Customers
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 (Fillable) [PDF - 883 KB] and E-mail to the NSSC Customer Service Liaison or Fax to 405-951-6057.
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.
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.
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 NSSC 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.
