The founding of our Marine Corps has been celebrated with a Birthday Ball every year since 1925. The Birthday Ball offers an unparalleled opportunity for Marines to participate in Marine Corps traditions and tell the Marine Corps story to influential community and civic leaders.

The Ball is a two-tiered event. One tier is the official ceremony and the other tier is the social event.

The social event portion of the Ball includes the dinner, refreshments, favors, entertainment, and other social activities. The non-ceremonial, social portion of the Ball is considered an MCCS MWR Category A event, as defined within MCO P1700.27B.

In May 2017, Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS) implemented Regional Procurement Offices (RPOs) throughout the Marine Corps. RPOs provided Nonappropriated Fund (NAF) procurement support to installations within their assigned regions.

• Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton
• Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar
• Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms
• Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego
• Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma

Prior to entering into a contract to support the Marine Corps Birthday Ball, commands shall contact their Regional Procurement Office or Command Legal Counsel.

VENUE SELECTION

The command Marine Corps Ball committee will select the event date.

Commands may select the venue in which to hold their Marine Corps Ball that meets the criteria (unique features regarding performance, technical, functional, or aesthetic characteristics) set forth by the command Marine Corps Ball committee.

VENUE CONTRACTS

• Venue Contract
• Signed Expenditure, Reimbursement Request (ERR)
• Single Source Justification Request signed by the unit
• It is recommended that venue contracts be provided to MCCS Procurement at least 2 months before the first payment is due.

• The contract is made out to MCCS Procurement
• Has a payment schedule inclusive of all deposit due dates
• No personal or individual hotel rooms are included
• MCCS is not liable for individual hotel rooms. The individuals who stay in the rooms will be responsible for all costs associated with individual rooms.

VENUE PAYMENTS

• MCCS Procurement will obtain a signed deposit invoice and authorized ERR from the unit, if needed.
  • The following installations will need to provide a signed ERR for each deposit payment:
  • Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms
• MCCS Procurement will forward the signed invoice and ERR to Shared Services Center (SSC) for payment.

• MCCS Procurement will obtain a signed final invoice and authorized ERR from the unit, if needed.
• If the cost of the event exceeded the total amount on the original ERR, the unit will need to indicate the overage amount on the ERR.
• If the cost of the event does not exceed the total amount on the original ERR, an additional ERR is not required unless the unit is stationed at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms.
• MCCS Procurement will forward the signed invoice and ERR to SSC for payment.
• All funds, for each respective payment, must first be deposited into your unit and family readiness funds account before payment can be made.
• All venue payments must be processed through MCCS. Units shall not pay the venue directly.

• Estimate from vendor detailing the services requested
• Ensure the estimate is made out to MCCS Procurement
• Ensure the estimate includes event details (i.e. where are services being rendered? What time(s)? Any food, beverages, or equipment being provided by the unit?, etc.)
• Signed ERR

• Review the documents and request signature (from the unit) on any deposit invoice(s) or final invoice(s)
• Issue a contract for the services to the vendor
• Provide a copy of the signed contract to the unit when the request has been processed, for their records

• Estimate from Vendor detailing the services requested
• Ensure the estimate is made out to MCCS Procurement
• Ensure the estimate includes event details (i.e. where are services being rendered? What time(s)? Any food, beverages, or equipment being provided by the unit?, etc.)
• Ensure the childcare provider or company can provide a background check for each childcare provider
• Signed ERR

• Review the documents and request signature (from the unit) on any deposit invoice(s) or final invoice(s)
• Issue a contract for the services to the vendor
• Provide a copy of the signed contract to the unit when the request has been processed, for their records