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December 23, 2015 issue of the DPSAC NEWS  
In This Issue
Dear Valued DPSAC News Subscriber
Spotlight on . . . Special Volunteers
NIH Issues Badging Instructions for Walter Reed and USUHS Faculty & Staff
NED Training Schedule for Remainder of FY '16
2015 DPSAC News in Review

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Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC),  

Office of Research Services  

 

Personnel Security 

Helpdesk: 301-402-9755

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    
Dear Valued DPSAC News Subscriber,

In 2015, as in years past, DPSAC and the HSPD-12 Program Office remained focused on the continued implementation of HSPD-12 to keep the NIH workforce and NIH resources safe from security threats.

NIH adopted a number of important policies and procedures relating to badge issuance throughout the year, including: tighter screening policies for visitors to NIH; new badging policies with stricter vetting for NIH Summer Students; strict enforcement of a new OPM policy requiring new employees, contractors and affiliates applying for a badge to complete and submit their Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (e-QIP) to DPSAC as a condition of being issued Personal Identity Verification (PIV) or Restricted Local Access (RLA) cards; and more.

In late 2014 and early 2015, NIH implemented new policies for issuing Extended Visitor (NIH 'Legacy') badges to Service Providers, Board Members, Construction Workers and others who are not registered in the NIH Enterprise Directory (NED) and may need frequent physical access to NIH facilities.

Now, before extended visitors can be issued an NIH ID badge from the NIH Police, giving them access to NIH facilities, they must complete an Extended Visitor form (DPEVF 100) that is reviewed and approved by an Administrative Officer (AO) with PIV Sponsor authority and be fingerprinted.

The Spring of 2015 marked the first full year that all Summer Students arriving at NIH for their assignments were issued an RLA badge. All Summer Students are required to be fingerprinted.

Once DPSAC successfully reviews the fingerprint check, the Summer Student is issued an RLA badge that is valid for the duration of his or her appointment, but expires no later than September 30 of the year it is issued. The badge provides physical access to the NIH. Also, the Summer Student must remain under escort in restricted areas.  

In 2015, NIH implemented a new federal policy stipulating that before an NIH employee, contractor or affiliate can be issued a PIV card (HHS ID Badge) or RLA Badge to access NIH facilities and NIH IT resources, s/he must first accurately complete and submit the e-QIP and related investigation forms in a timely manner to allow DPSAC time to review and release them to OPM.

If DPSAC determines the application forms are incomplete, DPSAC will be required to send the documents back to the individual for completion. Incomplete forms will result in a delay of the badging process. All new employees, contactors and affiliates must follow these guidelines. There are no exceptions! 

Individuals new to NIH who do not complete their e-QIP prior to their "Entry on Duty" (EOD) day will not receive a PIV Card or RLA Badge until this review and release process is completed.

DPSAC and the NED Team added two new categories to NED Badge Status reports -- 'Waiting for DPSAC to authorize ID badge issuance' and 'DPSAC authorized ID Badge Issuance' - to accommodate this new requirement.

The 'Hack'
As part of the PIV process, each employee, contractor and affiliate badge applicant is required to complete a questionnaire through the Office of Personnel Management's secure online system: Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (e-QIP).

Following an unprecedented cyber attack and massive data breach of millions of OPM personnel files in June 2015, OPM shut down e-QIP for all federal agencies, including NIH, for three months while it repaired its IT vulnerabilities.

With the suspension of the electronic e-QIP questionnaires, NIH was limited to processing cases manually and issuing temporary badges.

While e-QIP remained offline, OPM and HHS provided guidance regarding an interim process for individuals to complete their background investigation forms via fillable PDF and paper forms, including issuance of an interim id badge.

Once all systems were back online, individuals receiving a temporary badge valid for six months were required to complete the investigation forms in e-QIP to obtain a permanent ID badge. Unfortunately, many NIH badging customers experienced delays in obtaining their permanent PIV cards (HHS ID Badges), or RLA Badges.

As part of the revised e-QIP system, OPM now requires all applicants to use a 14-character alpha/numeric PIN to regain access to the e-QIP system.

The Division of International Services (DIS) reiterated that all foreign national contractors who need an RLA badge must first be cleared by DIS.

In early October, NIH began enforcing the REAL ID Act. The 'Act' prohibits federal agencies from accepting driver's licenses or identification cards issued by 'non-compliant states' for the purpose of accessing federal facilities rated at Facility Security Levels 3, 4, or 5, and military facilities. NIH is a Security Level 4 facility. Currently, this restriction only applies to driver's licenses and identification cards from Minnesota and American Samoa.

In February 2015, Walter Reed began requiring a National Security Background Investigation for NIH Staff Working at Walter Reed. NIH Administrative Officers (AOs) and Administrative Technicians (ATs) were advised to plan ahead for individuals who expect to rotate through or work at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) since they will require a higher level (National Security) background investigation in order to work at that facility.

NIH staff applying for positions of national security must complete the Questionnaire for National Security Positions [SF86] and undergo the appropriate background investigation. Because the process for completing a higher level background investigation takes considerable time, DPSAC is advising AOs and ATs to initiate the process as soon as the candidates know they will be working at WRNMMC.
 
Remaining Vigilant
DPSAC and the HSPD-12 Program Office staff are at their posts each day to implement HSPD-12 policies and to ensure that the NIH workforce, visitors to NIH, NIH facilities and resources are safe from the types of intrusions and threats we sadly witness too often these days.
 
DPSAC and the HSPD-12 Program Office recognize the importance of maintaining open communications with its nearly 40,000 customers during the continued implementation of HSPD-12.

Through the use of helpdesks, a bi-weekly e-newsletter, e-mail alerts, regular staff meetings to identify problems and propose solutions, a website dedicated to the PIV process and HSPD-12, web based training for applicants and administrators, and a host of other communications tools, those leading the HSPD-12 effort strive to keep the NIH workforce informed as new policies and procedures get implemented.

The introduction of easy-to-use customer feedback tools by DPSAC and the HSPD-12 Program Office this past year allow DPSAC to monitor customer satisfaction, recognize and resolve problems on the fly, and improve upon an already high level of satisfaction among DPSAC customers.  
 
Best wishes for a happy, healthy, safe and productive New Year to you and your families.  
 
Richie Taffet    
Program Manager, HSPD-12 Program Office   
 
Note: highlights of DPSAC News articles published over the past year are presented later in this newsletter.  


