FAQsQ. Who is responsible for entering 'Not To Exceed' (NTE) dates for foreign nationals into NIH Enterprise Directory (NED)?
A. The Administrative Officer (AO) who handles the foreign national for his or her IC is responsible for entering the NTE date, which is usually connected to the foreign national's visa expiration date.
Q. Why do some individuals require an escort to enter certain rooms and/or facilities?
A. NIH requires all individuals to have an escort to enter certain rooms and/or facilities unless they meet the appropriate background investigation requirements and have the appropriate authorizations.
Q. How many individual classifications are there in NED?
A. There are currently 13 individual classifications in NED. They are as follows:
1. Collaborator (Clinical)
2. Collaborator (Non-Clinical)
3. Contractor
4. Fellow
5. Guest Researcher
6. Guest Researcher (HHMI Scholar)
7. NIH FTE - GS, WG, SES, Tile 42....
8. NIH FTE - Commissioned Corps
9. NIH FTE - Special Government Employee (SGE)
10. Special Volunteer
11. Tenant
12. Volunteer (Clinical Rotator)
13. Volunteer (Other than Special Volunteer)
Q. Why does the Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC) take so long with adjudications?
A. DPSAC initiates the individual into e-QIP for a background investigation that could go back as far as 10 years into one's past. Filling out the required forms could take as many as 30 days.
Once DPSAC reviews and submits the documentation to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), OPM will conduct the background investigation. This may take anywhere from 90 to 120 days (3-4 months).
Upon completion of the investigation, OPM sends the background investigation back to DPSAC for adjudication. This final process may take 4 to 5 months since a high percentage of background investigations require additional follow up.
Q. Who can have unfettered access to an Irradiator Room?
A. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the ORS Division of Radiation Safety (DRS) have strict rules about access to these types of secure areas. The individual needs to coordinate with his or her IC and DRS in order to obtain the required training and registration with DRS.
Q. Can you confirm for me that a badge will NOT be deactivated if the individual is changing from a Contractor to an FTE?
A. You are correct. A classification change to FTE does NOT cause the badge to be revoked. It just starts a new badge request for an FTE badge (i.e., to a PIV Card with a white stripe).
However, a change from an FTE to another classification will ALWAYS immediately revoke the badge after an AO submits the update in NED. This includes a change from an FTE to contractor (i.e., to a PIV card with a green stripe).
Note: When updating a person's classification from FTE to non-FTE, NED warns an AO/AT that the person's badge will immediately be revoked upon AO approval of the update.