Operation Staff Meeting OSM July 2003

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Operation Staff Meeting (OSM)July 2003

• Presented by the
• DCP ARC

National Institutes of Health
DHHS
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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 CHs CAOs Be Useful?
• Unauthorized Purchases List
• Travel
• NBS News
• Trip Reports
• Revised Foreign Travel Policy
• Revised Local Travel Policy
• Personnel
• TSP Catch-Up
• Open Discussion

3
Reminders Updates
4
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 PSOs 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.

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A Change of Schedule

• Our Operation Staff Meetings (OSM) have been on
  the 2nd Tuesday of Every Month from
  230pm-330pm.
• This schedule creates a conflict for a staff
  member whos research group has a meeting on that
  exact date time
• Wed like to change our schedule to the 2nd
  Thursday of every month from 230pm-330pm
• Email me ASAP if this will create a steady
  problem for you.

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Procurement
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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).

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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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Visa IMPAC Card Poll

• The monthly Purchase Card Survival Meetings have
  basically stopped.
• At next months OSM, well 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.

12
Updated NIH Purchase Card Program Unauthorized
Purchases List

• The Visa IMPAC Unauthorized Purchases list was
  not attached to last months OSM handouts.
• In case you didnt get a chance to stop by my
  office to pick one up, Ive included a copy to
  this months handouts

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TRAVEL
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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.

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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

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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
  lthttp//training.cit.nih.gov/gt.
• 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.htmlto
  wnhall. You can also view a videocast of the
  June 25 Town Hall at http//videocast.nih.gov/Pas
  tEvents.asp?c998

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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 lthttp//training.cit.nih.gov/gt.
• Havent yet completed the NBS Travel System
  training course? lthttp//learningsource.od.nih.gov
  /_show_details.asp?cd_crs2600gt

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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 lthttp//support.cit.nih.gov/gt or
  301-435-NBS7

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Confirming NFTs 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.

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Confirming NFTs Completing Trip Reports
revisited

• 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.

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Confirming NFTs 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 travelers
  name.
• Review information, if correct, click the
  Confirm NFT button

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Confirming NFTs Completing Trip Reports
revisited

• To confirm a trip (continued)
• Check the box next to the travelers 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.

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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 cant 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.

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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

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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 its 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.

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Revisions Updates to Travel Policies

• US Citizens must use their official passport.
  Rationale for use of official passport is that
  its 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.

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Revisions Updates to Travel Policies

• Attendance at foreign meetings with exorbitant
  registration fees (gt 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.

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Revisions Updates to Travel Policies

• The Annual International Travel Plan
• Beginning in fy04 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 fy04. 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.

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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 employees
  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.

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Personnel
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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.p
  df.

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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.

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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!
NEXT MONTHS Operation Staff Meeting (OSM) will
be 230-330pm on the second ??? of the month.
Remember to email me if the 2nd Thursday of each
month at 230-330pm presents a problem. Ill
send out an email with next months schedule
within the next 2 weeks.