This Manual Chapter provides policy and guidelines for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Self-Service Store (SSS) Charge Card program to establish controls and safeguards for the accountability and proper use of the SSS Charge Card.

The policy in this chapter applies to all NIH Institute or Center (IC) and Office of the Director (OD) Offices, persons designated as an authorized user, card custodian or cardholder, and any persons involved with the issuance, use, and accountability of the SSS Charge Cards.

The Office of Logistics and Acquisition Operations (OLAO), Division of Logistics Services (DLS) manages the NIH Supply Center which operates two Self-Service retail stores located in Building 10/B2B41 and Building 31/B1A47 on the main NIH campus in Bethesda, MD.  The SSS provides a walk-in shopping convenience for the purchase of laboratory, chemical and administrative supplies to NIH customers and other approved federal agencies.  Customers make purchases using a SSS Charge Card issued annually by DLS.

NIH Manual Chapter 1743, Keeping and Destroying Records:  https://policymanual.nih.gov/1743  

1. Authorized User – the primary individual to whom a SSS Charge Card is issued to or an individual who is given authorization to use the SSS Charge Card.
2. Card Custodian – The Executive Officer or the designated individual(s) (typically Administrative Officers) delegated full responsibility to ensure the control, safeguard and proper use of each SSS Charge Card issued for their organization.
3. Cardholder – a designated individual to whom a SSS Charge Card is assigned to as the primary authorized user.  A cardholder is also responsible for the appropriate use and safeguard of the SSS Charge Card in their care.

1. SSS Charge Card Program Manager – the individual in DLS, Supply Management Branch assigned as the program manager who is responsible for the oversight and management of the SSS Charge Card Program. The SSS Charge Card Program Manager will conduct a Customer Assistance Visit upon the request of the IC EO (or AO).
2. Executive Officers (EOs) are responsible for requesting, safeguarding and controlling the proper use of the SSS Charge Cards within their IC and the OD. 
   1. The EO must certify in their request for SSS Charge Cards that safeguard provisions and a pre-approval process for purchases are established for the SSS Charge Cards issued for their organization.
   2. The EO may designate individuals as Card Custodians who accept full responsibility for ensuring the control and safeguard of the issued SSS Charge Cards received for their IC or OD office.
   3. The EO may consult with the Office of Human Resources and NIH Table of Penalties for appropriate disciplinary action for an employee’s misuse of the SSS Charge Card.
   4. Attest annually that adequate internal controls are in place and proper use of the SSS Charge Cards are in compliance to this manual issuance upon renewal of SSS Charge Cards each fiscal year.
   5. Conduct an internal self-assessment of their current process and procedures for the use of SSS Charge Cards within their organization.
3. Budget Officers are required to review, verify, and provide signature approval for the Common Accounting Numbers (CANs) and associated Task Numbers assigned to the SSS Charge Cards issued to the respective IC Card Custodians, to include all CANs and associated Task Numbers submitted to the NBS to be added or removed.
4. Card Custodians are responsible for the accountability, security and proper use of the SSS Charge Cards issued and received for their IC or OD office.
5. Authorized Users must obtain written pre-approval of purchases from their supervisor prior to making a purchase with a SSS Charge Card.  Authorized users are responsible for the proper use and safeguard of the SSS Charge Card.
6. Supervisors (or designated reviewer/approver) must review and approve a written purchase request to verify the bona fide need of supplies and assure sufficient funds are available for the proposed purchase prior to the use of a SSS Charge Card.

