Important Changes to the Extended Visitor Badge Program at NIH  

Only Certified AOs Can Sponsor Extended Visitor Badge Applicants

Beginning September 2, 2014, NIH implemented revised policies and procedures for issuing "extended visitor" badges as part of a continuing effort to improve security at NIH. NIH Extended Visitor badges are issued to individuals affiliated with NIH who need frequent physical access to NIH facilities.

In the past, NIH would access the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) criminal history database to conduct background investigations on Extended Visitor applicants. The requirement of background investigations for anyone receiving an NIH identification badge comes from the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) Program and HHS Departmental policy.   

Due to recent restrictions limiting NIH's access to the NCIC database, NIH had to change how it issues these badges.

The most significant procedural change involves limiting sponsorship of Extended Visitors to Administrative Officers (AOs) certified by the Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC) who currently sponsor federal employees, contractors and affiliates for HHS identification badges (PIV cards).  

AO Sponsors will be responsible for authorizing and sponsoring an individual to obtain employee-like access to NIH. AO Sponsors will also serve as the point of contact with the responsibility for fielding questions from individuals who are requesting Extended Visitor badges.

The new system requires applicants to have their fingerprints electronically captured and submitted through the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for criminal history screening. 

Sponsorship of non-NIH personnel will cost the sponsoring IC $21.50 per person based on OPM's FY14 rates and must include a justification statement by the Sponsor as to why the individual requires employee-like access to the NIH campus. 

The justification statement for sponsorship of non-NIH personnel for an Extended Visitor badge must be mission-related and is subject to approval by the NIH Police and/or DPSAC.

The new NIH Extended Visitor ID Badge Application is available online at: http://security.nih.gov/Pages/Home.aspx or http://security.nih.gov/Documents/Extended%20Visitor%20Form.pdf.*

Note: Individuals requesting an Extended Visitor Badge must submit the original form at the NIH Gateway Center. Processing can/may take up to ten (10) business days.   

 Extended Visitor Fingerprinting and Badge Issuance Locations:  

- NIH Gateway Center (next to Metro Plaza, South Drive entrance)

Becoming an AO Sponsor

In the PIV process, the Sponsor acts on behalf of NIH to request an Applicant be issued an ID badge. Training must be completed and a signed certificate submitted to the HSPD-12 Program Office before a Sponsor can request a badge for an Applicant.  

Information about Sponsor training, including the Sponsor Training module, is posted on the DPSAC website at: 

http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/Training/Pages/administrators.aspx#Sponsor.

Despite Name Change, 'Old' Name Still Appears on Digital Certificates Due to Software Bug

When an individual changes their name in NED, they should be aware that their 'old' name will still appear on their badge's digital certificates. While this is a known bug with the HHS badge management software, it will not affect the individual's login or secure e-mail. Likewise, when an individual transfers to NIH from another HHS operating division (e.g., FDA), their prior organization will still appear in their digital certificates (e.g., OU=FDA).    

Issuance Works Station (IWS) operators and DPSAC Customer Service staff have been alerted to this issue and will now ask the badge holder at the time of re-issuance whether this action (re-issuance) is being requested due to a name change.    

If the answer is yes, staff will be able explain that even though the user's old name/organization will still appear in their certificates due to the HHS software bug, login or secure e-mail will be unaffected.  

Once this software bug is fixed, which is expected to occur before the end of the calendar year, affected individuals will be notified of the fix and told how to download new certificates with their new name/organization in the certificate.  

DPSAC Wants to Hear from its Customers

DPSAC has begun sending out a customer satisfaction survey to a randomly selected group of its customers. The purpose is to gather feedback on people's experience with our office.  

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.

September is National Preparedness Month

The following message was sent to all NIH staff via the ORS Information Line on September 8, 2014  

September is National Preparedness Month - an annual campaign encouraging Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, schools, organizations, businesses and communities.

The Office of Research Services (ORS), Division of Emergency Preparedness and Coordination (DEPC), is the principle emergency planning resource for the NIH and responsible for coordinating all NIH resources essential to emergency planning and preparedness functions. DEPC:  

• Develops and issues emergency plans for all NIH facilities located both on and off campus
• Develops response plans and exercises to test the adequacy and readiness of the NIH facilities and its people
• Updates and maintains the NIH Continuity of Operations Plan
• Provides emergency communication services through the AlertNIH notification system
• Manages and coordinates NIH recovery operations during and following a critical impact

On September 10 and September 11, DEPC set up a display in Building 10 and Building 31 respectively to highlight emergency preparedness. Featured were emergency supply kits, family emergency planning, AlertNIH and other important information.  

While visiting the DEPC table, please feel free to enter the drawing for a special prize. The drawing will be held on September 25 and the winner will be contacted by phone or e-mail that same day!

For additional information on National Preparedness Month, please visit: http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/depc.

If you have any questions, please contact the Division of Emergency Preparedness and Coordination at 301-496-1985.

Individuals with disabilities who need Sign Language Interpreters and/or reasonable accommodation to participate in this event should contact Steve Peterson at steve.peterson@nih.gov or 301-496-1985 and/or the Federal Relay (1-800-877-8339).