 
This is the fifth in a series of articles spotlighting position classifications that the NIH uses to determine the type of badge it can issue. Based on the individual's classification, s/he will be eligible for either an HHS ID Badge (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 investigation 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).*
Classification: Special Volunteer      
Who is a Special Volunteer? 
According to NIH Policy Manual 2300-308-1 (http://oma.od.nih.gov/manualchapters/person/2300-308-1/
), A Special Volunteers is an "individual who provides research services, direct patient care, clerical support, technical assistance, or any other necessary services for NIH but is not financially compensated for their activities or actions. However, training for Special Volunteers may be paid by using Institute or Center (IC) funds."
 
See specific eligibility requirements discussed below. 
 
Who is NOT a Special Volunteer?
Some may confuse Special Volunteer with Guest Researcher. A Guest Researcher is a scientist, engineer, and/or student who is permitted to engage in scientific studies and investigations using NIH facilities. Under this appointment, these individuals further their own research by using equipment and resources that are otherwise unavailable to them. They provide no direct services to NIH. They may not have any patient contact. The authority may apply to non-NIH employees or non-NIH trainees who are sponsored and paid by outside organizations or are self-supported. For specific eligibility requirements, please review the NIH Policy Manual 2300-308-1 (http://oma.od.nih.gov/manualchapters/person/2300-308-1/).
 
For additional information about Guest Researchers, see "Spotlight on . . . Guest Researchers" in the November 11, 2015 DPSAC News
 
Type of badge issued to Special Volunteers 
Special Volunteers who are U.S. citizens that will be at NIH long term (greater than six months) are issued a PIV Card (HHS ID Badge) with a horizontal green stripe printed below the individual's photo  (Figure 1). Short term (less than six months) and foreign national Special Volunteers receive the Restricted Local Access (RLA) badge with a shorter green stripe printed above the HHS logo (Figure 2).


                  
                      Figure 1                                   Figure 2

Are Special Volunteers entered into NED?
Yes. AOs/ATs will enter all Special volunteers into NED and will sponsor them for an ID badge. Foreign national Special Volunteers are also entered into NED. However, they will need to get a Social Security Number (SSN) if they want an ID badge. If the individual will not be obtaining a SSN, the NIH Division of International Services (DIS) needs to inform DPSAC before DPSAC will issue an ID badge.

Who processes the badge requests for Special Volunteers?   
The Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC) enrolls and issues the PIV Card to Special Volunteers (or RLA Badge in the case of foreign nationals).
What background investigation is required for Special Volunteers? 
Long-term Special Volunteers will undergo a background investigation commensurate with their roles and responsibilities. These Special Volunteers will be required to submit fingerprints and complete and release e-QIP to DPSAC. DPSAC then will submit the fingerprints and e-QIP forms to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for conducting the necessary background investigation before any ID badge can be issued. 
Short-term (less than six months) Special Volunteers are only subject to a fingerprint check. Short-term Special Volunteers who choose to extend their time at NIH beyond six months will need to complete e-QIP. 
 
Security/Background Clearance
The same test of character, reputation and fitness applicable to regular federal employees should be considered in accepting services of Special Volunteers. In addition, all individuals involved with the provision of child care services must have a background check consistent with 42 U.S.C. 13401.    
  • Medical Executive Committee Review (MEC):  Special Volunteers who may be providing clinical care should have their clinical credentials approved by the MEC or other credentialing entity recognized by the Deputy Director for Intramural Research. In addition, any patient contact by a non-immigrant foreign national Special Volunteer must be consistent with visa provisions and authorized by the DIS, ORS.

  • Employing Organization/NIH Agreement:
    Because Special Volunteers provide a service to NIH, ICs should enter into written agreements that stipulate that employing organizations have agreed to relinquish supervision over activities and services performed at NIH.*
*Note: This requirements applies only to employees of outside organizations on sabbaticals or leaves of absence.
 
Citizenship
Special Volunteers are not required to be U.S. citizens of U.S. permanent residents. However, non-immigrant foreign nationals (i.e., non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents) must be cleared by the Division of International Services (DIS), ORS, NIH, in order to permit their assignment at NIH. Such clearance is required before the assignment may commence.
 
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 long-term foreign national Special Volunteers
will have a 3-year lifecycle.

RLA badges issued to short-term (less than six months) Special Volunteers will have a 6-month lifecycle.    
What else should you know about Special Volunteers? 
 
Pay/Compensation 
NIH does not financially compensate Special Volunteers for their activities or services. Training for Special Volunteers may be paid for using IC funds.
 
Approval Authority  
Special Volunteer appointments are reviewed and approved by the IC Scientific Director or other designee. Intramural Scientist Emeriti may be approved as a Special Volunteer upon approval by the Board of Scientific Directors and the Deputy Director for Intramural Research, provided that they meet the provisions of the policy spelled out in NIH Policy Manual Chapter 2300-308-1 (http://oma.od.nih.gov/manualchapters/person/2300-308-1/).
 
For Special Volunteers that require clinical credentialing, an additional approval must be received from the Director, Clinical Center (CC) (or delegate) after recommendation by the CC Credentials committee and the Medical Executive Committee (MEC).
 
Eligible Eligibility   
Special Volunteer services may be accepted from any individuals who are:
  • donating their services as members of volunteer or charitable organizations
  • offering their services on their own time
  • receiving fellowships or stipend support from outside organizations with whom they have non-employment relationships
  • employees of outside organizations on sabbaticals or leaves of absence
  • federal employees volunteering services unrelated to their official duties and responsibilities, outside their normal work hours.

Special Volunteer services may not be accepted from individuals who are:

  • Commissioned Officers in the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) or members of other uniformed services
  • paid employees of outside organizations who are not on sabbaticals or leaves of absence, unless their voluntary service is on their own time.
  • guest researchers 
Patient Contact: Consistent with applicable PHS policy, Special Volunteers who will engage in direct patient care activities in the NIH Clinical Center must have and maintain current valid professional licensure, have their professional credentials reviewed, and obtain clinical privileges consistent with requirements specified by the IC. Any patient contact by a non-immigrant foreign national Special Volunteer must be consistent with visa provisions and authorized by the DIS, ORS.
 
