If you intend to provide expert or outside vendor services for a case, please discuss the terms with our case staff member to establish details of the services needed. Before services begin, the Administrative Officer will contact the provider and present the contract outlining the terms and conditions negotiated. This Office is prohibited from paying for any item or service that has not yet been received.

NEW VENDORS/EXPERTS

In order to establish payment or to update banking information, all vendors must complete an AO 213 Vendor Information and Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) Certification form
You must sign and return an electronic copy via email to Nashalis_Ayala@fd.org.

TYPE OF CONTRACT

Your contract may be established as a fixed or an hourly rate and completed work must be invoiced in this manner. Services must be completed within one year of establishing the contract.

NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT/ SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING

This Office will not pay invoices that are greater than the "Not to Exceed" amount in the contract.  The “Not to Exceed” amount is a maximum amount and we ask experts and vendors to bill frequently and take fiscally responsible measures. If services can be completed without spending the maximum, please do so.  
If additional services are requested by the office, the contract amount can be increased through supplemental funding, upon approval. The Administrative Officer and case contact must be alerted with at least 30 days notice.

SERVICE-RELATED TRAVEL

In some cases, travel is necessary to perform the office’s requested expert services.  Travel must be explicitly authorized in a contract for any reimbursement of travel expenses.  If an expert intends to seek travel reimbursement, then travel expenses must be part of the contract.  Please review the following list of guidelines before you travel or bill for travel directly related to services within a contract:
Travel reimbursement costs are included in the “Not to Exceed” amount in the contract, and the office is not obligated to pay any amount in excess of the “Not to Exceed” ceiling stated in the contract.
Lodging, transportation, and food are not covered, under any circumstance, unless there is prior approval and explicit approval within the contact.
Food items cannot be reimbursed unless there is an authorized overnight stay needed to complete your requested work. We do not reimburse for entertainment or alcoholic beverages.
Reimbursement is for costs incurred, capped at the government rate, and receipts must be attached for all travel related items with your invoice, no full per diem rate reimbursements will be made.