International Reagent Resources

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Table of Contents

Influenza Surveillance FAQs

1. Will US laboratories be required to re-extract RNA to subtype samples that are determined to be influenza A positive by the Flu SC2 Multiplex Assay?

Poxvirus FAQs

2. What supplies are being distributed by IRR for poxvirus testing?

General IRR FAQs

3. Do you need to be funded by CDC to obtain IRR materials?
4. How do I register with IRR?
5. What is the relationship between IRR and ATCC?
6. Who establishes the requirements for access and use of IRR materials? 
7. Who decides which reagents will be distributed by IRR?
8. When is my order shipping?
9. What email communications will I receive from IRR regarding pending orders? 
10. If I need to modify my order, should I reorder?
11. Why was my order quantity reduced or canceled?
12. Where do I find specific information about an item (e.g., product availability, expiration date extension and related documentation, and other important information) and how can I receive updates?
13. Why is [this item] out of stock? When can I order this? 
14. Why do I have multiple sales order numbers for my order?
15. How can I facilitate the acceptance of my permit when received by IRR? 
16. Does it cost anything to receivereagents from IRR?
17. What is the international shipping process and what can I do to receive my shipment efficiently?
18. Why does IRR use a 10-digit HS code to export my international shipment?
19. What are IRR's terms and conditions?
20. Can another lab order on my behalf?
21. Can someone else use my account to order on my behalf?

Influenza Surveillance FAQs

1.  Will US laboratories be required to re-extract RNA to subtype samples that are determined to be influenza A positive by the Flu SC2 Multiplex Assay? 

If laboratories are using an extraction method that is also cleared for use with CDC’s Human Influenza Virus Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panels (IVD), then they do NOT need to re-extract RNA from COVID-19 samples for subtyping.

For extraction chemistries that are not cleared for use with CDC’s Human Influenza Virus Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panels (IVD), laboratories are encouraged to use the Flu SC2 Multiplex Assay for diagnosis to meet CLIA requirements. They can then proceed under research use only (RUO) conditions, with influenza A subtyping and influenza B lineage typing assays for surveillance purposes only, so that re-extraction of the sample is not required.

Poxvirus FAQs

2.  What supplies are being distributed by IRR for poxvirus testing?

IRR provides some PCR kits and ancillary reagents for poxvirus testing to US- and non-US laboratories. You can request information on products and access by contacting poxviruslab@cdc.gov.

IRR also provides non-US laboratories with the following reagents. LRN laboratories interested in these kits should reach out to the LRN@cdc.gov.

General IRR FAQs

3.  Do you need to be funded by CDC to obtain IRR materials?

No, eligible recipients do not need to be funded by CDC.

4.  How do I register with IRR?

For individuals to register with IRR, 1) their institution must have a signed User Agreement (UA) with ATCC and 2) the individual must submit the registration paperwork, which includes: an acknowledgement of the UA, an application, and a BSL checklist (for BSL 2 or greater). Registrations, logins, and passwords are tied to the individual registrant. Organizations can have multiple registered users, and IRR recommends having at least two per institution.

You can find information about registration, forms, and eligibility under IRR’s Register tab. If you are a current registrant, and need access to additional material, please contact a customer service representative at Contact Us.

5.  What is the relationship between IRR and ATCC?

CDC awarded a contract for establishing a reagent repository to ATCC in February 2019. As a contractor for CDC, ATCC is responsible for production and distribution of reagents defined within their contract’s statement of work.

6.  Who establishes the requirements for access and use of IRR materials?

Policies and practices mandated for access and use of IRR materials are set by CDC.

7.  Who decides which reagents will be distributed by IRR?

The reagents provided by IRR are received and prepared in response to the needs of the scientific community as determined by researchers at CDC and other HHS agencies. IRR actively solicits recommendations from researchers for materials to acquire and/or produce.

8.  When is my order shipping?

Shipping turnaround varies by the destination country. Domestic US orders typically ship within 2-3 business days from order approval.

