Under the General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative for Domestic Delivery Services, FedEx provides the NIH with several levels of service to locations within the Contiguous United States (CONUS) and Puerto Rico.  Service is not available to Post Office, Army Post Office (APO), or Fleet Post Office (FPO) addresses.  Service is between cities, towns, and communities, but not local courier services.  Service and rates are available upon request to authorized Government cost-reimbursable contractors.

The policy in this chapter applies to all NIH Institute or Center (IC) or Office of the Director (OD) Offices and any personnel involved in the domestic and international delivery process.

The Freight Forwarding Section (FFS), Transportation Management Branch (TMB) of the Division of Logistics Services (DLS) is the central activity responsible for most of the NIH outbound shipping activities.  Inbound shipment receiving is a decentralized function that is performed differently by each IC.  The FFS, DLS provides various types of shipments and is located in Building 13, Platform E, Room 1771, MSC 5725 (phone: 301-402-0164; fax: 301-402-1857).

1. NIH Services: Shipping and Receiving
2. NIH Freight Forwarding Section
3. NIH Manual Chapter 26101-42-F – Shipping Policies and Procedures
4. NIH Manual Chapter 1743 – Keeping and Destroying Records, Appendix 1, NIH Records Control Schedules
5. NIH Manual Chapter 3035 - Working Safely With Potentially Hazardous Biological Materials
6. UN 2814 – Infectious Substances Affecting Humans
7. UN 2900 – Infectious Substances Affecting Animals
8. UN 3373 – Biological Substance
9. 49 CFR 173.196 – Category A Infectious Substances
10. 49 CFR 173.199 – Category B Infectious Substances
11. 29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(1)(i) – Toxic and Hazardous Substances

1. Contiguous United States (CONUS): The contiguous United States consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states plus Washington, D.C., on the continent of North America.
2. Courier: For the purposes of this Manual Chapter, “courier” refers to the FedEx personnel responsible for transporting packages.
3. Diagnostic Specimen: any human or animal material, including excreta, secreta, blood and its components, tissue, and tissue fluids being transported for diagnostic or investigational purposes, but excluding live infected humans or animals.
4. Hazardous/Infectious Materials: those substances known to contain, or reasonably expected to contain pathogens. Pathogens are defined as microorganisms or recombinant microorganisms that are known or reasonably expected to cause infectious disease in humans or animals when exposure to them occurs.
   1. Category A: infectious substances capable of causing permanent disability, life threatening or fatal disease to humans or animals when exposure to them occurs (UN 2814 – Infectious Substances Affecting Humans; UN 2900 – Infectious Substances Affecting Animals)
   2. Category B: infectious substances that are infectious but do not meet the criteria for Category A (UN 3373 – Biological Substance)

1. Division of Logistics Services:  The Freight Forwarding Section of TMB, DLS is responsible for managing (opening and closing) IC FedEx accounts.  The FFS, DLS serves as a helpdesk for ICs and is available to answer questions about account setup, billing, etc.  The FFS, DLS ensures all packages received for shipping in its warehouse are packed according to regulations before the package is shipped.
2. Institutes and Centers:  ICs are responsible for managing invoices billed to their assigned FedEx account(s). Each shipment invoice shall be reviewed for accuracy and adjustments requested if discrepancies are found.
3. Courier:  FedEx couriers are responsible for timely pick-up and delivery of designated packages for FedEx services from FFS and IC locations.

Policy Overview:

1. All international packages and letters including packages containing dry ice, infectious substances, and hazardous materials must be processed through the FFS, DLS except for Select Agent shipments. Select Agent shipments are coordinated and transported only through the Division of Occupational Health and Safety, Select Agent Program (301) 496-2960.
2. All domestic express shipments in the CONUS and Puerto Rico must be processed through FedEx Ship Manager or FedEx Power Ship.
3. For shipping other small packages and extremely urgent letters, Institute and Center (IC) locations must establish FedEx accounts.  The Administrative Officer (AO) must complete, sign, and send the NIH 2971, FedEx Account Information Form to the FFS, DLS.  Accounts may not be opened, changed, or deleted directly with FedEx.
4. Letters that are extremely urgent (the value or usefulness of the letter is lost or greatly diminished, if not delivered the next business day) are covered under this service.  All other letters must be sent via the U.S. Postal Service.
5. ICs outside the Bethesda/Rockville area with delegated authority to procure non-NIH shipping services must use discretion and follow general procurement guidelines to select carriers. Refer to the NIH Policy Manual Chapter 26101-42-F – Shipping Policies and Procedures for the list of NIH locations authorized to procure shipping services.

Services Provided:

