GSA has confirmed with DC and
Purchase cardholders are not required to fill out any
particular form to seek the tax exemption; however, the cardholder must be
able prove to the retailer’s satisfaction that the purchase is being made for
the government (NIH) and not for the individual. The government purchase
card does have “US Government/Tax exempt” imprinted on the card so this
should be sufficient for the retailer. If the vendor refuses and charges
a tax, the cardholder can pay the tax but MUST document the file what occurred
and should choose a different vendor in the future.
In keeping with NIH’s sustainability practices, however,
cardholders are encouraged to bring reusable bags when possible and reduce the
use of disposable bags when making purchases.
If you have any questions regarding the above, please
contact the Purchase Card Help Desk at (301) 435-6606 or send an email to Help,
CreditCard or Creditcard@od.nih.gov.
Thank you.