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August 6, 2014 issue of the DPSAC NEWS
In This Issue
NIH Badging Statistics from HHS as of August 1, 2014
Hosting Foreign Visitors at NIH
NIH Temporarily Unable to Issue 'Extended Visitor Badges' to Persons Requiring a Background Check
NED Training Scheduled for October 14, 2014
Helpful Tips
New Employees, Contractors and Affiliates Must Complete & Submit e-QIP to DPSAC Before PIV Card Can Be Issued!
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    

   

 

 

  NIH badging statistics from HHS as of August 1, 2014: 

 Sponsored: 38,623  Enrolled: 38,072  Issued: 37,158 *

 

* This figure represents 96.2% of individuals who have been sponsored.

 

Note: the Department reports weekly on the number of individuals who have been sponsored, enrolled and issued new HHS ID Badges for each OPDIV. DPSAC News reports the latest Departmental figures for NIH in the first issue published for that month.

 

Hosting Foreign Visitors at NIH

 

Understanding the Requirements for Hosting Foreign Visitors

 

The HHS Operating Divisions (OpDIVs), including NIH, and the Office of the Secretary (OS), host visitors from other countries from the national scientific and policy communities, international organizations and the private sector.

The Office of Security and Strategic Information (OSSI), OS, provides oversight for the HHS Foreign Visitor Management Program (FNVMP).  


This program provides guidance to the OpDIVs and OS regarding foreign national visit requests and for the restrictions of foreign national visitor access to certain areas and materials. In addition, the Department's Foreign Visitor Management Policy provides standards and implementing guidelines for the HHS FNVMP.  

   

Purpose of the Foreign Visitor Management Policy 

These policies are to be followed by the Department and its OpDIVs "to protect government property and sensitive information and to ensure the safety and security of employees, contractors, and visitors to HHS- owned, leased or occupied property... ."   


The OSSI will review and approve or disapprove all foreign national visit requests received through the FNVMS from "designated countries" and all foreign national visits to critical infrastructure specifically identified by the OpDIVs. Designated countries are those nations identified as a State Sponsor of Terrorism by the U.S. State Department. * **

 

Advanced Authorization Required  

If the visitor is from a country identified as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, the host must file an access request form (see: Foreign Visitor Data Request Form) with the NIH Police at least ten (10) days prior to the visit.  Failure to provide the required information 10 days prior will inevitably lead to delays or possible denial of access to NIH facilities for the visitor from a state sponsor of terrorism. 

 

IT Restrictions 

Once in NIH facilities, foreign visitors must be escorted at all times. This includes trips to snack bars, lounges and restrooms.          

 

* The OpDIVs and OS are responsible for establishing and implementing foreign national visitor programs within the framework of the Departmental policy. 

** The HHS list of designated countries are the State Sponsors of Terrorism and are posted at: http://www.state.gov/s/ct/c14151.htm.
 

 

NIH Temporarily Unable to Issue 'Extended Visitor Badges' to Persons Requiring a Background Check

This notice first appeared in the July 23, 2014 issue of DPSAC News

 

Due to several issues experienced recently with our ability to access the FBI's criminal history database, we are temporarily unable to issue extended visitor badges to persons requiring a background check. ORS is working diligently to establish an alternate means of conducting the required criminal history checks. This alternative procedure is expected to be online in September.

 

Alfred C. Johnson, Ph.D.

Director

Office of Research Services

National Institutes of Health

301-496-2215

 

NED Training Scheduled for October 14, 2014  

 

The HSPD-12 Program Office will be offering basic and advanced NED classes on Tuesday, October 14, 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!  

 

   


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. 

 

Helpful Tips
Don't let your PIV card expire while on travel/extended leave -- Employees, contractors and affiliates who will be traveling (or plan to be away from their duty station) for extended periods of time should make sure that their badge does not expire during their absence.

 

If an individual's badge is scheduled to expire during a prolonged absence, they should contact DPSAC or their AO to have their badge renewed in advance.  

 

Once a badge expires, it is deactivated and the individual will no longer have physical or logical access to NIH facilities or NIH networks. They will need to repeat the full enrollment and badge issuance process upon returning to their duty station in order to restore their access privileges.

 

AOs who clear employees, contractors or affiliates for separation or transfer --  must collect that person's PIV Card (HHS ID Badge) and/or any other NIH-issued cards (e.g., RLA Badges) and return it, unaltered, to DPSAC once they have deactivated the individual's NED record.

Alternate Logon Tokens (a.k.a., ALT Cards) should not be returned to DPSAC. Rather, they should be returned to the appropriate IC's ALT Coordinator. A list of the ALT Coordinators for each IC can be found on the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) website at: https://ocio.nih.gov/Smartcard/Pages/ALT.aspx#distributor.

When using the new PIV Card readers -- remember to remove your PIV card from its protective holder and hold the PIV card flat against the card reader until it signals - with a green light and beep - that the gate has opened. Pulling the PIV card away too quickly may result in a misread.  

Know someone who could benefit from a subscription to DPSAC News? -- have them contact Lanny Newman (newmanl@mail.nih.gov) with a request to be placed on the DPSAC News mailing list.

For information about the Restricted Local Access (RLA) badge -- visit: http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/badge/Pages/Getting-RLA-Badge.aspx.

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.    

 


New Employees, Contractors and Affiliates Must Complete & Submit e-QIP to DPSAC Before PIV Card can be Issued!


Effective October, 2014, revised federal policies prohibit the issuance of a badge until the following are completed:

  1. Fingerprint checks are adjudicated
  2. e-QIP and related forms necessary to conduct a background check are completed and submitted by the individual to DPSAC
  3. e-QIP and related forms are reviewed by DPSAC and released to OPM (new requirement) *

Soon after being entered in NED, the new employee, contractor or affiliate will receive an e-mail with the subject line: **MANDATORY** RE: Background Investigation Forms.  

