Purchasing and Billing
All orders for NIA rodents are placed through NIA only. Orders must be submitted by fax (301-402-5997) or e-mail (rodents@nia.nih.gov), and all inquiries about the order status must be directed to NIA. The purchase order (P.O.) should be made out to the contract facility and NIA (e.g., Harlan Sprague Dawley/NIA). Invoices are sent by the contractor providing the animals, and payment is sent to the contractor's standard billing address.
Billing Address
135 South LaSalle Street
Department 3565
Chicago, IL 60674-3565
NIA does not invoice for the animals. "NIA" may not appear on the invoice; both names should appear together on the P.O. for prompt payment. Acceptance of the delivery acknowledges these terms are understood. NIA reserves the right to refuse orders from customers with outstanding invoices. Payment is accepted in U.S. currency only.
NIA Order Form
Orders must be placed using the NIA Order Form and can be submitted via fax or e-mail. All information requested on the order form must be provided. Include the NIH grant number if applicable, and note if the order is part of a pilot study or dissertation research support award. Orders may be submitted for future shipping, but animals only will be reserved if the order is complete, including the P.O. number and desired delivery date(s) or age(s). Type or print clearly; illegible orders will be returned.
Order Acknowledgement
Acknowledgements of orders will be sent via fax or e-mail to the contact person for review. If an acknowledgement is not received within 2 business days, contact the Order Desk. Contact the Order Desk immediately if there is an error in the delivery. The investigator/purchaser will be responsible for incorrectly placed orders that are not corrected through this process. The contact person will be called if there is any difficulty filling the order.
Delivery
Complete orders received by NIA no later than noon Tuesday Eastern Time typically can expect next-week delivery, depending on availability.
December/January Orders
Orders for mid-December/early January delivery should be placed in early December. The Office of Biological Resources and Resource Development (OBRRD) is closed from Christmas Eve through New Year's Day. No deliveries will be scheduled during the weeks of Christmas and New Year's Day.
Animal Age
Animals are sold by age, not weight, and ages are stated in 1-month intervals only. All animals born within a calendar month are considered to be the same age. The date of birth is given as "month/year." Unless retired breeders are requested when ordering F344 males, virgin animals will be sent.
Veterans Affairs (VA) Customers
VA customers who bill to a VA must be approved every fiscal year by the Office of the Veterans Affairs Chief Veterinary Medical Branch before animals can be purchased. These approvals must be renewed each year.
Helicobacter-Free Barriers
Some of the barriers housing NIA colonies are positive for Helicobacter. If the facility requires Helicobacter-free animals, this must be requested when the order is submitted.
Note: The NIA Office of Biological Resources and Resource Development must be notified (within 48 hours of arrival) of any problems regarding the order.
