U.S. Office of Personnel Management www.opm.gov - Recruiting, Retaining and Honoring a World-Class Workforce to Serve the American People

Ordering test materials

You can order materials, for each location you want test materials to be shipped directly, by submitting an:

• OPM Form 1291 (Requisition, Transmittal, and Receipt for Assembled Examination); and
• Master Requisition Form.
  

Note: You can obtain OPM Form 1291 and Master Requisition Form through your local OPM Services Branch, who will then contact OPM's Denver Distribution Center (DDC).

To order test materials conduct the following steps:

You should submit to your local OPM Services Branch:

• Part 1 and four copies of part 2 from OPM Form 1291; and
• One copy of the Master Requisition Form.

Your local OPM Services Branch will:

• Review, approve, sign, and date the Master Requisition Form;
• Retain a copy of each form; and
• Forward the remainder to the DDC within two days of receipt.

You will:

• Retain Part 3 of OPM Form 1291(Blue Copy); and
• A copy of the Master Requisition for your records.

DDC ships:

• The test material directly to your test control officer along with part 1 and two copies of Part 2 from OPM Form 1291. Part 1 of OPM Form 1291 is used as the mailing label and is affixed to the package containing the test material. A large “X” in the left hand corner signifies test material in the package.

Upon receipt of the test material, your test control officer should:

• Immediately open the package and inventory the material.
• If the package is incomplete, your local OPM Services Branch should be promptly notified. The Services Branch will, in turn, contact the DDC to correct the discrepancy.

When to order test materials

You should allow 15 working days before the test date for receipt of material from DDC. If materials are not received within three days prior to the scheduled test session, immediately contact your local OPM Services Branch.

Restrictions on ordering

You can only order test material for a specific test, and cannot use that material for any other test. You should not hold test material longer than 30 days after the test is administered.

The DDC will follow-up with you on materials not returned within 45 days of the test date and will contact the appropriate local OPM Services Branch about material not returned within 60 days of the test date.

Securing test material

Test materials must be stored in a locked cabinet:

• Without outside labeling;
• With a metal bar run through all cabinet drawer handles;
• Secured with a clasp and a combination lock or heavy-duty padlock. If padlocks are used the number of keys must be limited to test control officers and/or assistants and locked in secure areas;
• Locked at all times except when material is being removed or returned; and
• Never left opened or unattended.

Limit access

Access to the cabinets must be limited to test control officers and/or assistants, who will also be the only authorized personnel to know lock combination numbers.

Transporting test materials

Test materials must be transported from the storage cabinet to the test room in a locked container, and must never be left unattended. Contact your local OPM Services Branch if the test materials are not returned within 60 days of the test date.

Returning test material

When returning both used and unused test material directly to DDC (via Federal Express), you must include a copy of Part 2 from OPM Form 1291 with the material and send the remaining copy of Part 2 to your local OPM Services Branch. Both copies of Part 2 should fully identify the used and unused material going back to the DDC, and should be signed and dated.

Envelopes or packages containing test material received from the DDC are identified by a large 'X' on the package, as described above. Such packages must not be opened by mailroom personnel or distributed with your agency's regular mail. You must notify your mailroom personnel about these requirements prior to making your first order for test material.