Health Insurance: 
Special Volunteers are not eligible for health insurance coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Those who do not have adequate health insurance must obtain immediate coverage that is substantially equivalent to the Federal Health Benefits Plan and show proof of coverage prior to beginning an assignment. The NIH may not purchase health insurance for Special Volunteers.
 
Special Volunteers who fail to obtain adequate health insurance coverage will be denied the use of NIH facilities. Furthermore, those sponsored as J-1 Exchange Visitors who willfully fail to obtain and maintain the minimum health insurance coverage (for themselves and any J-2 dependents) required by the U.S. Department of State will be deemed in violation of these regulations and may be terminated by DIS, ORS, as a participant in the exchange visitor program.
 
Available Resources: 
ICs may, at their discretion and subject to the availability of funds, provide space, equipment, clerical support, clothing or uniforms, or any other resources deemed necessary for volunteers to carry out their assignments (including travel and training).
 
Disposition of a Special Volunteer's ID Badge
When Special Volunteers 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. 

Should you have questions about a classification, please call the DPSAC Helpdesk at 301-402-9755 or e-mail them at: [email protected]
                                                            
* The 'NIH Badging Authority by Classification Table' containing brief descriptions of all position classifications can be viewed on the DPSAC website at: http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/badge/Pages/applying.aspx

NIH Issues Badge Processing Instructions for Walter Reed & the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) Faculty and Researchers Requiring Access to the NIH

The NIH Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC) is providing the following ID badge processing instructions for USUHS faculty and researchers and WRNMMC staff who plan to collaborate with their NIH counterparts and who will need physical and logical access at NIH.* 

To initiate processing for an ID badge to obtain physical and logical access to NIH facilities, individuals coming from USUHS/WRNMMC should provide the information below to the administrative office from the NIH Institute or Center (IC) with whom they will be collaborating.  
 
1. The USUHS/WRNMMC individual should be entered into NED as a Collaborator (Clinical) or Collaborator (Non-Clinical) as appropriate.

2. Please indicate that the USUHS/WRNMMC individual will need his or her ID badge for "More than six months."

3. The AO should select the "domestic" location to ensure that the USUHS individual in not subject to the NIH census.

4. The Position Title "Collaborators (Clinical or Non-Clinical)" should be chosen to designate the required background investigation. Since all USUHS/WRNMMC staff undergo background checks, this is a "pro forma" entry to maintain consistency in the DPSAC database.
 
If a USUHS/WRNMMC staff member is found not to have a current background check on file, then NIH will require the USUHS/WRAMMC Personnel Security Office to show proof that the individual is in the process of having a background check completed and that his or her fingerprint results are on file.

Once USUHS/WRNMMC individuals are entered into NED, they will receive e-mail instructions on how to obtain their ID badge.  NIH recommends they visit the badging office in Building 10, Room 1C52 (South Lobby) to obtain the badge.**
 
o The NIH IC requesting the ID badge must contact [email protected] if the USUHS/WRNMMC individual requires access to specific buildings, rooms, labs, etc. with controlled access in addition to the NIH perimeter.

For assistance, please contact DPSAC at: [email protected] or (301) 402-9755.

* The NIH IC should enter the USUHS or WRNMMC individual into the NIH Enterprise Directory (NED) and request an ID badge and network account as appropriate.

** The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) is the nation's federal health professions academy--akin to the programs of the U.S. military academies at West Point, Annapolis and Colorado Springs. And like the academies, students are not charged tuition; they repay the nation for their education through service. USUHS's curricula and educational experiences are similar to those of civilian academic health centers, with an emphasis on military health care, leadership, readiness and public health.

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center - Bethesda (WRNMMC) serves as the location of the headquarters for Joint Task Force National Capital Region/Medical, a tri-service task force providing command and control for most medical treatment facilities in the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New Jersey. The WRNMMC continues to provide all the services it provided as National Naval Medical Center (NNMC), having additionally absorbed many departments and services from Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC).
 
Helpful Tips

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.

NED Training Schedule Offers a Class a Month for the Balance of FY '16 

New and relatively inexperienced NED Portal users with an Administrative Officer (AO) or Administrative Technician (AT) role are invited to take advantage of one of the hands-on NED training classes being offered (one a month) through the end of fiscal year 2016.

Each class will provide an overview of the NED Portal and the NIH business functions it supports from the perspective of a NED Portal user with the AO or AT role.

Upon completing the course, students will have a solid working knowledge of the NED Portal and be able to perform the following tasks: Register/Activate, Update, Modify, Transfer, Badge Renewal and Deactivate.

The course will also familiarize students with other aspects of the NED Portal so they can set their primary SAC coverage using Preferences, determine the status of a person's ID badge and/or network account request, look up and view information in a person's NED record and utilize NED reporting capabilities.

To register for one of the classes listed below, go to: http://training.cit.nih.gov/class_details.aspx?cId=NIHCIT-GN142. 


2015 DPSAC News in Review

 

Revised NIH Badging Authority by Classification
Every person entering NIH facilities is required to have an identification badge. All Federal employees, contractors and organizational affiliates who require access to federal facilities and/or information systems must go through the Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process to be issued a new HHS ID Badge or a Restricted Local Access (RLA) Badge. 
 
Certain classifications of individuals who are at NIH and who require access to NIH facilities will not require a full background investigation. These individuals will, however, undergo a standard criminal history check that will be conducted by the NIH Police prior to being issued an alternate NIH (Legacy) ID Badge.
 
A revised table showing all position classifications at NIH is now posted on the web page: NIH Badging Authority by Classification Table.  
 
The table also reflects new policies and procedures for issuing Extended Visitor (NIH 'Legacy') badges to Service Providers, Board Members, Construction Workers and others who are not registered in the NIH Enterprise Directory (NED) and may need frequent physical access to NIH facilities.
How to Handle Broken/Damaged PIV/RLA Badges
If an individual thinks his/her badge is broken or damaged, s/he should stop by the Access Control office to have it checked. Access Control staff will troubleshoot the problem and determine whether the existing badge needs replacing or repair. The Access Control office will issue a new badge if the old badge cannot be repaired (see related FAQ below).

(AOs should) not report a broken/damaged badge as "lost or stolen" since a lost or stolen badge requires the AO to report the badge as lost or stolen and the individual will need to be re-enrolled in NED prior to Access Control issuing a new badge.
  
FAQs
Q. We have a contractor who is on H-1 B visa status. What kind of identification credential should she be issued and from whom?  

