e-PIC is designed to be a user-friendly system. The system provides step-by-step data entry instructions along with the registration process. General guidance on how to use the system is provided below while detailed information provided throughout the profile registration pages is available when you click the Help button or the hyperlinked phrases.

In order to optimize system performance and to ensure execution of registration, registrants should complete online data entry within the preset forty (40) minute session time period.

e-PIC Web Site

New to the NAICS

Among other things, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), 1993, stimulated interest in eliminating barriers to cross-national flow of goods, services and capital investment for the North American countries. Along with this interest, a need for a common industry classification system and a U.S. effort is already underway to revise the outdated U.S. Standard Industrial Classification System (SIC Code), a coordinated effort among U.S., Canada and Mexico took shape to explore new approaches to classifying economic activity.

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget established the Economic Classification Policy Committee to work with comparable committees from Canada and Mexico to establish a new classification system. The new system would generate uniform and comparable economic data for the North American countries. This consolidated effort, an enormous undertaking, was intended to facilitate economic analysis of the economies of these three North American countries. Each country’s statistical agency produces information on inputs and outputs, industrial performance, productivity, unit labor costs, and employment. North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) would replace each country's existing classification system and would be constructed within a single conceptual framework, whereby, economic units having similar production processes are classified in the same industry.

NAICS U.S. generates statistical data describing the U.S. economy. NAICS U.S. also may be used for other administrative, regulatory, taxation, etc., purposes, although these functional areas played no role in system development. The U.S. Federal Government uses industry classifications for procurement purposes, both for classifying the procurement action and for procurement data reporting and analysis.

Effective October 1, 2000, the new NAICS will be applied to procurement actions solicited and awarded after that date for industry and size related classification purposes. The Small Business Administration, charged with establishing size standards against industry classifications, established size standards based on number of employees or average annual sales or assets or electric output for determining business size.

The NAICS system, similar in hierarchical structure to the SIC Code system, includes 20 Sectors and 1,170 industries in NAICS U.S. The first 2 of the 6 digit structure represents the sectors of economic activity, the third digit designates the sub sector, the fourth digit designates the industry group, the fifth digit designates the NAICS industry and the sixth digit designates the national industry. A zero sixth digit generally indicates that the NAICS and U.S. industries are the same. There are approximately 150 new NAICS capturing new sectors such as Information, Professional, Scientific and Technical Service, Arts, Entertainment and Recreation.

"New to the NAICS" offers information that is provided in the "North American Industry Classification System, United States, 2007" manual published by the Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget. For basic information about NAICS and/or to order either the printed or CD-ROM version of the NAICS Manual, please visit the official U.S. Government site at  http://www.ntis.gov/products/naics.aspx.   "New to the NAICS" has the following dynamic on-line functions to help users access Industry Classification Codes:

NAICS Keyword Search:

This function enables you to search NAICS codes by entering a keyword of your organization's main activities.Simply type in a keyword, e.g., "Computer," and then select searching by "Title" or "Business Activity."Searching by "Title" will generate search results that are based on the matching of the keyword you enter and the NAICS code titles; while searching by "Business Activity" will generate search results that are based on the matching of the keyword you enter and the alphabetic index of NAICS business activities.

The search result will display the matching NAICS codes and the corresponding description. To view the details of each NAICS Code, click the "Details" hyperlink in the "View" column. To continue viewing more search results, click the hyperlink under "Next Page."

You can always go back to the "New to the NAICS" main menu page by clicking the "Back" button.

NAICS Alphabetic Index

This function enables you to search NAICS codes using the alphabetic list of activities in the NAICS manual. For example, to search an activity starting with the letter "B," click the "B" hyperlink under "Alphabetical Listings" at the bottom of the page, and then the system will bring you to the section of all NAICS activities starting with "B." To view the detail of a particular code, click the "Details" hyperlink in the "View" column. To continue viewing more search results, click the hyperlink under "Next Page."

You can always go back to the "New to the NAICS" main menu page by clicking the "Back" button.

NAICS Titles and Descriptions

This function presents complete on-line information of the entire list of NAICS titles with detailed descriptions. To view each sector/industry, simply click the number hyperlink in the "Sector" column. To view the description of a particular NAICS code, simply click the "Details" hyperlink in the "View" column.

