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October 28, 2015 issue of the DPSAC NEWS

In This Issue

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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

 

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Helpdesk: 301-451-4766

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Over the coming months, DPSAC News will run a series of articles under the heading "Spotlight on..." Each article will headline a position classification that NIH uses to determine the type of badge it can issue. Based on the individual's classification, s/he will be eligible for either a PIV Card, an RLA Badge or an NIH Legacy ID Badge.

Determining an individual's correct classification is an important first step in the badge issuance process since it helps ensure that each person requiring access to NIH facilities and resources is vetted appropriately and qualifies for one of the three badge types. 

Each classification also governs whether the individual will be entered into NED, the type of background check to be administered, who will conduct the background check (DPSAC or the NIH Police) and the lifecycle of the badge (i.e., less than six months, up to a year, up to 3 years or up to 5 years).

The series kicks off with the Spotlight on... Collaborators

Classification: Collaborator (Clinical and Non-Clinical)
Who is a Collaborator?
A Collaborator is a non-NIH employee or trainee, employed by or associated with an outside organization, who performs clinical and/or non-clinical research or rotations at/or for NIH, pursuant to an agreement. This includes individuals on a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) or any other type of agreement.

According to Manual Chapter 2300-308-4 titled "NIH On Site Research Collaborator Policy", "`Research Collaborators' include but are not limited to scientists, engineers, physicians and other scientific or health care providers who are engaged in research collaboration with the NIH intramural research program (IRP) staff and are authorized by NIH to engage in scientific studies and investigations with IRP staff using NIH facilities." (Manual Chapter 2300-308-4 NIH On Site Research Collaborator Policy) https://oma1.od.nih.gov/manualchapters/person/2300-308-4/index.html.

Who is NOT a Collaborator?
Some may confuse Collaborators with Clinical Rotators. The Clinical Rotator classification includes medical, dental students or other healthcare providers who participate in 4- to 12-week clinically oriented elective rotations in one of the specialty fields and biomedical disciplines at the NIH. Clinical Rotators will be covered in-depth in an upcoming issue of DPSAC News.

Collaborators are also sometimes confused with Special Volunteers. Special Volunteers fall under the purview of "NIH Manual Chapter 2300-308-1 - Guest Researcher/Special Volunteer Programs."

Type of badge issued to Collaborators  
Collaborators who are U.S. citizens that will be at NIH long-term (greater than six months) are issued a PIV Card (HHS ID Badge).

Short-term (less than six-months) and foreign national Collaborators receive the Restricted Local Access (RLA) Badge.

Are Collaborators entered into NED?
Yes. AOs/ATs will enter Collaborators into NED and will sponsor them for an ID Badge, and logical access if appropriate.

Who processes the badge requests for Collaborators?
The Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC) processes these individuals and issues the ID badge to them.

What background investigation is required for Collaborators?  Long-term Collaborators will undergo a background investigation commensurate with their roles and responsibilities. These Collaborators will be required to submit fingerprints and complete e-QIP. DPSAC then will submit the fingerprints and e-QIP forms to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for conducting the necessary background investigation.

Short-term Collaborators are only subject to a fingerprint check.

How long is the badge good for?  
PIV Badges (HHS ID Badges) are typically issued with a 5-year lifecycle. After five years, the individual will be required to renew his or her HHS ID Badge.

RLA Badges issued to foreign national Collaborators will have a 3-year lifecycle.

Short-term Collaborators will receive a 6-month RLA Badge. 

What else should you know about Collaborators? 
According to Manual Chapter 2300-308-4, there are two kinds of Research Collaborators: (1) Those who provide no direct services to NIH; and (2), those who, as appointees or detailees under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPAs), provide some services to NIH and function, in part, under the supervision and control of the NIH.

Research Collaborators cannot be financially compensated by the Intramural Research Program (IRP) for their collaborative efforts, but they may receive funds from commercial collaborators (for instance, as part of a CRADA) or other sources outside of NIH. Research Collaborators who are on IPA agreements may receive funding from the IRP consistent with NIH policy for IPAs, found at NIH Policy Manual 2300-334-1 Assignments under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (PA), http://oma.od.nih.gov/manualchapters/person/2300-334-1/.

Disposition of a Collaborator's ID Badge
When Collaborators end their employment/affiliation with the NIH, they must turn in their badge to their AO/Sponsor. The AO/Sponsor must return the badge to DPSAC in Building 31, Room 1B03.
    

NIH Begins Enforcing REAL ID Act

'Compliant' Drivers' Licenses' or ID Cards now needed to access federal facilities requiring proof of identity


REAL ID Phase 3b enforcement began on October 10. This phase prohibits federal agencies from accepting driver's licenses or identification cards issued by non-compliant states for the purpose of accessing military facilities and federal facilities rated at Facility Security Levels 3, 4, or 5 and military facilities. NIH is a Security Level 4 facility.
As of October 13, 2015, this restriction only applies to driver's licenses and identification cards from Minnesota and American Samoa.