A. All foreign nationals who need physical/logical access will get an RLA badge. The H1B visa type does not matter, nor whether the H1B was sponsored through the contract company. The person would still be issued an RLA badge from DPSAC [once, of course, the individual has been cleared through the NIH Division of International Services (DIS)].
  
Help Us Help You! - Know How to Spot Common Fire Safety Hazards in the Workplace 
Peer responsibility plays a large part in keeping NIH facilities fire safe. Therefore, it is extremely important for the NIH community to be able to spot and correct the more common workplace fire safety hazards before a fire incident occurs.

Below are the top 10 fire safety hazards that are frequently encountered in NIH facilities that can be easily spotted, corrected, and more importantly, prevented.      
 
1. Blocked or locked exit doors
2. Storage in stairwells
3. Fire doors propped open
4. Improper use of extension cords
5. Material/equipment in corridors that impede egress
6. The use of portable space-heating devices in laboratories and health care areas
7. Flammable or combustible liquids and compressed gas cylinders in corridors
8. Tampering with fire protection equipment
9. Missing ceiling tiles
10. Use of equipment with damaged or exposed electrical wiring
 
January 21, 2015       
Renewing Your Smart Card Certificates
DPSAC regularly receives inquiries from individuals wanting to know how to renew their PIV Card (smart card) digital certificates. Individuals will be notified by e-mail when their HHS ID Badge (a.k.a. PIV Card or smart card) certificates are coming up for renewal. Once notified, they can select from one of three options to renew their certificates:
1. Use the Access Card Utility (ACU) software installed on your Windows computer
2. Use a self-service ACU workstation located in your IC
3. Make an appointment with an LWS operator in your IC
Should none of these options be available,
4. Make an appointment with a specialist at one of DPSAC's Badge Issuance stations     
Test of the AlertNIH Emergency Communication Service
The following article is excerpted from the January (2015) HR News

... the NIH community will soon begin receiving all emergency communications through the AlertNIH service.  One notable difference will be that notifications of a change in operating status will no longer come from the OHR Director's Desk and will instead be communicated via AlertNIH. AlertNIH messages are used solely for emergency purposes only, informing you of emergency situations that pose an immediate threat and/or to inform you of a change in operating status for the NIH due to an emergency situation (e.g., inclement weather).
 
REAL ID Enforcement  
Phasing in the Required Use of 'Compliant' Drivers' Licenses and ID Cards to Access Federal Facilities Requiring Proof of Identity 
The following article is based on information posted on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) website:
 (http://www.dhs.gov/real-id-enforcement-brief)  

What is REAL ID?
REAL ID is a coordinated effort by the states and the federal government to establish minimum standards for the production and issuance of state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards to improve the reliability and accuracy of state-issued identification documents. According to the DHS, the Act "should inhibit terrorists' ability to evade detection by using fraudulent identification." REAL ID implements a 9/11 Commission recommendation urging the federal government to "set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses."

REAL ID Act to be enforced in phases  
Current regulations state that federal agencies "may not accept state-issued driver's licenses or identification cards for official purposes from individuals unless the license or card is REAL ID-compliant and was issued by a compliant state as determined by DHS." 

PSC Updates its Enrollment and Badge Issuance Services Directory for Remote Locations 
NIH has made arrangements with the Program Support Center (PSC) to make available enrollment and HHS ID Badge (PIV Card) issuance services to individuals located at remote locations and who are unable to easily travel to DPSAC enrollment and issuance facilities at NIH's Bethesda main campus or its other satellite offices listed on this page.

An updated table of PSC regional support staff in 10 HHS regional offices supporting HSPD-12 badging activities is posted on the DPSAC website at: http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/badge/Pages/badgingremote.aspx.
Safety Corner
Understanding the Proper Use of Fire Doors
If you are located in one of the many research laboratories on the NIH Bethesda Campus, it is very likely that the door you use to enter and leave your laboratory is a "fire-rated" door. Doors you use to enter stairwells located in your building are also fire doors.

To maintain proper use of a fire door: Keep the door closed at all times;
don't prop open the door with wedges or by bending the closing mechanism; don't install metal "kick plates" higher than 16 inches from
the bottom of the door; don't store equipment or combustibles against the fire door; avoid blanking off hardware; don't nail or screw signs or other items to the fire door.
  
National Security Background Investigation Required for NIH Staff Working at Walter Reed
NIH Administrative Officers (AOs) and Administrative Technicians (ATs) need to plan ahead for individuals who expect to rotate through or work at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) since they will require a higher level (National Security) background investigation in order to work at that facility.
NIH staff applying for positions of national security must complete the Questionnaire for National Security Positions [SF86] and undergo the appropriate background investigation. DPSAC strongly suggests that individuals print an Archival Copy of the completed SF86 for their records.*
New Visitor Access Requirements Coming to NIH October, 2015  
Starting July 13, 2015 (i.e., three months before the REAL ID Act will be mandatorily enforced), NIH will notify individuals attempting to use driver's licenses or identification cards from non-compliant states about the upcoming change. During this period individuals will still be allowed access to NIH using a driver's license from a non-compliant state.
     
New Badging Requirements for NIH Summer Students
With spring just a month away (March 20), can NIH summer students be far behind? When this year's 'class' of summer students begins arriving at NIH for their assignments, they will be required to undergo a fingerprint check administered by the Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC) in order to receive NIH's new Restricted Local Access (RLA) ID Badge.  

Reminder -- Submitting a Completed e-QIP is Mandatory Before Badge Issuance 

DPSAC is not issuing PIV cards (HHS ID Badges) to individuals who have not completed their Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (e-QIP) and had DPSAC staff review the documents for submission to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). 

If DPSAC determines the application forms are incomplete, DPSAC will be required to send the documents back to the individual for completion, thus delaying the badging process. All new employees, contactors and affiliates must follow these guidelines. There are no exceptions! *

* If DPSAC determines that the individual has a background investigation on file that is still valid, and is equal to or higher than the level of investigation required for the position, e-QIP will not be required.      
 
'HappyOrNot' Interactive Kiosks Make Feedback Easy for NIH Enrollment and Badging Customers 
If you've  recently visited the Enrollment or Badge Issuance Offices in Building 31, you probably noticed DPSAC's new "HappyOrNot' kiosks. DPSAC installed these eye-catching displays near the exits to quickly gather and record feedback from customers on their way out the door. HappyOrNot (is designed to) help drive customer and employee satisfaction improvement.

