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).

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.    

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: