Administrative Delegation #41

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Public Health Service

PURPOSE

The purpose of this memorandum is to delegate the responsibility and authority for ordering, printing, and distributing Indian Health Service (IHS) forms.  This includes standard forms, optional forms, and special Federal forms.

AUTHORITY DELEGATED AND TO WHOM

The Director, Regional Supply Service Center (RSSC), Ada, Oklahoma, is hereby delegated the authority to receive requests from IHS Area Offices and IHS Headquarters, place orders on their behalf, and distribute the forms when they are received.

Tribal organizations are also eligible to obtain forms from the RSSC.

SPECIAL BILLING INSTRUCTIONS

The following process will be followed for centralized funding of this service by the RSSC.

Each IHS Area will transfer funds, based on estimated usage, to the RSSC.  The RSSC will establish a line of credit for the amount of funds transferred.  Lines of credit will be closed out at the end of each fiscal year.

The RSSC will charge a service fee based on variable cost factors specific to each order in order to recover all operating costs.  Factors may include ordering methods, mailing, and handling costs.  As forms are ordered, the RSSC will deduct the cost of the forms, the service fee, and the transportation costs (if applicable) from the line of credit.

A "Stores Stock Account" (RSSC Report No. 1), which is a monthly summary of orders placed from their respective Area, will be provided to each Area.

Use by tribally operated facilities may be negotiated in their Annual Funding Agreements.  However, changes to current billing practices shall not be made without negotiation and agreement between the tribe(s) and the IHS.

RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS

The Division of Administrative Support will continue to have overall accountability, over the RSSC, in matters related to forms management.

The IHS Forms Management Officer will be responsible for the following activities:

1. The design, proofing, beta testing, and production of new forms.

2. Obtaining Office of Management and Budget approvals.

3. The revision of forms.

4. The review of forms suggested for removal from the IHS forms catalog.

5. Maintaining print and distribution control of Print-on-Demand forms.

6. The overall responsibility for forms information for the agency.

SUPERSESSION

This delegation supersedes Manual Exhibit 1-5.2A-5, Subject:  "Printing Authority," Indian Heath Manual, Part 1, Chapter 5, "Delegations of Authority," dated November 23, 1988.