Temporary Lifting of Security Freezes on Credit Information Required for Some Background Investigations 
The following article is reprinted periodically to remind individuals who will occupy positions of public trust or higher to temporarily lift security freezes on their credit files so that OPM is able to complete background checks on them.
 
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Federal Investigative Services Division (FISD), has experienced an increase in the number of national credit bureau checks that are unobtainable due to individuals placing a security freeze on their credit files.
 
When OPM-FISD is unable to obtain a tri-bureau credit report due to one, two, or all three bureaus having a security freeze, the overall effect is an incomplete investigation.
 
In order to ensure the quality of OPM's investigative products, effective immediately, if you have a security freeze in place, it must be temporarily lifted prior to submission of the e-QIP to the DPSAC office. This requirement applies to national credit bureau checks which are conducted as extra coverage for positions of 'public trust' or higher.
 
Preparing for Summer Student Arrivals this Spring
With over 1500 Summer Students expected to arrive at NIH starting in March and continuing at least through May, DPSAC is encouraging ICs to advise their incoming students to make their badging appointments as soon as they are able to do so to avoid a possible badging 'crunch.'

This is the first full spring that each incoming Summer Student will be issued a Restricted Local Access (RLA) Badge for physical and logical access. 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 results.  
 
DPSAC Begins Weekly Enrollment and Badging Services at 5601 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 
Starting March 4, 2015, DPSAC will begin offering enrollment and badge issuance services at 5601 Fishers Lane on Wednesdays.

Clinical Rotators are not able to obtain a badge without being fingerprinted -- while AOs must still request a badge for Clinical Rotators through NED, the Extended Visitor form requested by the NIH Police provides them with the necessary information to be able to take and submit fingerprints to OPM. NED does not currently capture all the required information to process a fingerprint check for Clinical Rotators (and thus the need for the form).
 
 
 
NED v3.7.2 Released on March 2, 2015
The NED Team deployed a maintenance release (NED v3.7.2) on March 2. According to a recent notification from the NED Team to NED Portal users, the release includes a new NED reporting capability via nVision and several business Change Requests (CRs), including changing the maximum NIH ID badge expiration date for people classified as Tenant and Volunteer (other than Special Volunteer) to one year from two years.

Fire Safety Tips for Using Microwave Ovens
Microwave ovens are used every day, both at home and in the workplace. When used properly, the microwave is safe and convenient for heating a variety of foods in a short time. When you become complacent about microwave safety, however, your appliance can cause painful burns and become a potential fire hazard.
 
Preparing for Summer Student Arrivals at NIH

As NIH gets ready to welcome this year's class of summer students, DPSAC is gearing up to make sure the badging experience for the new arrivals is easy, quick and uneventful.
As in past years, DPSAC expects to process over 1,500 summer students for ID badges between March and June. ...this spring offers additional challenges since it will be the first time the entire 'class' will be issued the new Restricted Local Access (RLA) badge for physical and logical access.    
Two appointments needed to get an RLA badge 
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.
FAQs
Q. I have a question about the article in the recent DPSAC News titled "Temporary Lifting of Security Freezes on Credit Information Required for Some Background Investigations." When and for how long are people expected to lift the temporary freeze on their credit accounts?
 
A. Upon submitting the e-QIP application, the individual should contact the three credit bureaus to request a temporary freeze lift. The credit freeze should reactivate automatically after 40 days.
 
Please use the following contact information to reach the three reporting agencies: Equifax: 800-685-111 or www.equifax.com/freeze ;Experian: 888-397-3742 or www.experian.com/freeze;TransUnion: 888-909-8872 or www.transunion.com   
 
Two Categories Added to "NED Badge Status' Reports 

Change reflects new policy requiring DPSAC to release suitability documents to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) before badges can be issued

When an AO uses Track Badge Status in NED, s/he will see two new possible status categories under the "What" column: "Waiting for DPSAC to authorize ID badge issuance" & "DPSAC authorized ID Badge issuance."
These categories were added to NED's Badge Activation reports to reflect new requirements for PIV Card issuance announced in the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) publication 201-2.

FIPS 201-2 introduces a third requirement for the issuance of a PIV Card, namely, that DPSAC must review the e-QIP submission and related forms for accuracy and completeness and then release the reviewed background investigation package to OPM.

DPSAC Customers Give DPSAC Early High Marks Via 'HappyOrNot' Interactive Kiosks 
A month after being activated, the 'HappyOrNot' interactive kiosks installed at DPSAC's Building 31 enrollment and badging offices to monitor customer satisfaction have yielded their first complete month of data, and early indications are that DPSAC customers are (mostly) happy.

Out of a total of 1008 individuals who gave responses at the Enrollment and Badging kiosks, 907 (89%) reported having a very positive 'happy' experience, and an additional 86 (9%) reported a 'somewhat happy' experience. While the overwhelming majority of all respondents (over 98%) indicated they were happy with the service they received, there were still 15 people (less than 2%) who were not.
"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. 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 revoke the badge. This includes a change from an FTE to contractor (i.e., to a PIV card with a green stripe) or from an FTE to an RLA badge (to an ID Badge with an orange stripe).
Note: There is a notice that goes out to the AO that the ID badge will be revoked immediately when the classification is changed from FTE to anything else. When FTEs are issued a new RLA badge, the individual's current ID will be immediately deactivated when his/her AO requests a new ID badge in NED. NED will alert the badge holder and the AO by e-mail in advance so that they may coordinate their badging efforts. 

The individual is advised to schedule his or her badge enrollment and issuance appointments immediately after their AO approves the badge request in NED to ensure that access privileges to the NIH campus and network systems continue uninterrupted.
 
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.
 
RLA Badging Policies and Foreign Nationals

Badge Expiration Dates:
NIH sees a large number of foreign nationals who join its workforce each July. Badge requests for foreign nationals now default to a 3-year RLA Badge.

No Social Security Number:  Please be advised that DPSAC will NOT issue any type of ID badge to individuals without a Social Security Number (SSN) who plan to be working at NIH longer than six (6) months. Individuals without an SSN who fall into this category must access the NIH facilities as a daily visitor.

Alien Authorized to Work Until Date (AAWUD):The Division of International Services (DIS), ORS, must clear all foreign nationals assigned to the NIH before badge issuance. This clearance ensures that foreign nationals are lawful to be in the U.S. and are authorized to work at the NIH.