You can always go back to the "New to the NAICS" main menu page by clicking the "Back" button.

Small Business Size Standards by NAICS Industry

For Federal acquisition purpose, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has assigned small business size standards matched to NAICS. The size standards are matched by number of employees, average annual sales, assets (for financial and insurance organizations), or total electric output (for utility firms). This function enables you to view the size standard according to your organization's NAICS code. For up-to-date information, you can also visit  SBA's Small Size Standard Site.

You can always go back to the "New to the NAICS" main menu page by clicking the "Back" button.

NAICS to SIC Search

This function enables you to search the matched Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code for a particular NAICS code.

You can always go back to the "New to the NAICS" main menu page by clicking the "Back" button.

SIC to NAICS Search

This function enables you to search the matched NAICS code for a particular SIC code.

You can always go back to the "New to the NAICS" main menu page by clicking the "Back" button.

Object Classification Code

Object class codes, prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), are used uniformly throughout the Government in submitting budget estimates and budget reports to OMB and Congress. The major object class codes are further broken down into sub-object class codes by agencies for accounting purposes, because appropriate codes are essential to Central Accounting Systems and must be entered for every financial transaction.

The major object class codes are a numeric code structure and are extended by adding two digits, numeric /alpha, to further identify groups of objects and specific objects. Sub-object class codes permit more detailed review or analysis of common or special interest classes of object and insure uniform reporting of certain data. Additional object and sub-object class codes may be added and used when needed by agencies, as appropriate.

Contracting and Purchasing Officials should ensure accuracy of object class codes assigned.

For more information, visit http://www-dw.cit.nih.gov/dw/datatown.htm, and to access the NIH Object Class Code search engine, visit http://www-dw.cit.nih.gov/scripts/objclass/occ.cfm.

What Is a Registrant?

A registrant is an organization that chooses to register itself in the e-PIC system to profile its products and services. The information provided by registrants can be accessed by "searchers," people who conduct searches on the e-PIC system to locate sources that can provide products and/or services. Profiles contain all the information a registrant inputs to the system, except sensitive information, including TIN(Tax Payer Identification number)/EIN (Employee Identification Number)/SSN (Social Security Number), number of employees, average annual sales, assets (for financial and insurance institutes), and total electric output (for utility firms). Registrants of the system will be responsible for updating their profiles and keeping information current and accurate.

How to Register / New Profile

To initiate profile registration in e-PIC, simply click the hyperlink "New Profile."

Once e-PIC is activated, data entry fields will have to be completed. e-PIC will prompt you to input your TIN/EIN/SSN, which will serve as your system User Identification (ID). The system prompts you to choose, enter, and confirm a password that will be stored and serve to access the system in the future. If you are a foreign company or organization that does not have a TIN/EIN/SSN, please contact the e-PIC system administrator by clicking the "e-PIC Administrator" at the bottom of the Web page.

To submit your password click the "Submit" button to begin profile data entry. Profiles are collected from data entry fields located throughout the e-PIC registration. Pages I through III are mandatory and contain many mandatory data fields; Pages IV through VIII are optional, but e-PIC strongly recommends you complete them to provide a more comprehensive profile of your organization. Help buttons located throughout the system contain information about data entry fields and input. Just simply click the for definition and help or the  hyperlinked phrases .

Navigating throughout the page can be accomplished by using the TAB key on your keyboard or pointing your mouse to a particular field. Page navigation can be accomplished by clicking the "Next" or "Previous" buttons. Mandatory information input on Pages I through III must be completed before you navigate to "Next" or "Previous."

Page navigation also can be accomplished by clicking the number sign, I, II, III, …and VIII on the large compass, "Page Navigator," located on the upper left corner of each registration page. The red pointer as well as the highlighted number sign indicates the page that is activated. The Page Navigator compass indicates that Pages I through III collect Mandatory Information and Pages IV through VIII collect Optional Information.

Again, please note that during the initial registration, it is necessary that you complete data entry input to the mandatory fields and pages before you click "Next" or "Previous."

Page I (Mandatory)

Page I prompts data input regarding your organization's name, address, organizational e-mail, Web site address, etc.