Non-US shipments may take longer depending on the destination country’s import process, flight availability, and other restrictions. Service disruptions due to flight cancelations, diminished operational and transport capacity, lock-downs, and embargos can cause significant delays. We are constantly evaluating courier services and regulation changes to determine the most efficient way to ship. See the FAQ below for more information on the international shipping process.

9.  What email communications will I receive from IRR regarding pending orders?

Laboratories will receive the following email updates after submitting orders:

• Order received: This email acknowledges receipt of order before orders are confirmed or approved.
• Order confirmed: This email informs the laboratory of items that are approved, reduced or cancelled.
• Order shipped: This email indicates when items have shipped, and may contain FedEx tracking numbers if available.

10.  If I need to modify my order, should I reorder?

If you have already submitted an order but it has not shipped, please do not resubmit the order if you need to modify it. Instead, send an email to IRR Customer Service at Contact Us to request a modification to your existing order.

Orders that have already shipped cannot be modified.

11.  Why was my order quantity reduced or canceled?

CDC may reduce or cancel some of the quantities ordered if CDC has limited inventory or if a lab has reached the limit for an item ordered (limits reset on Sept 1). Order modifications are made to ensure equitable distribution of to all IRR supported labs. If you have extenuating circumstances or feel that you have been denied in error, please visit IRR’s Contact Us page and let us know. Be sure to include a justification in the order comments of your shopping cart if you are requesting more than what you typically order.  Your reply will be shared with the appropriate CDC POCs and taken into consideration. IRR staff will continue to work diligently to secure additional inventory and fulfill as many requests as possible.

12.  Where do I find specific information about an item (e.g., product availability, expiration date extension and related documentation, and other important information) and how can I receive updates?

Visit the item's product page to view important banners and download associated documentation. To receive automatic email updates for a specific product, select the bell icon from within the catalog or “Product Notification Request” from the item’s product page. After clicking “Notify Me” from the pop-up, you will receive a confirmation email. You will also receive additional emails with each important product update.

13.  Why is [this item] out of stock? When can I order this?

IRR will update the status to “Temporarily Out of Stock” when inventory is unavailable. If you want to know when an item will be back in stock, you can select the bell icon from within the catalog or “Product Notification Request” from the item’s product page. You will receive a confirmation email after clicking “Notify Me” from the pop-up. You will receive another email when the item is back in stock, letting you know it is available to order. Note: If you would like to include this item as part of a larger shipment, please wait until this item is available to place your order.

14.  Why do I have multiple sales order numbers for my order?

Once your order is reviewed and approved, you will receive a confirmation email with your sales order number(s). You may receive multiple sales order numbers for your items if one or more items have a status of “Item Ships Separately” or depending on their catalog number prefixes (i.e., FR, GR). The prefixes relate to which CDC program or activity has contributed financial support for these items and are necessary to track ongoing support. Separating orders also avoids program-specific shipping delays potentially affecting large or mixed program orders that may require multiple program approvals. IRR will ship items together when possible; however, separating sales order numbers ensures that orders are shipped as efficiently as possible.

15.  How can I facilitate the acceptance of my permit when received by IRR?

When applying for permits and forms, please:

• Do NOT reference IRR or ATCC Catalog Numbers in the Material Description fields found on the permits and/or forms.
• Make sure your name and address on the permit applications and/or forms are exactly as they appear on your IRR account ship-to address.
• Shipper Name must include International Reagent Resource (ATCC)

16.  Does it cost anything to receive reagents from IRR?

IRR ships all reagents at no cost to the laboratory. However, the laboratory is responsible for the nominal fee associated with customs.

17.  What is the international shipping process and what can I do to receive my shipment efficiently?

Once you have placed your order, ATCC will coordinate the shipment on behalf of CDC/IRR. You must respond to emails from contact@internationalreagentresource.org to schedule the shipment.

Step 1: SHIPMENT NOTIFICATION
To initiate the shipment, you will need to provide the following information: 1) The international customs airport closest to your shipping address and (if applicable) provide your intermediate consignee 2) The status of any import permits required by your government 3) Confirmation that you agree to the terms and conditions of the shipment.