Please note that if the AAWUD lapses, NED will immediately initiate a revocation of the affected foreign national's ID badge. Therefore, it is important for the NIH administrative community to coordinate with DIS to ensure that DIS updates a foreign national's AAWUD if appropriate.

At the three-year mark of residence in the U.S., a background investigation will be required.

Foreign National PIV Card (HHS ID Badge) Renewals: Due to limitations in the HHS card management system, AOs who are in the process of renewing the PIV Card for a foreign national after July 14, 2014 will cause the individual's current PIV card to be immediately deactivated.

DPSAC is recommending that the badge appointment be made on the same day as the sponsorship action to help avoid any interruption of physical or logical access due to a deactivated (revoked) badge.     
FAQs 
Q. I work at the NIH, but I need my daughter to drive me to work every day because I am not physically able to drive myself. I heard the process to obtain an extended visitor badge for my daughter has changed since 2014. What is that process?

A. Before visitors can be issued an ID badge giving them access to NIH facilities, they must complete the Extended Visitor form
that will be approved by an Administrative Officer (AO) with PIV Sponsor authority and be fingerprinted. Applicants will have their photo taken and their fingerprints electronically captured and submitted through the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for criminal history screening.             
In the past, any federal employee could sponsor someone for an Extended Visitor Badge. This sponsorship capability is now limited to NED AOs who also hold the NED Sponsor role. As a result, NED AO Sponsors may now receive requests to approve Extended Visitor Badge.

Please note that before a NED AO can sign off on the required Extended Visitor forms, s/he will need to hold the NED Sponsor role. 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 Badge.

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.     
 
Issuing Extended Visitor Badges at NIH - Then and Now  Prior to 2014, NIH could issue an ID badge to an Extended Visitor based on a 'Name Check' of that individual since a Name Check provided an individual's complete criminal history.

The NIH police processed 'Name Checks' through the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and were able obtain a full criminal history profile on people sponsored for a badge, free of charge. 

The NCIC check was the minimum acceptable criteria agreed to by HHS that gave NIH the delegated authority to print an Extended Visitor badge and grant a person access.
Two nearly simultaneous events took place in 2014 that forced a review of physical access privileges offered to non-NIH staff: 
First, the FBI restricted NIH's ability to obtain an individual's complete criminal history using a 'Name Check', citing a 300% increase in NIH's use of the system since 2010 and a shift in FBI policy.  
Second, as a result of this change, and to maintain NIH's credentialing authority from HHS, the extended visitor categories were reduced to include only those individuals who meet the following five criteria:
  1. The individual has a supporting role to the NIH mission
  2. The individual has a recurring requirement to enter the campus for the purposes of supporting the mission
  3. The individual is sponsored by an Administrative Officer (AO), who is authorized to enter persons into NED for an HHS ID Badge (PIV Card)
  4. The individual allows the NIH Police to take his/her fingerprints and the Division of Personnel Security and Access Control to adjudicate the results, if issues are uncovered.  
  5. The sponsoring IC pays for the cost of processing fingerprints, which is currently $21.50 (FY2015)
Summer Students are NOT Extended Visitors
DPSAC recently learned that some individuals accepted into the NIH Summer Student program are being advised by their AOs to fill out Extended Visitor forms. This is not advisable. Summer students are required to have a Restricted Local Access (RLA) badge which is issued by DPSAC, not the NIH Police.
 
Before a summer student can be issued a badge -- all summer students are issued an RLA badge -- their AO needs to enter them into NED.

On Becoming an e-QIP Genius
Completing the Forms for Your Background Check: The 'e-QIP' Questionnaire
As part of the Personal Identify Verification (PIV) process to determine an individual's suitability for federal employment, each applicant must complete a questionnaire through the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) secure online system: Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (e-QIP).
DPSAC will then review the individual's submission for completeness and accuracy prior to being electronically transmitted to OPM. Please be advised, for new employees and contractors DPSAC cannot issue an ID badge until the individual's e-QIP documents are sent to OPM.
News Briefs - Cybersecurity Incident Information
HHS Employee Data Potentially Compromised
The following e-mail from the Office of Personnel Management, dated June 4, 2015, has been distributed via HHS News to the HHS listserv.
Dear Colleagues,
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recently became aware of a cybersecurity incident affecting its systems and data that may have exposed the personal information of current and former Federal employees. I have been informed by OPM that U.S. Department of Health and Human Services employee data has potentially been compromised in this incident and I wanted to share more information with you right away.
Since the incident was identified, OPM has partnered with the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to determine the impact to federal personnel. As a result of this investigation, OPM is notifying approximately 4 million individuals whose Personally Identifiable Information may have been compromised. The notifications will be sent beginning June 8 and continuing through June 19 by e-mail and U.S. mail.
In order to mitigate the risk of fraud and identity theft, OPM will offer affected individuals credit monitoring services and identity theft insurance through CSID, a company that specializes in identity theft protection and fraud resolution. This comprehensive, 18-month membership includes credit report access, credit monitoring, identity theft insurance and recovery services and is available immediately at no cost to affected individuals identified by OPM.

Following this incident, OPM took immediate action to implement additional security measures in order to protect the sensitive personnel data it manages. I would like to take the opportunity to remind you of the seriousness of cyber threats and of the importance of vigilance in protecting our systems and data.
Mary K. Wakefield
Acting Deputy Secretary

Clarifying the NIH Badging Policy for Individuals with No Social Security Number 
Currently, individuals who will be working at NIH less than six months (180 days) who do not have a Social Security Number (by definition, only foreign nationals would fall into this category) will receive a Restricted Local Access (RLA) or legacy badge depending upon their designation in NED.
Issuance of the RLA badge in these cases is based on a Special Agreement Check (SAC) which is a limited investigation (or series of checks) done only through special agreement between OPM and an agency. The Social Security Number (SSN) is not required to conduct a SAC check, so DPSAC can process the badge request.

Foreign nationals without an SSN are advised to apply for one before or when they come on board at NIH.

Individuals who will be working at NIH longer than six months without an SSN will not be processed for an RLA badge unless they get an SSN.  The reason is that DPSAC needs the SSN for e-QIP.
For foreign nationals who will be working at NIH longer than six months, but have been in the US for less than three years, DPSAC will conduct a National Agency Check (NAC) as a minimum investigative requirement. Once the person hits the three-year mark, he or she will undergo a background investigation (e.g., NACI, MBI, etc.) based on their position sensitivity level.
 