 

Individuals who have the appropriate investigation on file will not be required to complete new forms.

 

Once the online forms are complete, the individual must click the "Release Request/Transmit to Agency" button or NIH will not receive the forms.

 

Important: the individual must complete and submit these online forms within 7 calendar days of receipt (instructions are provided via e-mail) and prior to their first day. The forms can be filled out on any computer with web access.

 

* These new policies were issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in conjunction with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  

 

   

FAQs
Q. What is the procedure for reporting a lost or stolen HHS ID Badge?

A. You should report your lost/stolen HHS ID Badge to Access Control (301-451-4766) and to your Administrative Officer (AO). Your AO will need to enter the necessary information into the NIH Enterprise Directory (NED) to authorize a replacement HHS ID Badge (PIV Card).*  

 

Those who have not undergone the PIV process will need to schedule an appointment with Personnel Security to be fingerprinted and have their background investigation initiated.   

*Once the AO requests a replacement HHS ID Badge, the lost or stolen HHS ID Badge will be deactivated and will no longer work, even if it is found later.  

 

    

Q. What is the procedure for obtaining a replacement HHS ID Badge for one that is broken?

 

A. Individuals whose badges are broken and who work at the Bethesda campus or nearby locations should bring their broken HHS ID Badge to the DPSAC Badge Issuance Center (Building 31, Room B1A26) or to the Badging Station in Building 10 (Clinical Research Center South Lobby) for a replacement.  

 

If a broken badge has not expired and the badge can be authenticated, Access Control will issue you a new badge. The expiration date on the new HHS ID Badge will be the same as the date on your broken badge.

 

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. Upon badge renewal, you will be issued a new HHS ID Badge with a new expiration date.

Individuals working at one of NIH's satellite facilities should contact their local badge issuance office for instructions on replacing their broken HHS ID Badge. Contact information for all badge issuance offices are posted at: http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/Pages/contactinfo.aspx.

 

Q. During a suitability background investigation for a new hire at NIH, which name (married or maiden) does DPSAC and OPM use when checking with the person's college or university to confirm that they have graduated and received a degree?

 

A. DPSAC and OPM are obligated to confirm the degree if it is stated on the background investigation form. Same for all degrees claimed. OPM sends a request to the university asking for confirmation of the information provided on the background information e-QIP paperwork.

 

It is important that the individual indicate on the forms the name they used in college and graduated under. For example, a woman who graduates using her maiden name may have married and applied for a position using her married name. OPM sends a request to the university asking for confirmation of graduation using the name provided by the applicant in the background information e-QIP paperwork.  The name that DPSAC and OPM uses is whatever the applicant indicates on his or her e-QIP form.

 

Q.  What is the process for replacing a lost Alternate Logon Token or ALT card?

 

A.  The individual who lost the card should put in a ticket to the NIH Service Desk. This ticket will be routed to DPSAC staff who will terminate the lost ALT card and sponsor/approve the person for a new ALT card. DPSAC will then send the individual an e-mail stating that the new card is ready to be issued.

 

Once the individual has picked up the new ALT card from their IC ALT Coordinator, the ALT Coordinator will record the card as lost and record the newly-issued card.

 

 

Safety Corner

Strange Odor in the Workplace

The following fire safety awareness article was prepared by the Division of the Fire Marshal, ORS  

 

Know what to do and don't spend time looking for the source of a strange odor - report it by dialing 911 on a NIH phone (301-496-9911 on a cell phone) or 9-911 if off campus and, if necessary, evacuate the area.

 

Construction In or Near Your Work Area

At times, work being performed in a construction site may generate odors not normally encountered in your work area. Don't assume that the odor is from the construction site or is a non-threatening material. The odor could be from a fire or a chemical odor from a hazardous materials spill in a nearby lab or in the hallway outside of your office. Remember - never assume - dial 911 on a NIH phone (301-496-9911 on a cell phone) or 9-911 if off campus for assistance.

 

Familiar Burning Odor

Many times individuals will recognize an odor that is frequently encountered, for example an electrical odor, and a short time later, find that the odor has dissipated. At the end of the day they leave work only to return the next morning to find that a fire occurred overnight. Remember - never assume - dial 911 on a NIH phone (301-496-9911 on a cell phone) or 9-911 if off campus for assistance.

 

Burning Odor with No Sign of Smoke

Often individuals will smell a burning odor and, because they do not see smoke, do not call the fire department for assistance. Small office appliances such as shredders can overheat, produce a burning odor and ultimately catch on fire if not emptied frequently and maintained properly. Also, many times employees think "someone else has called the fire department." As a result, the fire department does not receive notification of the fire emergency until it has developed into a major incident.  

 

Remember - never assume - dial 911 on a NIH phone (301-496-9911 on a cell phone) or 9-911 if off campus for assistance.

 

Odor Causing Physical Effects

Our bodies have a built-in monitoring system. If we are exposed to a chemical that may be harmful, in many cases our body will let us know by watery and/or burning eyes, coughing, nausea, etc.  

 

If you find yourself in a situation where you are being physically affected, you should advise the people in the area of the problem, notify the fire department and evacuate the area.  

 

Note: many hazardous chemicals do not cause immediate physical effects. Remember - never assume - dial 911 on a NIH phone (301-496-9911 on a cell phone) or 9-911 if off campus for assistance.

 

Even if you KNOW the cause of a chemical or burning odor - call the Fire Department by dialing 911 from a NIH phone (301-496-9911 on a cell phone) or 9-911 if off campus, so that the fire department can investigate the odor to confirm no one is in danger.

 

If you have questions regarding strange odors in the workplace, please contact the Division of the Fire Marshal, Office of Research Services 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.