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April 30, 2014 issue of the DPSAC NEWS
In This Issue
More PIV Card Reader Pilot Sites Installed at NIH Perimeter
The New PIV Card Readers Will Make Access to the NIH More Secure
NED Training Schedule for May, 2014
Helpful Tips
FAQs
Safety Corner

   

 

Contact Us

 

Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC),  

Office of Research Services  

 

Personnel Security 

Helpdesk: 301-402-9755

e-QIP: 301-402-9735

Appointment Line: 301-496-0051

E-mail: orspersonnelsecurity@ 

mail.nih.gov

 

Access Control

Helpdesk: 301-451-4766

E-mail: facilityaccesscontrol@ 

mail.nih.gov

 

       

        HHS logo small Logo Mark NIH Logo Mark    
More PIV Card Reader Pilot Sites Installed at NIH Perimeter

        Pedestrians and drivers try out the new PIV Card readers

Drivers entering the NIH campus will be able to try out the new PIV Card readers with their PIV Cards (HHS ID Badges) at two additional vehicle entrances starting May 5, 2014.

NIH will install one of the new readers at the South Drive right lane entrance off Old Georgetown Road; a second new reader will be added to the left lane of the South drive entrance off of Wisconsin Avenue (Metro entrance). On March 14, the right lane at that entrance became the first location to offer the new PIV Card reader.

Two Good Reasons to Try Out the New PIV Card Readers

1. The new readers will require a new way to use your PIV Card -- 
The NIH is slowly expanding deployment of the new PIV Card Reader Pilot program, to give the NIH workforce time to prepare for the transition to the new, more secure type of PIV Card reader at ALL perimeter vehicle entrances this summer. As reported in previous issues of DPSAC News, this transition is part of a federal-wide initiative required by HSPD-12.

PIV Card holders (employees, contractors and affiliates) will need to adopt a new way of using their PIV Cards (HHS ID Badges). The NIH Police and DPSAC will monitor users' experiences at each stage of the rollout and will make adjustments and improvements as needed to accommodate users and ensure a smooth transition.  

2. Your PIV Card may contain a broken antenna -- Unfortunately, DPSAC has discovered that some of the early PIV Cards contain broken or defective antennas that would normally transmit the signal needed to operate the card reader.  

NIH wants to give everyone an opportunity to test their PIV Cards with the new readers to make sure their cards are working properly before the new readers are installed.
 
If you find that your PIV Card doesn't work at the test site, you will have sufficient time to make an appointment with DPSAC's Facility Access Control office (Badge Issuance Office) to have your badge reissued.
 
Note: If you find that your PIV Card is broken and the card's expiration date is within six months, contact your AO for early badge renewal.

Where to Find PIV Card Pilot and Test Sites
The Office of Research Services (ORS) is continuing to install vehicle pilot  sites at vehicle entrances around the NIH campus perimeter and several off-campus locations.  

As of March 14, drivers have been able to use the right lane at the South Drive (Metro) vehicle entrance to try out the new PIV Card reader. Starting on May 5, the number of vehicle pilot sites will be expanded to include:  

* South Drive (Metro) vehicle entrance will be expanded to BOTH lanes (right lane open from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.)

* South Drive (off Old Georgetown Road) vehicle entrance RIGHT lane only (testing from 6:00 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays)

Please be aware that ORS has installed kiosks in several buildings on and off campus where you can test your badge with the new reader.

To avoid unnecessary delays, before you use the pilot vehicle lanes, ORS is recommending you test your badge at a kiosk to ensure it works properly with the new reader.

You'll find these kiosks in the lobbies of the following buildings:

*     Building 31A 
*     Building 31C 
*     Building 45 
*     Building 10 (Clinical Center) North 
*     Building 10 (Clinical Center) South 
*     Bayview Biomedical Research Center (BRC), Baltimore, MD

Portable Testing Station Available at Off-Campus Locations 
ORS has also arranged to send a trained staff member equipped with a portable test station to several off-campus locations so employees, contractors and affiliates can test their PIV Card without having to travel to the NIH campus. The remaining schedule for this traveling service is provided below:

Location: 6701 Rockledge Drive (lobby) 
Dates: Monday, May 5 through Friday, May 16 
Hours of operation: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Location: 6707 Democracy Lane (lobby) 
Dates: Monday, May 19 through Friday, May 30 
Hours of operation: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Video Demonstrates How to Use Your PIV Card With the New Readers 
The ORS invites you to click on the link, http://youtu.be/EeNzoTiJJdQ, to view a brief video produced by the Division of Personnel Security and Access Control and the NIH Police demonstrating the three steps you'll need to follow so that your PIV Card will work with the new readers:   

1. REMOVE your PIV Card from its holder

2. PLACE and HOLD your PIV Card flat against the reader

3. KEEP the card pressed firmly against the reader, and WAIT for the green light and a beep for access   

If your PIV Card doesn't work   
If the PIV Card Reader does not show a sustained green light when you place and hold your PIV Card on the reader, an antenna in your badge is probably broken.  