OPM Memo to Federal Workers: U.S. Government Still Considers Marijuana an Illegal Drug
The following memo from Katherine Archuleta, Director, OPM, was published on Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Recently, several states and the District of Columbia have decriminalized the use of marijuana, allowing the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes and/or for limited recreational use.

These changes to state law have raised questions about whether federal employees in these jurisdictions may use marijuana as provided for in state law. Federal law on marijuana remains unchanged. Marijuana is categorized as a controlled substance under Schedule I of the Controlled Substance Act.
OPM Temporarily Shuts Down e-QIP to Address Security Issues, Vulnerabilities
 
Interim guidelines direct agencies to use paper copies of employees' background investigation forms
Per HHS policy, part of the requirement to receive an ID badge is to complete required background investigation forms. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) requires that these forms be completed using its online system called the Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (e-QIP). Recently, this system has been taken offline to address security issues and vulnerabilities.

OPM and HHS have provided guidance regarding an interim process that must be followed to complete these forms. While e-QIP remains offline, individuals will be required to complete their background investigation forms via fillable PDF and paper forms.

Individuals must still be fingerprinted in order to receive an ID badge.

Please note that once OPM's e-QIP system is back on line, individuals receiving a temporary badge will be required to complete the investigation forms in e-QIP to obtain a permanent ID badge.      
NIH Personnel Security Office to Notify New HHS ID Badge Applicants to Use Paper Background Investigation Forms While e-QIP is Off Line
Beginning immediately, the NIH Personnel Security Office, DPSAC, will begin sending out the following e-mail to new employees, contractors and affiliates who must complete a background investigation as part of their requirements for federal employment: 
 
Dear colleague:
As a member of the NIH community, you are required to have a background investigation.  The statutes directing this requirement are embodied in Executive Order 10450 and Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12. If you are receiving this message, you must complete a background investigation.

Due to the temporary suspension of the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (e-QIP) system, the NIH, in accordance with HHS guidance, is requesting the steps outlined below be completed.

These forms must be completed before you can receive a temporary ID badge that is valid for six months. Please note that once OPM's e-QIP system is back on line, you will be required to complete the investigation forms in e-QIP to obtain a permanent HHS ID badge.

Update to All HHS Staff on OPM Cybersecurity Incidents    
Excerpts of an update distributed to all HHS staff on July 6, 2015
 
Dear Colleagues,
 
I am writing to provide an update on the recent cyber incidents at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). OPM is working hard to improve customer service, complete its forensics effort, and to conduct a comprehensive IT systems review. Many of your questions and concerns about these incidents are addressed here.
 
Personnel Records Incident
First, OPM is working to complete the process of notifying individuals whose personally identifiable information (PII) may have been compromised by the incident involving personnel records announced on June 4th. 

OPM is offering credit monitoring services and identity theft insurance with CSID, a company that specializes in identity theft protection and fraud resolution. All affected employees are automatically enrolled for a comprehensive, 18-month membership, whether or not they have yet received a notice from OPM.      

FAQs  
Avoiding Badging Delays with Timely Registration of New Employees into NED  
The following FAQs, which first appeared in the June 24, 2015 DPSAC News, have been modified slightly for clarification purposes in response to inquiries from DPSAC News readers.  
 
Q. Can I put someone into NED even though that person's Entry On Duty (EOD) date is a few weeks off?
A. Yes you can!  It is actually encouraged to enter new staff into NED a few weeks before EOD. 
 
Q. If a contractor is converting to an FTE, can I, as an AO, reclassify the contractor to FTE via a NED update prior to their first day as an FTE without causing the person's badge to be revoked?

A. Yes you can! A contractor badge (with the green stripe) will continue to work until the badge holder receives the HHS ID Badge (PIV Card) with a white 'stripe' that is issued to FTEs.

Foreign national contractors require special attention when they are converting to an FTE or are renewing their PIV card.

Due to limitations in the HHS smart card management system, AOs need to be aware that renewing the badge of a foreign national currently in possession of a PIV card or reclassifying a foreign national with a PIV card from contractor to FTE results in the immediate revocation of the PIV card.

To help mitigate this problem, foreign nationals with PIV cards should make their badge enrollment and issuance appointments on the same day as the sponsorship action to help avoid any interruption to physical or logical access due to a deactivated badge.

If the affected foreign national is not immediately notified via e-mail to schedule his/her enrollment and badge issuance appointments once NED is updated, the individual should visit DPSAC (or his/her local security office) to request an appointment.

AOs should reach out to their foreign national customers before starting the badge renewal or sponsorship task and explain the importance of picking up their new RLA badge on the same day that their PIV card is revoked.

NIST's NextGen PIV Card Strengthens Security and Authentication
From NIST Tech Beat: June 16, 2015
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has updated its technical specifications and guidance for the next generation of "smart" identity cards used by the federal government's workforce. The new specifications add enhanced security features to verify employees' and contractors' identities, as well as new capabilities that work with mobile devices and media such as smart phones.

The next generation PIV Card can be used with mobile devices, enabling federal employees to connect securely to government computer networks from such devices.
OPM Temporarily Shuts Down e-QIP to Address Security Issues, Vulnerabilities 
The following article, which first appeared in the July 8, 2015 DPSAC News, has been modified to reflect new hiring procedures for FTEs and revised procedures for registering contractors and affiliates converting to FTEs while the e-QIP system is down.           
Interim guidelines direct agencies to use paper copies of employees' background investigation forms 
Per HHS policy, part of the requirement to receive an ID badge is to complete required background investigation forms. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) requires that these forms be completed using its online system called the Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (e-QIP). Recently, this system has been taken offline to address security issues and vulnerabilities.

DPSAC requires three specific actions to occur in order to successfully screen a candidate:
1. NED Entry 
This is the first step that triggers DPSAC to send an individual the required security forms and to set up a fingerprint appointment.    
2. Security Forms 
OPM and HHS have provided guidance regarding an interim process that must be followed to complete the required investigation forms. While e-QIP remains offline (current estimated downtime is 4-6 weeks), individuals will be required to complete their background investigation forms via fillable PDF and paper forms.  
3. Fingerprinting
Individuals who need to complete these forms will receive an e-mail with instructions from [email protected]. A sample e-mail is attached to this message.