Step 2: IMPORT DOCUMENTS
Documentation requirements for import vary by country and occasionally between shipments. You will need to check with your government to identify all import permits required for your order. Sharing information with IRR about your document needs, potential obstacles, and anticipated timeline will enable IRR to better assist you.

Common document requests include: certificates of analysis, donation letters, commercial invoices, packing slips, a copy of the airway bill, certificate of quality, and certificate of origin.

Some adjustments to invoice format may also be possible upon request. However, IRR cannot disguise or remove the name of the intended recipient or destination laboratory.

Step 3: SCHEDULE SHIPMENT
IRR will work with you and couriers to coordinate the shipment. Once the shipment has been scheduled, the freight forwarder will provide you with flight details and notifications for FedEx shipments will be sent from nonreply@atcc.org. You will be required to pick up the shipment from the international customs airport that you provided during the shipment initiation.  To avoid the shipment getting detained at the airport, check with customs to ensure you have all the required paperwork to receive your shipment. If you experience difficulties clearing the shipment, please arrange for the shipment to be placed in cold storage. IRR is not responsible for the order clearing your customs process.

Step 4: RECEIPT CONFIRMATION
Once you have received the shipment, you will need to confirm that the shipment was picked up from customs and received in good condition. This confirmation is very important for troubleshooting delays and reporting damaged goods. Failure to confirm receipt of the shipment could delay IRR’s ability to provide your lab with reagents in the future.

18.  Why does IRR use a 10-digit HS code to export my international shipment? 

In accordance with US federal law, IRR uses a 10 digit Schedule B number to classify products for export. The first 6 digits of the 10 digit US code are the HS code. The US, like many other countries, uses additional digits for country-specific categorizations. For example, US Schedule B number 3800.10.2020 corresponds to HS code 3800.10. IRR can review suspect numbers upon request to determine if there is an error, but cannot change the numbers to fit requests for import on a case by case basis. The Harmonized System (HS) Codes used by IRR are administrated by the World Customers Organization and administered by the U.S. Census Bureau’s Foreign Trade Division. For more information regarding the US HS code, visit the Internal Trade Administration website on HS codes.

19.  What are IRR's terms and conditions? 

DUTIES AND TAXES – Your organization is responsible for the Duties and Taxes associated with the shipment.  

IMPORT PERMITS – Your organization is responsible for checking with your government to identify all import permits required for your order. You will need to send the required permits to IRR at contact@internationalreagentresource.org or fax (703-334-2945). Use the “SO” reference number when applying for import permits (this number is used on all shipping documents). Contact IRR for assistance obtaining your import permits. 

SHIPMENT PICKUP –Airport pickup is required for your orders, unless you have been approved for delivery directly to your door. You will be responsible for tracking your shipment from the IRR. The freight forwarder will provide you with flight details once the order has been booked for shipment. Notifications for FedEx shipments will be sent from International Reagent Resource nonreply@atcc.org. Your organization will be responsible for the order clearing customs. Contact customs to ensure you have all the necessary and correct paperwork to receive the shipment. You must confirm the shipment receipt with IRR.

20.  Can another lab order on my behalf? 

No, but labs can request to use an intermediate consignee or “broker” which is a 3rd party that receives and clears goods on behalf of a lab to ensure that the shipment reaches its final destination. Most labs do not need an intermediate. However, if you are concerned that your shipment might encounter issues clearing customs, you can request an intermediate by noting it in the Order Comments of the shopping cart. Ensure you include the name, contact info, and address of the individual who will receive the shipment.

21.  Can someone else use my account on my behalf? 

To keep your account secure, we want to remind you that your email and login information are specific to you as the IRR registrant, not your laboratory. IRR username and password should not be shared with others. Further, per the User Agreement, only IRR registrants are authorized to log in to the IRR website, place orders, and receive IRR products. Organizations can have multiple registered users, and IRR recommends having at least two per institution.