Page II (Mandatory)

Page II prompts for profile details about your organization, such as, Type of Organization, Type of Ownership, Type of Business, Size of Business, Small Business Administration PRO-Net ID and Year of Establishment. The Type of Ownership and Business fields can have multiple checks.

The "Size of Business" data entry filed provides an opportunity to self-certify size, i.e., "Small" if you are a small business or "Other" if you are not. The "Simple Search" function screens size by the self-certified information input into this data field.

Page III (Mandatory)

Page III prompts data entry of the number of employees in your organization, your average annual sales, assets (for financial and insurance institutes), and total electric output (for utility firms) in actual numbers. This information is screened by the "Smart Search" engine to determine correct size status by industry standards and thresholds. Next, you are prompted to enter the keywords which can best describe your organization's products and/or services. Finally, you are prompted to enter your NAICS codes.The e-PIC dictionary builds upon “key words” entered into the “key word” descriptive block by e-PIC registrants. The dictionary is available to assist e-PIC registrants craft useful terms to describe products, services and organizational capability and is available to “searchers” of the system to facilitate optimal selection and matching of organizational capability. Links are available to other information resources to assist in decision-making.

After completing Pages I through III, save and submit the information by clicking the "Submit" button. The e-PIC System will respond by e-mail confirming your registration with your User ID and Password. If you elect to continue registration, complete Pages IV to VIII.

Click on the "Next" button as you navigate or the submit button to update and save your data.

Pages IV to VIII (Optional)

Pages IV to VIII prompt for more profiling information about the organization. The information fields include: Project Summary, E-Commerce Capability, Contract Vehicles, Product/Service Promotional Information, Market Research Response, Facility Description, and Name of the Parent/Affiliates (if your organization is related to another company).

Completing profiles information from Pages IV through VIII is optional but is highly recommended because of the importance of business information.

After completing these pages and fields of information, click "Submit" to conclude the registration process. e-PIC system will confirm registration by e-mail.

Product / Service Promotional Information :

Market Research Response

e-PIC registrants  responding to specific market research surveys  may use this data field to confirm a positive response of availability, interest, and potential technical capability. Registrant's capability may be showcased through hyperlinks to tailored capability statement(s), maintained at the e-PIC registrant's Web site. Capability statements should be dated and very specifically respond to the technical, management, and product/service potential areas requested in the survey.

This profile data entry section prompts you to describe your facilities, which can be offices, labs, or any other resources that can be made available under contract performance. Information should include minimum of equipment, space, location, security, if appropriate, and any other information that will help prospective clients better understand your organization's capability.

Past Performance history

The Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 requires that Federal acquisition personnel evaluate a contractor’s performance as a selection criterion prior to making a new award (see Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 42.15), since a contractor’s past performance is recognized as a reliable predictor of future performance. Although subscribing Federal departments and agencies can evaluate a contractor’s performance on contracts less than $100,000, the FAR requires that all Federal contracts in excess of $100,000 be evaluated for a contractor’s performance relating to quality of product or service, timeliness of performance, cost control, business practices, and customer service (Department of Defense (DoD) and construction/A-E contracts have a higher threshold).

The National Institutes of Health Contractor Performance System (CPS) was developed to implement, efficiently and economically, a valuable Government program to evaluate contractor’s performance prior to making new awards. Currently the CPS is the only civilian Web-based contractor performance system in the Federal Government and has been embraced by other Federal departments/agencies in order to share information. The CPS promotes cooperation and partnership throughout the Federal Government and ensures that the most proficient contractors are selected to provide the Government’s goods and services.

Registrants should check appropriate box(s) to reflect completed past performance reviews. For more information on the NIH Contractor Performance System (CPS) visit http://cps.od.nih.org, for Department of Defence (DoD) visit http://www.acq.osd.mil, for NASA review http://server-mpo.arc.nasa.gov/PastPerf/PPHome.taf .

Contract Vehicles

"Contract Vehicles" are established contracts or agreements through which Federal agencies can purchase supplies and/or services. Such contract vehicles can provide Federal agencies a streamlined and convenient method of acquisition. Registrants should select all the data fields that reflect the organization's contract vehicles.