If you find that your PIV Card doesn't work at the test site, you will need to make an appointment through Access Control to obtain a replacement badge (facilityaccesscontrol@mail.nih.gov or 301-451-4766). You'll also find instructions for obtaining help posted on the kiosks.

As noted above, if your PIV Card is broken, and the card's expiration date is within six months, contact your AO for early badge renewal.

The New PIV Card Readers Will Make Access to the NIH More Secure

 

The new PIV Card Readers being installed at the NIH Bethesda campus perimeter entrances take advantage of the PIV Card's advanced technology to offer improved security for the NIH workforce and NIH facilities.*

 

The PIV Cards and new PIV Card readers operate at a frequency signal (13.56 MHz) that uses electronic induction similar to Metro Smart Trip cards.  

 

The cards remain in a passive state until they are electronically "induced" and activated by the new card reader or "induction source." This is generally more secure since the card is not continually broadcasting a signal, as in the case with the current technology that operates at a different frequency signal (125 KHz).

 

This new standard sets the groundwork to use the digital certificates enclosed in the cards for physical access. The certificate structure is designed to prevent cloning and unauthorized duplication of credential information. This is outlined in the Federal Identity, Credential and Access Management (FICAM) Roadmap and will be initiated at NIH facilities in the future. 

 

With Improved Identity Management Comes Improved Security

Identity management is a key concern of IT. One of the stumbling blocks to identity management has been the 'siloed' or 'stove-piped' systems created over the past decade.  

 

The advanced technology in these PIV Cards allows them to be configured so that if someone from another agency who had access to an NIH system was terminated or fired, the Federal Physical Access Control System architecture could detect that and prevent access -- part of the objective of the HSPD-12 orders put in place by the Executive Branch of government.

 

* Currently NIH plans to complete the installation of the new PIV Card readers at all NIH perimeter gates and portals over the summer. The NIH Police and DPSAC will continue to monitor the test sites for problems and for ways to improve the user's experience with these new readers. They also plan to assess the impact of the new card readers on traffic at those sites. Any changes to mitigate potential problems will be implemented before the new readers are made operational campus-wide.

 

NED Training Schedule for May, 2014 
 

The HSPD-12 Program Office will be offering two NED classes on May 30, 2014. This training is designed to help beginners and advanced users quickly master NED in a hands-on computer lab environment. All classes are FREE! 

   

 

Additional Classes Expected in July   

Watch this space for additional NED classes coming in July, 2014. Once the class dates and location are confirmed, they will be posted in
DPSAC News and on the DPSAC website at:

 

If you wish to be contacted separately once the new schedule becomes available, please send your request to Lanny Newman at: NewmanL@mail.nih.gov. Once the new classes are announced, you will be able to register for the class(es) of your choice by following the instructions below.   

 

How to Enroll

The NED courses are posted on the CIT Training site where visitors can view availability for any class and receive a confirmation immediately after registering. The catalog of NED classes is posted at http://training.cit.nih.gov/coursecatalog.aspx under "General Seminars."

When you see a course you want to take, just click on the course name (listed in the right column of the table). You'll be taken to the HHS Learning Management System (LMS) where you can register for the course online.

 

To log onto the HHS Learning Management System you can use either your PIV card and PIN or your NIH credentials. If you experience any difficulties accessing the LMS, please contact the CIT Training Program at 301-594-6248 or send an e-mail to: cittraining@mail.nih.gov. 

 

Also, the HSPD-12 Program Office will continue to post the NED training schedule in DPSAC News and on the DPSAC website under 'Training' at:  

http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/Pages/Home.aspx  

 

Helpful Tips

Do not lend your HHS ID Badge (a.k.a. Smart Card, PIV Card) to anyone! -- lending out your PIV Card (HHS ID Badge) is prohibited. The issuance of the HHS ID Badge is based on strict identity proofing and the determination of one's suitability for a specific position classification.

ICs that want to add LWS operators to the approved roster -- send a written request to Richie Taffet at: taffetr@mail.nih.gov. Your request should include the new operator's name, their IC, their NED number, as well as the operator's e-mail address, building/room and phone number.

Once Mr. Taffet has approved the request, he will forward the name(s) to HHSIdentityAdmins@deloitte.com to complete the approval process, add the name to the LWS operator roster and inform the IC that the individual is now approved to operate the LWS.
 

