information on.
- In anticipation of this new requirement, we recommend you survey your travelers now to find out their foreign travel plans for fy’04.  You may want to create your own listing in preparation of this request.
- The ARC will eventually need this information.  The format & specific requirements will follow as soon as we receive them.

- Revisions & Updates to Travel Policies

## Local Travel changes:
The HHS Local Travel Area/Official Duty Station:
Is a minimum radius of 50 miles from BOTH the official duty station AND the employee’s residence [previously 35 miles].
Per diem allowances may not be paid within this local travel area / official duty station.
Transportation expenses may only be claimed if they are above normal commuting distances.
It is HHS policy that the travel charge card may only be used for official travel related expenses connected with temporary duty travel. The travel charge card may not be used for local travel. 

- The HHS Local Travel Area/Official Duty Station:
- Is a minimum radius of 50 miles from BOTH the official duty station AND the employee’s residence [previously 35 miles].
- Per diem allowances may not be paid within this local travel area / official duty station.
- Transportation expenses may only be claimed if they are above normal commuting distances.
- It is HHS policy that the travel charge card may only be used for official travel related expenses connected with temporary duty travel. The travel charge card **may not** be used for local travel.

- Revisions & Updates to Travel Policies

## Personnel 

## TSP Catch-Up Contributions

- If you will be age 50 before the end of 2003, or you are over age 50 and you are currently contributing the maximum regular contributions toward your TSP account, you are eligible to make “catch-up” contributions as well.  Under the catch-up provisions, eligible employees may contribute up to $2,000.00 during calendar year 2003.
- Catch-up contributions are NOT limited by open seasons.  Eligible employees may start, stop and change amounts contributed at any time.
- Allocations are made in whole dollar amounts and will continue until either the annual limit is reached or you elect to stop contributions.
- Unlike regular TSP contributions, catch-up contributions must be elected each calendar year.
- Detailed information about catch-up contributions can be found at http://www.tsp.gov/forms/oc03-03.pdf.

## TSP Catch-Up Contributions

- Elections will begin August 10, 2003 if your request is received prior to that date.  If received after August 10, it will be effective the beginning of the pay period after receipt.
- The easiest way to begin catch-up contributions is by using Employee Express using your PIN.
- http://www.employeeexpress.gov/emain.htm#
- If you cannot locate your EE PIN, you may request a new PIN at the web site or by calling 1-478-757-3030.
- You will receive a new PIN **within 48 hours of your request** if you request that they e-mail the new PIN.  Otherwise, you will receive the PIN at your home address within two weeks.
- NOTE:  EMPLOYEE EXPRESS WILL BE ABLE TO ACCEPT CATCH-UP CONTRIBUTION REQUESTS BEGINNING JULY 28.  THIS WILL STILL ALLOW FOR PROCESSING OF REQUESTS BEFORE THE FIRST EFFECTIVE DATE OF AUGUST 10.

## 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!

- NEXT MONTH’S Operation Staff Meeting (OSM) will be 2:30-3:30pm on the second _***???***_ of the month.
- Remember to email me if the 2nd Thursday of each month at 2:30-3:30pm presents a problem.  I’ll send out an email with next month’s schedule within the next 2 weeks.