Blanket Purchase Agreement:  A Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) is a simplified purchasing method used to fill anticipated repetitive needs for supplies or services by establishing "charge accounts" with qualified vendors. The quantities and delivery requirements are not known in advance. This type of arrangement allows orders to be placed orally. BPAs are established at $0 dollars with no Government commitment and are only activated when orders are placed against them.

Federal Malls:   Federal Virtual Malls where vendors sell supplies or services.

NIH IntraMall:   The NIH IntraMall is an electronic catalogue and ordering system designed to purchase, track, and account for laboratory, office and computer supplies/equipment through use of Government purchase cards.

GSA Supply Schedule:  The GSA Schedule, or the Federal Supply Schedule Program, directed and managed by the General Services Administration (GSA), provides Federal agencies with a simplified process for obtaining commonly used commercial supplies and services at prices associated with volume buying. Indefinite delivery contracts (including requirements contracts) are established with commercial firms to provide supplies and services at stated prices for given periods of time. The GSA schedule contracting office issues publications, entitled Federal Supply Schedules, containing the information necessary for placing delivery orders with schedule contractors. Ordering offices issue delivery orders directly to the schedule contractors for the required supplies and services. For more information, please visit http://www.gsa.gov.

Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity: An Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract provides for an indefinite quantity, within stated limits, of supplies or services to be furnished during a fixed period, with delivery or performance to be scheduled by placing delivery or task orders with the contractor. Quantity limits may be expressed in terms of numbers of units or as dollar values.

Government Wide Agency Contracts (GWACs) and Multiple Agency Contracts (MACs) utilize delivery and task order contracting to obtain supplies and services to satisfy the needs of more than one Federal agency.

-GWACs are issued solely for the acquisition of information technology products and services. Authority for issuing GWACs is derived either through: (1) delegation of procurement authority by the General Services Administration prior to August 8, 1996, under the Brooks Act, 40 U.S.C. 759; or (2) designation as an executive agent to act as a servicing agency by the Office of Management and Budget pursuant to section 5112(e) of the Clinger-Cohen Act, 40 U.S.C. 1412(e).

-MACs can be used to acquire any type of service and supplies, including information technology. The servicing agency must have a need for the supplies or services that it will be procuring on behalf of requesting agencies. MACs may be issued under the authority of the Economy Act, unless more specific statutory authority exists.

NIH Stock Program : Offers thousands and thousands of stock items, such as laboratory, chemical and administrative items, at discounted prices to the NIH community through the agency's supply system. The supply system contains items through stockrooms as well as through virtual and walk-in self-service stores. For additional information about the NIH Stock Program, please visit http://silk.nih.gov/silk/olm/supply.index.html.

Other:   "Other Contract Vehicles:" If your organization offers other contract vehicles, please specify in this data field.

Mandatory Annual Update

Registrants must confirm profiling information annually to remain in the e-PIC system. Annual anniversary dates are calculated from the last entrance to the e-PIC system. Annual confirmation is accomplished by clicking the "Annual Update" button, after a registrant enters the User ID and password in the Update Profile mode. The e-PIC administrator will notify registrants by e-mail fifteen (15) days before registration expires.

Update Profile

Update profile information by clicking the hyperlink "Update Profile" after entering the TIN/EIN/SSN as well as your password for access to profile pages. Registrants are encouraged to maintain current and accurate profile information.

If you forget your password, simply click the link "Forgot Your Password ?" to reset your password. The system will prompt for your TIN/EIN/SSN, the year established, and the city that was entered previously.

Navigation of the Registration Form

Please see "Navigation of the Registration Form" in "How to Register/New Profile" for details.

Search

The search function enables viewing a particular registrant in the e-PIC system or a list of sources that provides products and services. Accessing a registrant's profile is accomplished by clicking the registrant's hyperlink. Profiles contain all the information a registrant inputs in the system, excluding sensitive information, i.e., TIN/EIN/SSN, number of employees, average annual sales, assets (for financial and insurance institutes), and total electric output (for utility firms). Two types of search engines are available: "Simple Search" and "Smart Search."