Need to make changes to the LWS operator directories? -- drop an e-mail to Lanny Newman, newmanl@mail.nih.gov, and let him know what needs changing (e.g., adding new operators or LWS locations, removing operators, etc.). Remember, before a new operator can be added to the LWS directory, s/he must first be approved by Richie Taffet (see preceding Helpful Tip).  

  

If an LWS is not available in your IC or your immediate area, and you work in the greater Bethesda or Rockville area -- please call 301-451-4766 or 301-402-9755 to schedule an appointment with the Division of Personnel Security and Access Control located in Building 31, Room B1A26 or in Building 10, South Lobby, Room 1C52.    

 

If you work outside the Bethesda/Rockville area, contact your local badge issuance office. You can find contact information for all badge issuance offices at: http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/Pages/contactinfo.aspx.   

 

How to recover your old (expired) digital certificates -- if you want to read signed or encrypted e-mail messages that you sent or received using a now-expired certificate, you first need to recover that certificate from the HHS Identity PIV Portal. For instructions on how to recover your old certificates, visit: http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/Documents/How_To_Recover_Certs.pdf.   


FAQs

Q. Once the new PIV Card readers are installed across the NIH campus perimeter, how will people with NIH ID (Legacy) badges get through the perimeter?    

 

A. NIH Legacy badges should work at all gate entrances. The new card readers will be programmed to differentiate between NIH Legacy badges and PIV Cards (HHS ID Badges), so there should be no issue regarding campus access. Guards will be trained to deal with individuals who may have issues.

 

 

Q. Is there a date that the new readers will be put into service?  

 

A.  NIH installed the first pilot card reader at the South Drive (Metro) right lane entrance in mid-March, and plans to install two new card readers --  at the South Drive Old Georgetown right lane entrance, and the South Drive (Metro) left entrance -- on May 5, 2014.

ORS will monitor these sites for potential issues, and will evaluate their impact on users, including any traffic issues.

Once ORS has resolved any issues, it will move forward to complete the card reader installations, currently anticipated some time this summer. ORS will notify the NIH community once it is ready to activate the remaining  PIV Card readers.


Q. Is it only PERIMETER gates where the new PIV Card readers will be installed, or will internal building readers be switched over as well?

 

A. The readers are being installed primarily at the perimeter entrances. Some secure or restricted interior locations will be equipped with the new reader as well.  

 

Safety Corner

Fire Safety   

The following material was prepared by the Division of the Fire Marshal (DFM), ORS 

  

In January, the Division of the Fire Marshal (DFM), ORS, kicked off the New Year with a fire safety campaign titled, "Help Us Help You! - Know How to Spot Common Fire Safety Hazards in the Workplace." (see:  www.ors.od.nih.gov/CommonFireSafetyHazards).

 

The DFM offered suggestions on how to spot, correct and prevent such fire hazards as: 

  • blocked or locked exit doors;  
  • storage in stairwells;  
  • fire doors propped open;  
  • improper use of extension cords;  
  • material/ equipment in corridors that impede egress;  
  • portable space-heating devices in labs and health care areas;
  • flammable or combustible liquids and compressed gas cylinders in corridors;  
  • tampering with fire protection equipment;  
  • missing ceiling tiles; and,  
  • equipment with damaged or exposed electrical wiring.

 

Even though all facilities on the NIH Bethesda and Poolesville campuses are surveyed regularly for fire safety hazards by the DFM, the "Top Ten" list of common fire safety hazards in the workplace still prompted substantial feedback from concerned NIH employees recognizing potential fire safety hazards.

 

Reporting Fire Safety Issues Becomes Easier 

The DFM has made it even easier for an employee to report a fire safety issue or concern. Visit the DFM website and use the anonymous "Report a Fire Safety Issue or Concern" tool at: http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dfm/Pages/Community-Complaint-Report.aspx.    

 

You can choose to provide your name and contact information or you are welcome to issue a report anonymously. If you choose to enter your contact information, your submission will be handled confidentially.

 

The NIH community should not assume the DFM is aware of and/or is working to correct every fire safety hazard. Peer responsibility plays a large part in keeping NIH facilities fire-safe. Therefore, it is extremely important for the NIH community to be able to spot and correct, or report, the more common workplace fire safety hazards before a fire incident occurs.

 

The DFM greatly appreciates the ongoing assistance and support of the NIH community as our advocates for keeping NIH facilities fire safe.  

 

For questions or assistance regarding any workplace fire safety matter, please contact the DFM at 301-496-0487. 


A biweekly e-newsletter from the Office of Research Services, Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (ORS/DPSAC) to keep you informed as NIH rolls out "Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12" (HSPD-12) establishing a common identification standard to better safeguard NIH and its workforce.