DEBT COLLECTION IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1996 POC: Customer Service, Commercial Accounts on (301) 496-6088, NIH, OPM, AB-B, EPS, Rm 819, 6120 Executive Blvd., MSC 7260 Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7260. The National Institutes of Health is notifying its contractors and others of the requirements of the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996. This Act directs Government departments and agencies to make all Federal payments to recipients by electronic funds transfer (EFT) (except Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax refunds). This requirement applies to all payments made against new contracts, contract modifications, purchase orders, and records of call referencing existing government contracts for supplies and services. These commitments are defined in the Federal Acquisition Regulations 2.101. Vendors must designate a financial institution to which payments should be made. Vendors must provide to NIH the Automated Clearing House information as contained in the Standard Form 3881. If you have not already provided this information or are already receiving EFT payments from NIH you are not required to provide this information again. For further information please call Customer Service, Commercial Accounts on (301) 496-6088.

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