NIH Record - National Institutes of Health

NIH Supply Center Improves Offerings, Lowers Surcharge

The NIH Supply Center warehouse interior
The NIH Supply Center warehouse

The NIH Supply Center has improved operations to make it easier for NIH’ers to get products and supplies. It also has a new slogan, “Cost, Convenience, Customer Service—We Are Right Next Door!”

The SC is a fee-for-service organization that provides lab, medical and office supplies. There is a surcharge, recently reduced from 22 to 20 percent, but there are no delivery charges. The SC plans to continue lowering the surcharge 2 percent a year until 2019, when it will be 14 percent.

When you make a bulk/large purchase from the NIH Supply Center or its Self Service Stores, you can store your items in the Distribution Center located in Gaithersburg. This is the Buy Bulk and Store Program; your products will be delivered to your lab/office with just a call to customer service, at no cost.

Standing orders can be placed for items ordered on a constant basis, with a predetermined delivery date. This eases the burden on lab managers and administrative officers who approve the ordering process.

Supply Center stock is also listed in the POTS system. For more information about this process, contact the SC’s customer service representatives at (301) 496-9156 or (301) 496-3395.

In the fall, the SC team will be bringing lab and office supplies even closer to you. Stop by Bldg. 37 then to see what products are being offered through the Intelligent Vending Machine.

The SC plans to host a Table Top Expo every month in several lobbies around campus. Vendors will offer sales and product demonstrations that will benefit NIH researchers.

For details about ongoing initiatives, call the customer service representatives or the SC outreach team at (301) 594-0646.

The NIH Record

The NIH Record, founded in 1949, is the biweekly newsletter for employees of the National Institutes of Health.

Published 25 times each year, it comes out on payday Fridays.

Associate Editor: Dana Talesnik
Dana.Talesnik@nih.gov (link sends e-mail)

Assistant Editor: Eric Bock
Eric.Bock@nih.gov (link sends e-mail)

Staff Writer: Amber Snyder
Amber.Snyder@nih.gov (link sends e-mail)