Making the Purchase - Services

The requestor must complete a Purchase Request" form (NIH 1861-1) , including potential sources, applicable justification, and all required approval signatures. (Your IC may have other internal procedures to follow).
Depending on the required item and source(s), one of the following purchasing mechanisms is used.
Records of Call (ROC)
The DELPRO mechanism used to purchase against Blanket Purchase Agreements or Indefinite Delivery Contracts. The DELPRO Record of Call (“N” order) is used to places orders and obligate funds. This mechanism is processed through the DELPRO portion of the ADB.
Professional Service Orders (PSO)
A Professional Service Order (PSO) is an acquisition mechanism (“S” order) in DELPRO, utilized by the IC DELPRO Ordering Offices to acquire non-personal professional services.  These services are provided by an individual/vendor who engages in a vocation or occupation requiring advanced education and training.  Examples of such disciplines are medicine, law, engineering, and teaching.  The PSO mechanism is primarily used to procure the services of guest speakers and lecturers for seminars, workshops, or meetings held primarily to exchange scientific information, and services performed by review groups, advisory committees, etc. A PSO cannot exceed $3,000.  Purchases greater than $3,000 requires a Market Requisition (RQM) be sent to a purchasing office.
Repair Orders
Repair orders are for “scientific equipment” that is used in the NIH laboratory/branch for research purposes.  Examples include dishwashers, and dark room equipment which is part of electron microscopy slide development.  Office machines (e.g., typewriters, calculators, facsimile machines and hardware) that are not an integral part of scientific equipment are repaired using a Blanket Purchase Agreement or other acquisition mechanism.  The Repair of Scientific Equipment Order (“R” order) was established to facilitate repairs costing $2,500 or less.  When an order is entered in DELPRO, $600 is automatically obligated.  A repair order is used when scientific equipment has malfunctioned and a one-time service is required.
Reprints and Manuscript Publication Cost Orders
Researchers often request reprints of articles published in scientific journals.  To purchase reprints without covers and pay for costs associated with publishing the article, the Reprint/Manuscript Publication Cost order (“K” order) is used.  The mechanism is used to order reprints ordered as part of the original press run.  The maximum order limit (MOL) for Reprint orders (“K” order) is $10,000.  The orders contain two line items:  cost of the reprints without covers, and related manuscript publication costs.  There is no limitation to the amount per line item, but the order total shall not exceed the $10,000 maximum reprint limit.
Purchase/I.M.P.A.C. Card
A simplified acquisition mechanism designed to: 1) reduce procurement lead time and cost of processing purchase orders; 2) streamline payment procedures and reduce paperwork; 3) improve cash management practices such as forecasting and consolidating payments; and 4) provide procedural checks and feedback to improve management control and decision making.
Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDCs)
This contract provides for services to be furnished during a fixed period, with deliveries or performance to be scheduled by placing orders with the contractor. A requisition is needed to describe the requirement and funding. A DELPRO Record of Call (“N” order) is used to obligate funds. These contracts are identified by the letter “D” in the DELPRO source number and are accessed through the DELPRO SRC (source) screen.
Purchase Order
An offer by the Government to buy certain supplies or services and construction from commercial sources, upon specified terms and conditions, the aggregate amount of which does not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.
Purchase Order-Invoice-Voucher (SF44)
A cash purchase procedure designed for purchases when a vendor will not accept any other acquisition mechanism, such as a ROC, purchase order, or Government Purchase card. A voucher delegated to 1) the DELPRO Approving Official for purchases of $1,500 or less; and 2) Office of Logistics and Acquisition Operations and IC Decentralized Purchasing Offices for purchases up to $2,500, if authorized.
Contract