The NSSC is here to serve you. Customers of NSSC are encouraged to communicate any concerns or problems with items they
received to the Quality Assurance Coordinator. Customers are also encouraged to contact the
Customer Service Liaison to ask questions or report any discrepancies.
New Customer Information
If your facility is interested in becoming a regular customer of the NSSC, please complete a
New Customer Application Form [PDF - 18 KB] and E-mail to the
NSSC Customer Service Liaison or Fax to 405-951-6057.
The Application is in the Adobe Acrobat format. If your computer does not have a copy of the Adobe Acrobat Reader software, you may obtain a copy FREE by clicking HERE. If you have any problems with the installation, please contact
your local systems administrator.
SERVICES AND VALUE-ADDED PROGRAMS
LARGE SELECTION OF ITEMS
The NSSC has approximately 2,000 items in stock and available for purchase and use.
ELECTRONIC ORDERING
Stock items may be ordered electronically over the IHS intranet. Small orders are normally filled and sent out the same day as
received. Larger routine orders are submitted and delivered on a scheduled basis.
DELIVERY AND DISTRIBUTION SERVICES
Supplies are delivered by NSSC trucks, commercial carriers using GSA rates, U.S. mail, Federal Express, or drop-shipped direct
to the facility from the manufacturer or distributor. The best method of delivery is selected to meet each facility's program, location, and requirements.
LOW PRICES
The prices on our products are often some of the lowest in the nation. We purchase from over 400 different manufacturers, wholesalers, prime vendors, and buy-Indian firms. We
constantly research the marketplace to find quality products at the lowest prices. We utilize Government Federal Supply Schedule contracts, VA contracts, DOD contracts, GSA
contracts, Prime Vendor contracts, Area contracts and Blanket Purchase Agreements. The large quantities of items purchased by the
NSSC often enable us to obtain volume discounts that individual facilities would not be able to realize on their own.
EASY PAYMENT AND BILLING
Federal, Tribal and Urban facilities receive one consolidated monthly bill for all supplies ordered during the month. Tribes pay monthly by check. Federal and Urban facilities
have funds transferred to the NSSC. Statements of Account are sent to these facilities monthly showing issue amounts, credits
and account balances. This eliminates the administrative cost and time required for Tribal, Federal, and Urban facilities to pay hundreds of different vendors each month. The
NSSC also reports issue values by programs and ordering departments, which can assistant managers in tracking expenditures and
controlling departmental budgets.
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ANNUAL CUSTOMER SERVICE SURVEYS
The NSSC conducts a customer service survey annually to solicit feedback on the services and
products provided. Areas of weakness are identified so changes and improvements can be made.
MAXIMIZATION OF HEALTHCARE EMPLOYEE TIME
Our knowledgeable and trained employees are working to make it easy for healthcare professionals, technical, and administrative staff to obtain
quality, state-of-the-art, and cost-effective supplies. By using the NSSC, valuable staff time can be spent providing
healthcare services instead of doing supply work.
EXPERT SUPPLY STAFF
The NSSC has over 20 years experience as a supplier to the
IHS. Our expert staff has extensive knowledge of the products, marketplace, sources of supply, Government contracts, material management, and numerous other
supply-related skills.
FULL COST RECOVERY FEE
The NSSC does not receive any annual reoccurring operating funds. The only source of operating
funds for the NSSC is a small Full Cost Recovery Fee (FCRF) that is added to the cost of supplies distributed each month.
The FCRF is added to recover only the necessary expenses required to operate the NSSC and to provide the services offered.
The increase in volume of pharmaceutical purchases and leveling of the NSSC operating budget has allowed the
NSSC to continue to reduce the FCRF rate to our customers.
FISCAL YEAR |
FCRF RATE |
1999 |
5.9 % |
2000 |
5.8 % |
2001 |
5.6 % |
2002-2003 |
3.5 % Drugs / 7.0 % Other |
2004 |
2.9 % Drugs / 7.0 % Other |
2005 |
2.9 % |
2006 |
2.7 % |
COST SAVINGS
IHS Federal, Tribal and Urban facilities have access to VA National Standardization Contract and Manufacturer Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) prices through the
Pharmaceutical Prime Vendor (PPV) but this process is not automatic. The NSSCNSSC continuously reviews these contracts and
agreements and takes the necessary actions to ensure that Federal, Tribal and Urban facilities are able to get these prices. This includes providing all the required data,
commitments, forms, and purchase history information to the VA and the manufacturers.
The following shows the savings that the IHS Federal and Tribal facilities realized in FY 2003 by partnering with the VA and using their PPV Contract, National Contracts,
Manufacturer Blanket Purchase Agreements, and PPV Negative Distribution Fees.
PROGRAM |
SAVINGS IN FY 2003 |
PPV Negative Distribution Fees |
$ 4,000,000 |
VA National Standardization Contracts |
$ 33,427,184 |
Manufacturer Blanket Purchase Agreements |
$ 16,883,351 |
Total Savings = |
$ 54,310,535 |
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