National Institutes of Health Ordering Information for BPA and

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

ORDERING INFORMATION FOR BPA CALLS/TASK ORDERS

AND PURCHASE/DELIVERY ORDERS

Information contained herein is provided as general information only and is intended to assist in

processing orders from the NIH and provide information regarding invoice submission.

1. There are basically two types of source agreements used at the NIH to order supplies and services from a

variety of US and foreign vendors, (excluding credit card orders).

a. Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA). A BPA is a simplified method of filling

anticipated repetitive needs for supplies or services by establishing “charge accounts”

with qualified sources. A valid BPA number looks like this: HHSN263200700003B

1. The BPA requires a Release as a funds obligation document

b. Indefinite Delivery Contract (IDC). An IDC contract is used to acquire supplies and/or

services when the exact time and/or quantities of future deliveries are not known at the

time of the contract award. A valid IDC contract looks like this: HHSN263200700003I

1. The IDC requires a Release or Delivery Order (U Order as a obligation document)

The following describes the number makeup:

HHS = Department of Health and Human Services

N = National Institute of Health

263 = Acquisition Office Code (Issuing Institute Office Code)

2007 = Fiscal Year BPA or Order was awarded

00003 = BPA/IDC Number

B = Designates a Blanket Purchase Agreement

I = Designates a Indefinite Delivery Contract

When an order is placed with a company, the company must be provided the BPA/IDC number as

well as a BPA Release, Task Order or Delivery Order number. Both numbers must be cited on

the invoice as described above.

The BPA Call or Task Order number will consist of 8 digits which consist of the NIH 3 digit

Acquisition Office Code, plus 5 digits to make up the 8 digit order number similar to

>>>>26300002. Various other office codes, such as 267, 272, 291 etc. may also used the sources

to order supplies or services authorized by the source agreement.

Both the BPA/IDC number and the BPA Call/Task Order number must be obtained from the

individual placing an order or from a copy of the order and shall be cited on all packing slip(s),

delivery ticket(s), invoice(s) or other method used to make a claim for payment or subsequent

correspondence.

The numbers should appear on the invoice in one of the two formats in a location easily visible

during the review process.

HHSN263200700003B26300002 HHSN263200700003B

26300002

Page 2 - NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH ORDERING INFORMATION FOR

BPA CALLS/TASK ORDERS AND PURCHASE/DELIVERY ORDERS

2. Purchase Orders - Order for Supplies and Services (Optional Form 347).

Purchase orders are generally issued on a fixed-price basis for the acquisition of supplies and

services. The purchase orders shall (1) Specify the quantity of supplies or scope of services being

ordered; and (2) Contain a determinable date by which delivery of the supplies or performance of

the services is required. A purchase order is a stand alone contract not to exceed $100,000.00 on

the open market for supplies or services, or up to the MOL on Federal Supply Schedule contracts

to the extent described in the Schedule, sections (a) thru (f).

The Purchase/Delivery Order number is found in Block 3 of the Order for Supplies or Services

(Option Form 347). There are three (3) types of purchase/delivery order numbers.

HHSN26300011M order identifies an open market Micro Purchase < $3,000.

HHSN26300011P order identifies an open market not to exceed $100,000.

HHSN26300011U order identifies a Delivery Order issued against a NIH Indefinite Delivery

Contract or a GSA Federal Supply Schedule contract.

INVOICE/PAYMENT INFORMATION

The following provides information for submitting invoices or payment requests to the NIH Office of

Financial Management, Commercial Accounts.

Please Read

(The biggest invoice problem that result in invoice return is Non-compliance with the following)

An original paper copy of a “proper invoice” as described in FAR Subpart 32.9 must be received in the

Designated Billing Office. A proper invoice as described in FAR must include the following items:

Name and address of the contractor as cited on the contract/order award document.

Unique Invoice number

Invoice/billing date

Award document/order number, and where applicable, main agreement number (e.g., BPA or

Contract number).

Order item number, item description, quantity, unit of measure, unit price, and extended price of

supplies delivered or service rendered.

Payment terms (e.g., prompt payment discount).

Remit-to-address, i. e. where payment is to be sent. Note that the remittance name must be identical

to what is on the contract/order.

Tax Identification Number (TIN)

DUNS number or DUNS+4, as registered in CCR.

Vendor point of contact, title, telephone number and mailing address of a person to be notified regarding a

defective invoice.

Other information or documentation required by the order (e.g., evidence of billable shipment charges).

Page 3 - NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH ORDERING INFORMATION FOR

BPA CALLS/TASK ORDERS AND PURCHASE/DELIVERY ORDERS

The correct invoice submission address is as follows:

National Institutes of Health

Office of Financial Management

Commercial Accounts Branch

2115 East Jefferson Street

Room 4B-432, MSC 8500

Bethesda, MD 20892-8500 -For delivery by US Mail

Rockville, MD 20852 - (For delivery by Couriers, such as FedEx, DHL, Etc).

Customer Service Telephone #: 301-496-6088

(Please Read )

NIH contractors and vendors are also reminded that it is their responsibility, unless exempt by FAR

4.1102(a), to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the information in the Central Contractor

Registration (CCR) database. Contractors and vendors that are not registered in CCR must ensure that

NIH has current, accurate, and complete data to process its payment requests. The Government is not

responsible for late payments that result from inaccurate or incomplete data.

Contractors and vendors are reminded that the Office of Financial Management (OFM) is only authorized

to pay invoices that are consistent with the applicable order or contract document. Invoices received that

are inconsistent with the order or contract will be returned to the vendor or may be paid per the order or

contract and therefore resulting in a short payment or disallowance on the invoice

Orders should be reviewed upon receipt and if any discrepancies exist, they should be corrected prior to

the order acceptance, delivery/shipment or performance by contacting the appropriate Contracting

Officer, Purchasing Agent or Ordering Official.

A company should not accept and process an order without ensuring it has a valid order number, correct

pricing and billing information prior to shipping or delivery. If this information is not accurate and is

included in a sales order incorrectly, it may hinder or delay order receiving and payments of an invoice.

It is recommended that a copy of all orders be requested and obtained via mail or fax to ensure the

correctness of order numbers, pricing and delivery information as well as to identify the POC for further

information or assistance prior to or after shipment or delivery.

Should you have questions regarding Contractor Registration, you may call 1-888-227-2423.

For information regarding the DUN, call 1-866-705-5711.

Web-Sites for NIH & U.S. Treasury Payment Status

This is NIH vendor bill pay site: HTTPS://SILK.NIH.GOV/ADB/BILLPAY

TREASURY: HTTP://FMS.TREAS.GOV/PAID/ Vendors must register to have access

to this website.

Updated 04/15/09

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