1. Features:
   1. Priority Overnight: Time-definite, weekday delivery by 10:30AM to thousands of cities (noon to most of the rest). Weekend service is available; special handling fee and commitment times apply. The service applies to letters, packages, and boxes up to 150 pounds, maximum 119" length and 165" length plus girth.
   2. Standard Overnight: Next business day, time-definite, afternoon delivery by 3:00PM to thousands of cities and by 4:30PM to most other areas (Monday-Friday). The service applies to letters, packages, and boxes up to 150 pounds, maximum 119" length and 165" length plus girth.
   3. Same-day Service: Same-day Service is not offered via FedEx Ship Manager. All packages must be received in the FFS, DLS before 9:00AM for same-day service. Out-of-State deliveries are not guaranteed delivery before close of business.
   4. 2-Day: Time definite yet economical weekday delivery in two business days by 4:30PM to most U.S. locations (by 8:00PM for residential deliveries). Saturday service is also available. The service applies to packages and boxes up to 150 pounds each, maximum 119" length and 165" length plus girth.
   5. Express Saver: Cost effective, committed delivery within three business days by 4:30PM in the CONUS (residential deliveries by 8:00PM). Delivery is available Monday through Friday. The service is available for non-document packages up to 150 pounds, maximum 119" length and 165" length plus girth.
   6. Express International Services (Packages): Between U.S. and Puerto Rico: Guaranteed to reach U.S. cities by 8:00AM. Time-definite, Customs-cleared, door-to-door by 11:00AM to 1,000 select U.S. zip codes from Puerto Rico by the next business day. Packages and boxes weighing up to 150 pounds each, maximum 108"in length and 130" length plus girth.
2. Pickup: FedEx picks up from IC locations between 8:00AM and 6:00PM. Call 1-800-463-3339 for a FedEx Courier; to arrange for regular daily Courier stops; or to find out specific cut-off times in your area. In many locations, FedEx picks up later than 6:00PM upon customers’ request.
3. Delivery: FedEx attempts to deliver packages to the address, not the recipient. If you want the FedEx Courier to deliver a package directly to a particular recipient, use a special label, which FedEx provides. The Courier attempts three times to deliver the package and if not, returns shipment to the sender.
4. Drop Off: Convenient FedEx Drop Boxes or full-service staffed locations have later pickup times and provide shipping supplies.
5. Collect Shipments:
   1. Inbound shipments via Collect must have the IC’s FedEx account number on the air bill. The IC will be invoiced directly via FedEx Billing Online Plus (FBO+).
   2. Outbound shipments via Collect must have the IC’s FedEx account information and recipients FedEx account information. If recipient account number is not provided, the IC FedEx account will be charged.
6. Saturday Service: Some Saturday pickup and delivery are available to Puerto Rico at this time. Saturday pickup and Saturday delivery are available in many areas. For Saturday delivery service the sender must request the service via FedEx Power Ship automated shipping system or through FedEx Ship Manager. Check the list of zip codes in the FedEx Service Guide for a listing of U.S. zip codes that have Saturday Service. An additional fee of $15.00 per shipment applied to shipments picked up or delivered on Saturday.
7. Holiday Service: A delivery scheduled on a holiday is rescheduled for the following business day. FedEx does pickup and deliver shipments on the following federal holidays:
   1. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
   2. Presidents’ Day
   3. Columbus Day
   4. Veterans Day
8. Dangerous Goods Service: Dangerous goods service is available for pickup Monday through Friday to all locations within the U.S. FedEx provides special handling and shipment of materials defined as Dangerous Goods by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the International Air Transport Association. This includes dry ice, infectious, radioactive, and hazardous chemical material. Radioactive material must be sent to the Division of Radiation Safety, Office of Research Services in Building 21. An additional handling fee is included.
   1. Biological Material/Diagnostic Specimens: ICs must send all biological materials/diagnostic specimens packed on dry ice through the FFS, DLS. All biological material/diagnostic specimens packed in a Styrofoam container must be placed inside a fiberboard box. Appropriate dry ice labels must be placed on the outer container. Two labels are required for dry ice shipments and can be purchased from the NIH Supply system or the Self Service Stores: Dry Ice Label stock number 7530-00-L07-2340; Class 9 Label stock number 7530-00-L07-2341. Note the sender and recipient address on the package.
   2. Required Shipping Documents:
      1. NIH Form 1884-1: Commercial Invoice
      2. NIH Form 1884: Request for Shipment
   3. Account Management:
      1. ICs must have an active FedEx account to process FedEx domestic shipments. To establish, change, or delete an account, please submit a completed NIH 2971, FedEx Account Information Form to the FFS, DLS.
      2. All FedEx billing and invoices are processed through FBO+, an automated system for users to receive, review, dispute, approve, and pay bills online. ICs are responsible for managing invoices billed against their account. Invoices should be reviewed for accuracy.
      3. ICs with an active FedEx account must use FedEx Ship Manager to process domestic shipments in the CONUS and Puerto Rico. FedEx Ship Manager is an online system that gives ICs centralized control and administration to create shipments and air bills with visibility and monitoring. To setup a FedEx Account with FedEx Ship Manager, contact the FFS, DLS.

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. 

The purpose of this manual issuance is to outline the NIH domestic express and international delivery services.

1. Office Responsible for Reviewing Internal Controls Relative to this Chapter: Freight Forwarding Section, Tranportation Management Branch, Division of Logistics Services.
2. Frequency of Review: Ongoing
3. Method of Review:
   1. (For courier packages) Screen incoming packages to ensure that the shipment is official business and that the appropriate paperwork is attached before the messenger picks up the letter/package.
   2. Examine all packages received in the FFS, DLS to ensure that the material is packed according to regulations before leaving the NIH.
   3. According to NIH Policy Manual 3035 – Working Safely With Potentially Hazardous Biological Materials, supervisors are responsible for providing site-specific safety training and ensuring that annual retraining of their employees is completed.  Staff handling infectious/hazardous shipments receive mandatory safety training upon hire and every two years thereafter.  The FFS, DLS monitors its own compliance by scheduling its training sessions.
   4. Generate quarterly reports on all transactions captured in the Transportation Management System.  Data is reviewed and analyzed to evaluate program performance.
4. Review Reports are sent to: Review reports are developed as needed and sent to the Deputy Director of Management and the Director, Office of Acquisition and Logistics Management.  Reports will indicate any internal control issues that should be brought to the attention of the report recipient.