FABRICATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
Sections
14.04.04 Delegation of Authority
14.04.05 Fabrication Technology Facilities
14.04.06 Charges for Fabrication Technology Division Services
Appendix A - Requesting Fabrication Technology Services
Appendix B - Obtaining Outside Contractor
Fabrication Services
14.04.01
PURPOSE
This subchapter prescribes the procedures for requesting work from
the Fabrication Technology Division (FTD).
14.04.02
SCOPE
This subchapter applies to Fabrication Technology services at Gaithersburg.
For services at Boulder, contact the Technical Services Division.
14.04.03
POLICY
It is NIST policy to provide facilities and expertise to be utilized
by all technical staff for the design, fabrication, modification, and repair
of equipment needed for experimental, research, and developmental work,
and to oversee the outside contracting of such services as required in
special circumstances. (References: Subchapter 2.03, Appendix C, and Section
14.04.05 and Appendix B of this Subchapter.)
14.04.04
DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
Division chiefs or their designated representatives are authorized
to approve Form NIST-461, Interdivision Work Order (IDWO), for services
to be performed by the Fabrication Technology Division.
14.04.05
FABRICATION TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES
The services provided by the Fabrication Technology Division include:
Engineering Design, Scientific Instrument Fabrication, Numerically Controlled
Machining, Electrical Discharge Machining, Welding, Sheet Metal Fabrication,
Micro Fabrication, Grinding, Optical Fabrication, Glassblowing, Precision
Measuring, Tool Crib, and Metal Storeroom.
Dimensional Inspection - A 3-axis coordinate measuring machine
is located within the Fabrication Technology Division. The use of this
machine for precision measurements is offered by FTD to all NIST organizational
units. It is interfaced with a minicomputer and is very versatile and efficient
in making routine as well as exceptional measurements with an accuracy
of 0.01 mm with operational capacity of 812 mm x 660 mm x 406 mm. An inspection
report is automatically printed. The use of this machine is available for
measurements other than work done by FTD and may be requested on an IDWO.
Contact Shops - In addition to the facilities in Building 304,
the Fabrication Technology Division maintains several contact shops throughout
the NIST-Gaithersburg site.
Tool Crib stocks expendable items needed regularly by FTD staff to fabricate, modify, and repair scientific instrumentation. These items are charged to the customer's IDWO for the job if their cost can be equitably identified with the specific job; otherwise these are charged to support.
Metal Storeroom maintains a stock of metals, plastics, composite
materials, and some glass which are needed by FTD staff in the fabrication,
modification, and repair of scientific instrumentation. The material is
charged to the customer's IDWO. Issues of materials from the Metal Storeroom
are available to all NIST staff with an approved Form NIST-293, Storeroom
Requisition.
Contractor Services - The Fabrication Technology Division regularly
arranges for contracts with local vendors for fabrication services when
necessary to relieve a backlog, obtain services it does not provide, or
when it is otherwise advantageous to the customer (see Appendix B). This
service is available in the same manner as fabrication technology services.
An IDWO with the appropriate instructions, specifications, or drawings
is submitted to FTD. Estimates are obtained and, with the review and concurrence
of the customer, an order is placed with the acceptable low bidder.
14.04.06
CHARGES FOR FABRICATION TECHNOLOGY DIVISION SERVICES
a. Costs Covered by IDWO - Funding authorized by an IDWO is
used to pay for direct labor, personnel benefits, overhead, and material
cost. The direct labor rate includes the leave, personnel benefits, and
NIST overhead. Material costs include cost of contracts with outside vendors,
commercially available material and hardware, and material from the tool
crib and storerooms. When a job requiring materials must be completed prior
to the end of the fiscal year, the IDWO must be received by FTD in time
to initiate Form CD-435, Procurement Request, within the time schedule
published by the Acquisition and Assistance Division.
b. Estimates for FTD Work - Estimates for work to be done by
the Fabrication Technology Division are requested on an IDWO marked as
"Estimate Requested." Submit the IDWO to Support Activities (FTD) with
all relevant drawings and other specifications. There is no charge for
providing an estimate. Work begins only after FTD has received the authorizing
IDWO from the customer.
c. Method of Charging - When an IDWO is accepted by the FTD,
the indicated cost center is charged an amount equal to the authorization.
The cost is identified by miscellaneous document 000907, object class code
60.2, and the IDWO as the requisition number on the Other Objects Journal
issued by the Office of the Comptroller.
(1) Time and Materials - Orders for work are normally done on
a time and materials basis. The IDWO describes the work to be performed,
and only this work is charged to the allocated funds. As the work
proceeds and the task becomes better defined, it may be necessary to add
more funds to the IDWO. FTD notifies the customer as soon as it is evident
that additional funds are required and, within the limitations of the information
available, stops work before authorized funds are exceeded.
When an IDWO is closed out at the completion of the work, the ordering
cost center is credited or debited according to the actual cost of the
work. The adjustment is identified by miscellaneous document 000907, object
class code 60.3, and the IDWO as the requisition number on the Other Objects
Journal issued by the Office of the Comptroller.
(2) Open or miscellaneous - These IDWO's are kept open in FTD
for miscellaneous work or work to be defined in the future. The IDWO does
not
describe specific work to be performed and bears the notation, under specifications,
"Miscellaneous jobs." The authorized amount is charged to the ordering
cost center in a lump sum at the time the IDWO is received by FTD. Actual
labor and materials costs of miscellaneous jobs are applied against this
open IDWO until the authorized amount is exhausted. No work is performed
in
excess of the amount authorized. If additional funds are required to
complete a miscellaneous job or additional miscellaneous jobs are necessary,
a change IDWO may be submitted. The IDWO may be closed out at any time
at the discretion of the customer. The Office of the Comptroller is notified,
and remaining funds are returned to the customer's cost center.
d. FTD IDWO Status Report - At the end of each pay period, the
Fabrication Technology Division provides each division with a status report
of labor, overhead, and material charges to their IDWO. This reports the
financial status of time and materials and miscellaneous IDWO's only. If
the financial status of any IDWO is required more frequently, they may
be requested from the Fabrication Technology Division.
e. Interdivision Work Orders Prepared by FTD - If FTD must obtain the services of another division to complete a job funded by an IDWO to FTD, an IDWO is given to that division by FTD and the costs are charged to the funds transferred to FTD by the original IDWO.
f. IDWO's Reversed at the End of the Fiscal Year - On September
30th, the FTD credits any IDWO unused balances back to the sponsoring cost
center. On October 1, the Office of the Comptroller debits these same amounts
against the sponsoring cost centers without the formal submission of a
new IDWO. This procedure is followed only for IDWO's that FTD certifies
as meeting the following conditions:
(1) The original IDWO was for a defined product or service; or
(2) The work was not completed because of FTD internal backlogs, scheduling
problems, or other circumstances beyond the customer's control.
This procedure enables FTD to have an immediate authorization against
which work can continue, eliminating downtime and the necessity for the
customers to write new IDWO's for continuing work.
This procedure is not applicable to IDWO's charged to overhead,
depreciable equipment, and expense and income cost centers. For these sources
of funding, FTD needs a new IDWO to continue work in the new fiscal year.