Thank you for taking the time to review this cause. I hope that as we, NIH contractors, stand together we are able to create a voice that NIH administration has to listen to with regard to the advantages of NIH contractors given the right to receive metro benefits via the NIH's Transhare program.
History:
On October 5, 2009 President Obama signed Executive Order 13514, titled "Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance" whereby requiring Federal agencies to establish an integrated strategy towards sustainability in the Federal Government and to make reduction of greenhouse gas emissions a priority.
The Executive Order identifies one strategy called "Scope 3" to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from sources not owned or directly controlled by a Federal agency but related to agency activities such as vendor supply chains, delivery services, and employee travel and commuting.
NIH's Transhare program is a great program that helps to achieve the desired reductions that President Obama called for, however this program presently is only open to NIH Federal employees. NIH's population consists of a significant number of contractors (who have permanent duty workstations and work on a full-time basis at NIH) and these individuals could make an even greater impact on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
In addition to the environmental aspect of this cause, there are several other aspects that NIH administration should review and consider: 1) reduction in traffic in, and around, the already congested area around NIH (which has only gotten worse with the opening of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center); 2) reduce the need to build future parking lots/garages to accommodate the growing NIH community (which requires space and money that are lacking presently); and 3) more equal treatment for contractors (in many cases we provide comparable services as Federal Employees yet we are treated differently).
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We, the undersigned, call upon NIH's Administration, to revise the NIH Transhare program to include contractors or create a comparable program for NIH contractors.