DPSAC News Header

April 29, 2015 issue of the DPSAC NEWS

In This Issue

   

 

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    

Incoming Summer Students to Get
RLA Badge


DPSAC will issue the new Restricted Local Access (RLA) badge for physical and logical access to all summer students this year.

The RLA Badge requires the normal two appointments. During the first appointment the student will be identity proofed, fingerprinted and photographed. At the second appointment, the student will be issued his or her RLA Badge. Issuance is subject to DPSAC's successful review of the fingerprint-check results.

Any issues identified through the fingerprint check (i.e., issues that might impact the suitability of the summer student to do the proposed work at NIH), must be reviewed by the Personnel Security Office in DPSAC prior to issuance of an RLA Badge.


Helpful tip:
DPSAC is encouraging ICs to advise their incoming students to make their enrollment and badging appointments as soon as they are able to do so to avoid any delay in the ID badging process.

The RLA Badge Lifecycle

An RLA Badge will be valid for the duration of the summer student's appointment, but will expire no later than September 30 of the year it is issued. Badges should be collected and returned to DPSAC or the appropriate badge issuance office when the summer student leaves.

 

To learn more about summer student badging policies and procedures at NIH, including the badging of summer students at remote locations and the processing of foreign summer students, click on:
http://www.ors.od.nih.go/ser/dpsac/badge/Pages/students.aspx.  

 

 

Avoiding "Inadvertent" Deactivation of NED Fellow Records

NED obtains data from the Fellowship Payment System (FPS) and applies automatic updates daily at 5:30AM (except on Sunday and Monday).  Automatic updates include the deactivation of NED fellow records the day after FPS indicates a fellow is no longer on an active award. 

In order to prevent NED from deactivating a fellow who will be staying on at NIH in a different capacity, an AO must reclassify the person to something other than fellow (e.g., NIH FTE, special volunteer) prior to the expiration of the FPS award. 

An AO can perform the NED reclassification any time after the first business day of the month in which the fellow's FPS award expires.  For example, in the case of a fellow converting to NIH FTE whose FPS award expires on May 15, 2015, an AO can reclassify the person in NED any time between May 4th and May 15th to prevent the automatic deactivation of the NED record on May 16 at 5:30AM.  

 

NED Training Schedule: May - September, 2015

   
Whether you are new to NED or an advanced NED user who needs to hone your NED skills, the HSPD-12 Program Office has a training program for you. These classes are 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 will be taken to the HHS Learning Management System (LMS) where you can register for the course online.

 

To log on to 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: [email protected].   

         

Two New Categories Added to "NED Badge Status' Reports

'Track Badge Status' reports in NED can now generate two additional status categories: "Waiting for DPSAC to authorize ID badge issuance" & "DPSAC authorized ID Badge issuance."

Prior to October 2014, DPSAC was required to receive a completed e-QIP from the applicant and obtain a clean fingerprint report from OPM before issuing a PIV Card. 

New federal requirements mandate that the agency (DPSAC) review the e-QIP submission and related forms for accuracy and completeness and then release the reviewed background investigation package to OPM.

The steps in authorizing an HHS ID Badge

After an applicant is enrolled, NED's Badge Activation status screen will show "Waiting for DPSAC to authorize ID Badge Issuance." 

Once DPSAC has obtained a clean fingerprint report and verified that the required forms are filled out correctly, DPSAC will release the materials to OPM.

The completion of both of these requirements triggers a new status message in NED, "DPSAC Authorized ID Badge Issuance." Once authorization has been confirmed, the applicant will automatically receive an e-mail advising him or her to schedule an appointment.

Please remember that if DPSAC is unable to release these materials to OPM due to missing or inaccurate information, the applicant can expect a delay in receiving his or her badge.
 

 

Helpful Tips

ICs that want to add Lifecycle Work Station (LWS) operators to the approved roster -- send a written request to Richie Taffet at: [email protected]. Your request should include:
  • the new operator's name
  • his/her IC
  • his/her NED number
  • 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 [email protected] to complete the approval process, add the name(s) 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,
[email protected], 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).

AOs who wish to obtain sponsor authority -- must complete the sponsor training (available at: http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/Training/Pages/administrators.aspx) and e-mail a copy of your signed certificate to the NIH HSPD-12 Program Office at [email protected]. Upon receipt of the certificate, the Program Office will authorize the AO as a sponsor.  

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.


News Briefs 

 

The NIH New Employee Onboarding Website has Launched! 
This new website has all the necessary information about the NIH New Employee Orientation as well as information about benefits, community resources, the employee onboarding checklist and other NIH resources. Each new employee will receive a link to the website before he or she arrives at NIH.

This useful tool can be accessed directly by clicking on the link:  
http://hr.od.nih.gov/workingatnih/onboarding/default.htm. Individuals can also access the site by visiting http://www.nih.gov/ and clicking on the NIH Employee Intranet link located in the top right corner of the page. You'll find the new site on the left navigation panel of the NIH Employee Intranet Page.  You may refer any questions or comments to Linda Mongelli at: [email protected]  

 


*** 

 

"W" Added to Employee PIV Cards to Indicate a White Stripe
PIV Cards for NIH Full Time Equivalent (FTE) employees will now be printed with a "W" to designate a 'white stripe.'

This decal is intended to help the visually impaired distinguish between FTE PIV Card holders (whose names and a "W" are printed across a white 'stripe'), from Contractor or Affiliate PIV Card holders (whose names and a "G" are printed across a green stripe) and short term staff (under 180 days), summer students and foreign nationals (whose names and an "O" are printed across an orange stripe on the RLA badges).


FAQs

Q. 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.  

 

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.