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Shipping and Receiving

Contacts

ALS Shipping & Receiving (small packages)
Building 7
M-F, 7:30am–4:30pm
510-486-4494

LBNL Shipping & Receiving (large packages requiring a forklift)
Building 69
M-F, 7:00am–3:30pm
510-486-4035; 510-486-5668 (fax)

Transport Policy: Getting Your Samples and Equipment to and from the ALS

All Lab personnel, including ALS staff and users, must follow the procedures detailed below for packing, labeling, and sending shipments to or from the ALS. These shipping procedures are required for:

  • all materials and equipment brought to the ALS;
  • items that are being returned for repairs or refunds to manufacturers or vendors;
  • and any item borrowed from, or being lent to, another institution.

All items transported to or from Berkeley Lab must be:

  • received or sent through ALS or LBNL Shipping and Receiving;
  • shipped during regular business hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30am–4:30pm;
  • intended for Lab-related use only, (i.e., no personal items);
  • accompanied by proper and complete documentation.*

*Shipping or receiving items that have been borrowed from, or lent to, other institutions require additional Lab-specific documentation that must be filled out before the items are handled by shipping personnel.

Shipping to the ALS

Please contact ALS logistics about any shipments that will arrive before or during your stay, and advise of any special handling instructions. If you intend to ship hazardous materials, storage and shipment may require advance planning. All non-hazardous shipments to the ALS should be labeled as shown below.

  • ALS Group Name
  • User’s name
  • Attn: Sr. Materials Specialist
  • Berkeley Lab
  • Mailstop 7-100
  • 1 Cyclotron Road
  • Berkeley, CA 94720
Packing Instructions

It is recommended that, whenever possible, materials be shipped in collapsible cardboard boxes with Styrofoam and cellulose “peanuts” (these can be reused when you leave). It is also recommended that you include a packing slip inside the package with your name and the appropriate ALS address in case of lost or damaged shipments.

U.S. Customs

For equipment arriving through U.S. Customs, users are advised to contact in advance the Berkeley Lab Receiving Office and provide the name of the carrier and the Air Bill Number of any incoming shipments. Additional information that can assist the Berkeley Lab customs broker to expedite delivery of equipment purchased outside the U.S. is a Lab purchase order number and notification of whether or not duty must be paid.

Users shipping scientific equipment from outside the U.S. that requires a temporary import bond (TIB) should contact Sarah Jimenez at Aeronet Worldwide (tel: 650-259-2155; fax: 650-259-2150) to arrange both shipment and customs paperwork for equipment destined for the ALS.

Receiving Shipments

All packages addressed to Mailstop 7-100 will be delivered to the receiving area of Building 7, which is adjacent to the storage area for user equipment. ALS Receiving will notify users when their shipments arrive and coordinate delivery.

For information about receiving gas shipments, see the information on Purchase, Delivery, and Storage of Gases.

Express Deliveries

Users who are expecting to receive an express delivery package can ensure more timely delivery by utilizing ALS Receiving. Express couriers deliver directly to the Berkeley Lab Shipping and Receiving Department, but once there, packages have to wait their turn for delivery by truck to the proper laboratory building. If notified, ALS Receiving can help prevent this delay. Users who know an express package is on its way to them should contact ALS Receiving Manager Gary Giangrasso at 510-486-7638 with the name of the courier company and the name of the sender.

Large Items Requiring a Forklift

The ALS recommends that shipments requiring a forklift arrive Monday-Friday between 8:00am and 2:30pm because the ALS forklift operators leave at 4:30pm. Berkeley Lab technicians are available to operate forklifts after hours for an extra charge, but it is highly recommended that ALS personnel handle the forklift if any delicate equipment is involved.

Shipping from the ALS

All items shipped from Berkeley Lab must be handled by either ALS or LBNL Shipping and Receiving

Procedures and Required Documents

Packages should not be sealed; they will be inspected by Lab personnel before they are shipped. Each item/package—excluding documents—to be shipped must have the appropriate and complete documentation including:

  1. a University of California Shipping Document #7600-55567;
  2. a valid project ID number.

Items being returned to the manufacturer for refunds, exchanges, or repair must have the item’s original Purchase Order (PO) number and a Return Materials Authorization (RMA) number from the supplier. This includes items picked up on-site by a vendor.

Courier priority overnight shipping (i.e., FedEx) should only be used when absolutely necessary; regular shipping should be used at all other times.

International Shipping of Samples and Equipment

International users needing to send samples or equipment back to their home organization will need to obtain export control approval, in addition to following guidance above. Approval can take 1–3 business days. To get approval, send an email to exportcontrol@lbl.gov with the following details:

  • Your name and LBNL division (ALS). Provide your ALS contact if a user.
  • Your area of science or project title.
  • The destination organization and country.
  • Name and/or description of the samples or equipment. If any item was custom fabricated, describe the process/method of manufacture/fabrication, and the component parts/elements/chemicals as applicable.
  • State the end use of your samples or equipment and whether they have any potential export-controlled applications/uses.
  • Any other relevant details.

Please note that, once approval is obtained, this approval extends to future shipping of the same samples and equipment. An overview of export control can be found here: https://www.state.gov/strategictrade/overview/.

Shipping materials to Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria is prohibited; contact Berkeley Lab Procurement for more information.

Arranging Transport

Several independent carriers, including Aeronet Worldwide, Federal Express, United Parcel Service, Lynden Freight Shipping and Logistics, and DB Schenker, provide a variety of shipping services to the ALS. Users can make all arrangements for shipping online from the above home pages or by filling out the necessary forms in ALS Receiving.

Shipping Hazardous Materials

Transportation of hazardous materials in private or Berkeley Lab vehicles is prohibited.

Users should consult with a materials specialist at their home institution regarding the proper handling and shipping of hazardous materials. Hazardous materials shipped to or from Berkeley Lab by truck must be packaged and handled according to U.S. Department of Transportation guidelines. Hazardous materials shipped by air must meet International Air Transportation Association regulations.

  • Each shipment of hazardous materials must include pertinent Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs).
  • Ship the smallest quantity necessary for your experiment. Use of hazardous materials on the experiment floor is limited to small quantities.

For additional information, contact:

  • Chuck Horton, Berkeley Lab Materials Specialist (510-486-5084) for information about the proper packing and safe shipment of hazardous materials;
  • ALS Environment, Health & Safety Program Manager (510-486-7407) for health and safety information regarding hazardous materials.
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