Note: federal officials may continue to accept Enhanced Driver's Licenses (EDL) from Minnesota. Samples of EDLs from Minnesota are posted on the Department of Homeland Security website (To view samples, click on the link: Minnesota).*

As this list is subject to periodic revision, agencies may refer to the most recent list at http://www.dhs.gov/secure-drivers-licenses

The Interagency Security Committee has produced a guide to REAL ID that can be found online at:


* According to the DHS, State-issued enhanced drivers licenses (EDLs) provide proof of identity and U.S. citizenship, are issued in a secure process, and include technology that makes travel easier. They provide travelers with a low-cost, convenient alternative for entering the United States from Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean through a land or sea port of entry, in addition to serving as a permit to drive.

The DHS has been working with states to enhance their drivers licenses and identification documents to comply with travel rules under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), effective June 1, 2009.

Enhanced drivers licenses make it easier for U.S. citizens to cross the border into the United States because they include:

*  a vicinity Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip that will signal a secure system to pull up your biographic and biometric data for the CBP officer as you approach the border inspection booth, and

*  a Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) or barcode that the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer can read electronically if RFID isn't available.

See the related FAQ at the bottom of the page. 

"Click-to-Sign" (CTS) Offers Faster e-QIP Review and Approval
As of October 1, applicants completing their electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (e-QIP) can digitally sign their e-QIP Standard Form Certification page and related release forms (General, and if applicable, Fair Credit and Medical) using e-QIP's new 'Click-to-Sign' function.

This new capability, which was reported in the September 30 DPSAC News, extends to all federal applicants (military, employees and contractors) who use e-QIP to fill out their Standard Forms. The use of digital signatures with e-QIP will improve the efficiency, timeliness and quality of the background investigation review and approval process.

"Individuals will still have the option of printing the signature pages and hand signing and uploading them into e-QIP before releasing or delivering them to DPSAC," according to DPSAC's Lindsay Gorewitz. "Applicants completing e-QIP also need to remember to complete and attach their forms OF-306 and OF-612," Gorewitz added.  

OPM provides additional information about the Digitally Signed Releases on their website at:
https://www.opm.gov/investigations/background-investigations/digitally-signed-releases/

Note: applicants can only access the e-QIP system if they have been invited to do so by an appropriate official at their sponsoring agency. Individuals cannot pre-apply for a suitability clearance, nor update their security questionnaire unless granted access by an appropriate agency official.

Instructions for 'digitally' signing the forms are spelled out in the September 30, 2015 DPSAC News article, "Click-to-Sign" (CTS) Will Offer Faster e-QIP Review and Approval" posted at:
Helpful Tips 

Still holding onto Summer Student RLA Badges? -- DPSAC would like to remind AOs that Summer Student RLA Badges must be returned to the DPSAC Office, Attention, Alex Salah, Building 31, Room 1B03.

Do not lend your ID badge to anyone! -- lending out your ID Badge is prohibited. The issuance of ID badges is based on strict identity proofing and the determination of one's suitability for a specific position classification.

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.

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).

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.    
 

Know someone who could benefit by receiving DPSAC News? -- have the person contact Lanny Newman, [email protected], and ask to be put on the mailing list.   
 
FY 2016 Pricing Schedule for Background Investigations

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recently published the FY 2016 pricing schedule for Background Investigations in OPM Federal Investigations Notice - No. 16-01 - Investigations Reimbursable Billing Rates Effective October 1, 2015

Costs for the eight most commonly ordered investigations at the NIH are posted on the DPSAC website at: http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/bgchecks/Pages/pricing.aspx 


FAQFAQ

Q. I read in the October 14, 2015 DPSAC News that Minnesota and American Samoa are the only states or territories whose driver's licenses are not REAL ID compliant. A day before the DPSAC News was published, our IC was notified through another channel that Louisiana drivers' licenses are non-compliant while Minnesota's driver's licenses are acceptable. Do you know why there is a difference in reporting and which version is correct?

A. According to the most recent Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posting, dated October 13, 2015, on its website, http://www.dhs.gov/real-id-enforcement-brief, and what was reported in the DPSAC News, only the Minnesota and American Samoa driver's licenses are not REAL ID compliant. DPSAC News was able to update its REAL ID story to include these changes prior to publication. The information in the message you received was accurate at the time, but changed just after the ICs were notified.

This law prohibits federal agencies, classified at Facility Security Levels (FSL) 3 through 5 from accepting driver's licenses or identification cards issued by non-compliant states for purpose of accessing Federal facilities.*

As the list of compliant and non-compliant states and territories is subject to periodic revision, you will find the most recent list at: http://www.dhs.gov/secure-drivers-licenses.

* Federal officials may continue to accept Enhanced Driver's Licenses (EDLs) from Minnesota.
 
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.