Shipping User Samples, Materials & Equipment

Incoming Shipments

If there are any special handling instructions for your shipment (e.g. refrigeration), prominently indicate this on the outside of your shipping container.

To help expedite your shipments to SLAC, contact the Duty Operator (650) 926-4040) with the name of the carrier and the way/air bill tracking number on the day you ship out your material(s). If your shipment requires any special handling (e.g. refrigeration), please alert the DO in advance.

Express packages are generally delivered to the SLAC Receiving Department at 10:00 AM Monday - Friday (excluding holidays). The normal delivery schedule to SSRL is at ~11:00 am. Packages will be delivered to the Shipping & Receiving Area next to rooms 103/104 and can be picked up there (or by contacting the DO).

Due to a lack of storage space, we request that your equipment and/or materials arrive no more than one week before you do. Please understand that under the terms of the Use Agreement, SSRL does not assume any liability for your equipment or materials. COD packages cannot be accepted.

To facilitate a time sensitive delivery or after regular business hours delivery, contact SLAC Security (Simon Ovrahim) to inform them. The package may be accepted at SLAC's main gate and the requester will be notified to pick up the item (bring your SLAC ID to pick up your item).

Users also have option of having their package held for pick up at FedEx/UPS.

Shipping Crystallography Dewars to SSRL

Users shipping dewars to SSRL for use on macromolecular crystallography beam lines may use the Shipping Dewars to SSRL Form on the SMB User Shipments page.

Hazardous Materials Shipments

  • Users should consult with a materials specialist at their home institution for instructions regarding the proper shipping and handling of hazardous materials. All hazardous materials, including radioactive materials, shipped to or from SSRL must be packaged and handled according to U.S. Department of Transportation regulations, or IATA dangerous good regulations (as applicable) if being shipped from overseas. Shipments that fail to comply with these federally mandated regulations will be returned to the user's home institution unopened.
    More Information and forms regarding transportation and handling of radioactive samples at SSRL can be found on our safety page.
  • Requestor must supply an SDS for all hazardous materials in shipment.

Getting Shipments through U.S. Customs.

International shipments can involve duty or taxes on items shipped. For international shipments, users are encouraged to work with TIGERS (USA) GLOBAL LOGISTICS and to prepare a carnet. We encourage users to retain a copy of their carnet and ensure that all shipping documents are accurate and consistent.

Outgoing Shipments

Shipping Crystallography Dewars from SSRL

Users shipping dewars from SSRL macromolecular crystallography beam lines should follow the steps outlined on the Shipping Dewars from SMB Beamlines page.

Shipping Arrangements for Non-Macromolecular Crystallography Beam Lines

To arrange to have your equipment returned to your home institution please contact Tina Gee in the SSRL Safety Office.

Please complete one of the following forms for shipping materials back to your home institution:

These forms are available in the Building 120 lobby area and next to Room 103 by the Shipping & Receiving area. Federal Express and UPS are the most commonly used carriers providing shipping services to/from SLAC. Users are expected to assume full responsibility for the accuracy and cost of these shipments. Acceptable methods of payment include:

  • User Institution Carrier Account (preferred)
  • SSRL rarely requires or encourages users to establish a User Financial Accounts; however, if users desire to purchase of specialty supplies or services to support user experiments, they may establish a User Financial Account which may also be used when sending samples/equipment back to user institutions. A User Account Form along with a Purchase Order from the users' institution must be completed to open or renew an account. An account number will be assigned by the SSRL Business Office after receipt of this information.

International Shipments

At the end of your experiment, if you plan to ship samples, equipment or other scientific items from SLAC back to your international institution or to another location outside of the U.S., review below instructions and complete a Power of Attorney form for the individual or group that is responsible for and will receive the shipment.

Power Of Attorney

Note: Once the Power of Attorney has been signed it will remain in effect until revoked by user or SLAC. We recommend that the Spokesperson/PI for a group signs the power of attorney and designates a representative (lead contact) who will coordinate your shipment

Please retain a copy of the Carnet and provide a copy of this or other shipping documents (e.g., shipping manifest, pro-forma invoice, etc.) to the SLAC representative assisting you.

For each item that users will ship to or from SLAC, it is essential that complete and detailed descriptions (including the manufacturer and url for product details when applicable) as well as the actual values of each item be included -- and be consistent -- on all shipping documents.

Terms and Conditions

By providing this information, you are certifying your concurrence with these Terms and Conditions.

  • The user certifies that information resulting from use of SLAC User facilities will not be used to support, directly or indirectly, the design, development, production, stockpiling or use of a nuclear explosive device, chemical or biological weapons, or missiles;
  • The user understands that SLAC will only return materials, samples and other items used in the conduct of SLAC User research - individuals will be responsible for the return of all other items;
  • The user assumes responsibility for the handling and use of any proprietary export controlled items or technical data brought to or generated at SLAC while those items or technical data are on SLAC premises;
  • The user understands that SLAC is only serving as the international user's agent in the return of research materials to a location outside of the US and that return shipment is a "routed export transaction" for the purposes of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Under a routed export transaction, the exporter (SLAC) obtains a written authorization from the "foreign principal party in interest" (the international user) usually in the form of a Power of Attorney (Individual / Group) whereby the international user assumes responsibility for determining (with the help of SLAC/Stanford) licensing requirements and obtaining an export license if necessary.