1. The SSS Charge Card must be protected with proper controls and safeguards established to prevent unauthorized use, misappropriation, or theft.  The SSS services are available to all supported NIH customers, and other Federal Government agencies with an approved interagency agreement. 
2. The supplies purchased from the Self-Service Stores must be for official Government business only.  Items for personal consumption, convenience, comfort, or protection are not authorized for purchase.
3. Prior to the new fiscal year, the SSS Charge Card Program Manager shall provide to NBS copies of the IC Budget Officers CAN and associated Task Numbers approval letters containing all CANs and associated Task Numbers to be included on the NBS Master CAN list file for the SSS Point-of-Sale (POS) system.
4. The NBS Master CAN list file shall only contain CANs and associated Task Numbers that have been validated and approved by the Budget Officer.
5. Requesting Initial and Annual Renewal of SSS Charge Cards
   1. Prior to the new fiscal year, a review must be conducted to verify the continued need for the SSS Charge Card.  The EO, or his/her designated point of contact (POC), will review and validate the need for a new card.   
   2. The OD/IC Budget Officer must also review, verify and provide signature approval for the CAN(s) and associated Task Numbers assigned to SSS Charge Cards issued to IC Card Custodians.  The Budget Officer’s CAN approval (NH 2997) is required to authorize updates to the NBS.
   3. A request for SSS Charge Cards must be submitted in writing to the SSS Charge Card Program Manager, Supply Management Branch, DLS.  The SSS Charge Cards are re-issued annually, for the new fiscal year, and periodically as and when the IC/OD activity determines the need for new SSS Charge Card(s).
   4. The request must include;
      1. Requester’s name and contact information,
      2. Number of cards required,
      3. Identity of the IC or OD office (e.g. OD/OM/OALM/OLAO/DLS),
      4. A 7-digit CAN and a Task Number that is no less than 8 characters up to a max of 25 characters to be assigned to the Charge Card(s),
      5. Name of assigned Card Custodian(s) for each Charge Card,
      6. A letter signed by the Budget Officer to authorize the CAN(s) and associated Task Number assigned to the SSS Charge Card(s) and included on the NBS Master CAN list.
   5. The number of Charge Cards issued to an IC or OD office will be limited to the minimal number of cards required to meet organizational needs.  A justification is required to support the request for multiple cards assigned the same budget account number.  (i.e., geographic separation of organizations assigned the same budget account number).
   6. The Card Custodian (or designated cardholder) must take appropriate measures to safeguard Charge Cards issued in their care and to personnel authorized to use the cards.  It is required that SSS Charge Cards are secured under lock and key when not in use and accessible only to authorized users.  The Card Custodian must maintain a register for the SSS Charge Card to monitor the issue/return of the card.
   7. Immediately report any lost, damaged or stolen SSS Charge Cards to the SSS Charge Card Program Manager at 301-496-3395.  A request for a replacement SSS Charge Card must include the reason and information of the SSS Charge Card being replaced.
6. Pre-approval of SSS Charge Card Purchase
   1. A written pre-approval must be obtained for the purchase of supplies at the Self-Service Store prior to the use of the SSS Charge Card.  The approved purchase request may be in the form of an email or use of form NIH 1861-1, Purchase Request that includes all of the following information:
      1. list of supply items to be purchased,
      2. an estimated amount of the total purchase,
      3. the purpose/need for the supply items,
      4. requester’s name
      5. reviewer/approver’s name and signature
   2. The pre-approval process must adhere to the appropriate separation of duties to the extent possible.  A Card Custodian or authorized user cannot be the reviewer/approver of purchases made on a Charge Card assigned to them.  The role of the reviewer/approver of the purchase must be assigned to a separate individual.
   3. The reviewer/approver of the purchase must be a Government employee, a supervisor or individual with budget authority, who can verify the bona fide need of the proposed purchase and assure sufficient funds are available.
7. Making the SSS Charge Card Purchase
   1. The authorized user may visit the Self-Service Store with the approved purchase request and SSS Charge Card to make the purchase.  A valid NIH identification (ID) badge and a valid SSS Charge Card must be presented to the cashier at the time of purchase.  Customers from other agencies must present a valid ID issued by their agency and their active NIH SSS Charge Card.
   2. A SSS Charge Card presented without a valid budget account number, is expired, or is an unauthorized card will not be accepted to make a purchase.  A customer using an invalid Charge Card will be referred to the IC card custodian to resolve the problem.  If misuse of a Charge Card is evident or detected, the SSS Charge Card shall be retained and the incident reported immediately to the Store Manager and the SSS Charge Card Program Manager.
   3. A sales receipt for the purchase transaction is provided to the Charge Card user identifying the stock number, description, quantity and cost of items purchased, to include the purchaser’s ID badge number, name and phone number.  A copy of each sales receipt is maintained by the SSS.  Copies of the record of transaction can be obtained by the Executive Officer or designated representative upon request.
   4. SSS Charge Card users shall return the card, sales receipt and the approved purchase request to the Card Custodian immediately upon completion of the purchase.
8. Return of Purchased Item(s)
   1. Customers have 7 business days from date of purchase to notify the Store if an item needs to be returned.  Returned goods will only be accepted within 14 business days of the date of the original store receipt.
   2. The following information must be provided to the store cashier for all returns;
      1. the item being returned
      2. original store receipt
      3. SSS Charge Card used to make the original purchase
      4. a valid NIH ID
9. Reconciliation of Charge Card Purchases
   1. Card Custodians/cardholders will review the Charge Card sales receipts monthly to reconcile the purchase transactions with expenditures against the budget account number/project number assigned to the SSS Charge Card.  Any discrepancies will be addressed with the respective authorized user and/or budget officer as appropriate, and corrective action taken.
   2. Card Custodians/cardholders and the Stores must retain copies of the SSS Charge Card sales receipts for three years.
   3. The NBS SSS Error Report is reviewed daily to identify sales transaction errors.  The SSS Charge Card Program Manager will contact the respective IC AO immediately for corrective action to resolve each transaction error/discrepancy.
   4. The SSS staff will conduct cycle counts (a minimum of 10% of all stock inventoried) each week.  The counts are provided to the Supervisor, Inventory Management Section to verify and reconcile the counts at the Stores against the quantities within NBS.
   5. For assistance contact the Self-Service Store Manager at 301-496-2051 or the SSS Charge Card Program Manager at 301-496-3395.

All records pertaining to this chapter must be retained and disposed of under the authority of NIH Manual 1743,"Keeping and Destroying Records," Appendix 1, "NIH Records Control Schedules" (as amended).  These records must be maintained in accordance with current NIH Records Management and Federal guidelines.  Contact your IC Records Liaison or the NIH Records Officer for additional information.