Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource

SSRL began a pilot program in 2017 to absorb the cost for commonly used gases, liquid helium and chemicals for SSRL user experiments. Although a separate user financial account may generally no longer be necessary, unusual requests or items that exceed a threshold will trigger the need for a user financial account.

Do you need a User Financial Account?

Advance payment of the full cost recovery rate for proprietary users requires a user financial account.

Users who need special supplies or services (including Stanford/SLAC shops or service centers) should establish a user financial account.

To send samples or other equipment between SLAC and your institution, use your institution's shipping account (otherwise, establish a user financial account to cover your shipping costs).

How do you establish or renew a User Financial Account?

The most common method of establishing or renewing a user financial account is by providing a purchase order (PO) (or a letter from the financial officer of the user institution). The PO must be made to SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory for the amount of expenditures desired to support user experiments. The PO must include the following information:

• Name of Institution
• Name of Proposal Spokesperson/PI
• Name of authorized users and institutions
• Contact name and billing address for invoices
• Amount authorized ($2,000 suggested minimum; contact staff if estimates needed for supplies or services)(Proprietary users must provide advance payment for their estimated beam time during the run year.)
• Period covered, including expiration date
• Funding agency, grant/contract number, and whether expenditures are taxable in California

Terms and Conditions should not be included (if Terms and Conditions are preprinted on the form, they should be disclaimed).

If an SSRL user financial account is needed, send the completed User Financial Account Form and purchase order to the SSRL Business Office:

Additional Charges

• Sales Tax: California sales and use tax of 9.0% will apply to the price of all materials purchased and delivered in the state of California.**If not taxable and not DOE M&O, provide documentation indicating this status. Tax exemptions awarded under IRS rulings are not accepted by the California Board of Equalization; Sales tax exemptions awarded under individual state rulings apply only to the state making the ruling. The State of California does not recognize or extend reciprocity of tax-exempt status to other states. The only provision which will establish tax-exempt status under California ruling is that the title of property purchased for use in California vests with the United States government.
• SLAC Overhead:  Additional charges apply for materials, supplies and services procured by users through a SLAC user financial account. Materials, supplies ~9.765% (if using SLAC’s e-procurement the rate is ~4.725%) SLAC Labor ~56%
• Other Miscellaneous Charges: Safeguard & Security Charge ~1.5% charged to all non-DOE projects/facilities, Federal Administrative Charge ~3% charged to all foreign and domestic entities (excluding domestic non-profits or educational institutions)

Invoices

Invoices will be submitted to the user institution on a monthly basis for costs incurred by the user group to support their experiments at SLAC’s user facilities. Payments should reference the invoice and user account numbers. Send to SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Accounts Receivable, MS 09, 2575 Sand Hill Rd, Menlo Park, CA 94025 USA.