Simple Search

The Simple Search function conducts a search by selecting one or up to all of the following criteria:

· Registrant

· City

· State

· Size of Organization

· Type of Business

· Type of Ownership

· Keyword or Keyword Phrases.

When choosing the "Size of Organization" as one of the criteria, the system will search the database by the registrants' self-certification in the "Size of Business" field, i.e., "Small" if they are a small business or "Other" if they are not.

Keywords and/or Keyword phrases are separated by "and" or "or" triggering inclusive or optional selections. The e-PIC dictionary builds upon “key words” entered into the “key word” descriptive block by e-PIC registrants. The dictionary is available to assist e-PIC registrants craft useful terms to describe products, services and organizational capability and is available to “searchers” of the system to facilitate optimal selection and matching of organizational capability.

Some search fields read "None or Select" enabling the searcher to click the drop-down arrow to make a selection. Some search fields read "None or Select One or Multiple Items" enabling the searcher to click the drop-down arrow to make a single selection or to click multiple selections for access to a new window for lists. Consecutive selections can be made by depressing and holding the "Shift" key. Random selections can be made by depressing and holding the "Ctrl" key. When the searcher returns to the search screen, the data field will confirm multiple selections by returning to the default "None or Select One or Multiple Items."

Refine Search

If you have not selected all of the search criteria, to further enhance your search results, simply click the "Refine Search" hyperlink. "Refine Search" is available in both simple search and smart search functions. "Refine Search" can be found at both the top and bottom of the search result report and enables you to go back and select more criteria to the one(s) already selected, in order to enhance search result. To refine data fields with multiple selections, simply click "None or Select One or Multiple Items" to open the pop-up window to add or delete items.

Smart Search

The Smart Search function enables viewing of a particular registrant in the e-PIC system or a list of sources providing products and/or services. You can always access a registrant's complete profile by clicking the registrant's hyperlink. The profile contains all the information a registrant inputs in the system, excluding sensitive information, i.e., TIN/EIN/SSN, number of employees, average annual sales, assets (for financial and insurance institutes), and total electric output (for utility firms).

The smart search function conducts dynamic searches by selecting one or up to all of the following criteria:

· Registrant

· City

· State

· Type of Organization

· Size of Organization

· Type of Ownership

· Type of Business

· Keyword or Keyword Phrases

· Accept Government Purchase Card

· E-Commerce Capability

· Electronic Banking Capability

· Contract Vehicles, and

· NAICS Code

Some search fields read "None or Select" enabling the searcher to click the drop-down arrow to make a selection. Some search fields read "None or Select One or Multiple Items" enabling the searcher to click the drop-down arrow to make a single selection or to click multiple selections for access to a new window for lists. Consecutive selections can be made by depressing and holding the "Shift" key. Random selections can be made by depressing and holding down the "Ctrl" key. When the searcher returns to the search screen, the data field will confirm multiple selections by returning to the default "None or Select One or Multiple Items."

Again, The e-PIC dictionary builds upon “key words” entered into the “key word” descriptive block by e-PIC registrants. The dictionary is available to assist e-PIC registrants craft useful terms to describe products, services and organizational capability and is available to “searchers” of the system to facilitate optimal selection and matching of organizational capability.

NAICS Code Search

The NAICS Code search function searches the registration database to find the organizations that provide supplies and/or services under particular NAIC codes.

Based on Federal small business size thresholds as they relate to NAICS codes, the system will screen the size of business by information input by registrants in the "Number of Employees," the "Average Annual Sales," "Assets" (for financial and insurance institutes), or "Total Electric Output" (for utility firms) registration fields. The search report distinguishes if the selected organization is a small or is not a small business by showing "Small" or "Other" in the "Size Classification," or eliminates an organization if size is a search criterion and the organization is not an eligible match.

If you are not familiar with the NAICS codes or need more information, click "New to the NAICS" hyperlink.

	Log-in Problem or Further Assistance

For any other help, please contact the e-PIC Administrator, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Office (SBO), by clicking "e-PIC Administrator/Feedback Form" at the bottom of each Web page.

Feedback Form

Your feedback for the e-PIC system will be highly appreciated. To send your feedback, simply click "e-PIC Administrator/Feedback Form" at the bottom of each Web page.