These forms must be submitted to the Division of Personnel Security & Access Control (DPSAC)
 
Hiring of new federal employees
The guidance provided by OPM and HHS will fundamentally change how the Office of Human Resources (OHR) makes a final offer of employment to new federal hires. Before a final offer letter can be provided to a new hire, the prospective employee will be required to fill out and submit to DPSAC the appropriate security forms and have fingerprints taken.

In order for DPSAC to provide the necessary forms and fingerprinting instructions, an Administrative Officer (AO) must first register the prospective employee in the NIH Enterprise Directory (NED). 
Individuals who are not active in NED will not be scheduled for orientation.
 
Contractors and Affiliates Converting to an NIH FTE 
While the e-QIP system is down, DPSAC will be simplifying the process for individuals currently supporting the NIH in another capacity (e.g., contractors or affiliates) who are already active in NED and will be converting to an NIH FTE. AOs should not register these individuals in NED.

Instead, they should update the existing record to reclassify the person to an NIH FTE and update other pertinent information such as position title, work location information, etc. AOs should do this no later than the effective date of the individual's orientation with OHR (a few days in advance is okay). DPSAC is working with OHR to ensure these people can be scheduled for new employee orientation in a timely manner.
 
The HSPD-12 Program Office will soon send an e-mail to the AO/AT community summarizing the changes to background investigations and badging policies resulting from the temporary suspension of the e-QIP system. 
 
DPSAC recognizes that this system outage will inconvenience many current and future NIH staff. We appreciate your patience and understanding.   
   
NIH Police Alert Workforce of Phone Scams
The NIH Police want the NIH community to be aware of recent phone scams directed at staff. Typically the caller will claim to be a government employee (usually from the IRS or the Department of Homeland Security) threatening the NIH staffer with arrest and imprisonment if he or she doesn't immediately send the caller a sizeable sum of money.

According to the NIH Division of Police, ORS, these phone scams usually take one of three forms:

1.  The caller says he or she is from the IRS, that taxes are owed and
must be paid immediately or the person will be arrested.
 
2.  The caller states s/he is from the Department of Homeland Security and that there is an issue with the person's visa. Money must be sent immediately or the person will be deported.
 
3.  The caller states that he or she is from a police department, and that the person has an outstanding warrant.  If the person sends money, the warrant will be cancelled.
 
No government agency demands payment using prepaid cards, Western Union, etc.

HHS has identified a phishing campaign targeting HHS users
The phishing e-mail appears to come from an HHS e-mail address and warns the user about a suspicious login attempt on the user's e-mail account.  

The e-mail states that the user's e-mail address will be blocked unless users validate their e-mail credentials by following a link. Clicking the link takes the user to a website designed to look like an HHS Outlook Web Access (webmail) login page. If you enter your credentials, they will be harvested by the malicious sender before you are sent to the actual HHS Outlook Web Access page.
This is not a legitimate e-mail from anyone at HHS or HHS Operating Divisions.
News Briefs 
OPM to Charge Agencies for Services Offered to Hack Victims 
Excerpted from an article published July 21, 2015 in GovExec.com by Eric Katz

The Office of Personnel Management is asking agencies to pitch in to help pay for the credit monitoring services being offered to the 21.5 million individuals affected by the hack of background investigation data it maintains.
OPM and the Interior Department paid for the costs of the services offered to victims of the initial hack of 4.2 million former and current federal employees' personnel files stored on a server housed at Interior.

Acting OPM Director Beth Cobert said that all agencies will have to contribute a yet-to-be determined amount from their fiscal 2015 appropriations. The costs will be proportional to the total number of individuals affected by the breaches at each agency, a strategy that was developed "in concert with" OMB.
 
NOT IN NED = NOT ENTERING ON DUTY             
For some time, the Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC), together with the Office of Human Resources (OHR), have been trying to "clear" future federal new hires so that they can be sent a final offer letter by OHR.

Under the current process, OHR sends DPSAC a listing of potential new hires [from OHR's Workflow Information Tracking System (WITS)], generally twice a week. DPSAC then reviews these listings and responds back to OHR with the status of each name on the list.

DPSAC has noticed a troubling trend in this process. For example, a July 30 report from OHR to DPSAC contained 233 names. A review of the 233 names resulted in the following:
  • 122 individuals were clear for a final offer letter and the scheduling of an Entry on Duty (EOD) date;
  • 39 individuals could not be cleared because they had not completed their background investigation forms; 
  • 12 individuals could not be cleared for an EOD until they were interviewed and cleared by the Division of International Services (DIS); and
  • 60 individuals were not entered into the NIH Enterprise Directory (NED) by the IC's administrative staff.
This last figure (60 out of 233, or 26% of the OHR list) indicates that no further action can be taken for 60 individuals by either OHR or DPSAC because they can't be seen by DPSAC.  

"Not in NED" translates to being invisible to DPSAC

IMPORTANT: It is imperative that future new hires be entered into NED
 
Why? DPSAC needs to gather their Personally Identifiable Information or PII (Full Legal Name, SSN, Date of Birth and Place of Birth) in order to check OPM's database to see if the individual has a closed background investigation on file. This search requires DPSAC to have the individual's PII from the NED data entry.

The check of the OPM database may indicate that the future new hire may not need another background investigation, thus saving the IC money and saving the new hire the time needed to complete background investigation paperwork. Entering the person into NED also saves DPSAC time since it won't have to initiate a new background investigation, review the investigation when it is returned and release it to OPM. This obviously speeds up the new hiring process for DPSAC, OHR and the IC.     

HHS Issues Guidelines to OPDIVs to Begin Implementing Revised e-QIP - Full Resumption of e-QIP Will Occur in Stages 
Many of the HHS OPDIV/STAFFDIVs will come up with a plan that works best for them to put e-QIP back online. For NIH, the following phased resumption plan is in work:
 
1. Process cases initiated but not yet entered into the e-QIP portal prior to the shut down.
2. Process cases initiated but not yet touched when e-QIP was shut down.
3. Continue the interim paper process for new requests in priority order, beginning with SF86, 85P and 85.
4. Target to resume all new e-QIP by network access no earlier than September 2.

As part of the e-QIP resumption plan, the Department also offered step-by-step guidance to its e-QIP specialists on how to proceed with its case management backlog.
e-QIP Adds 14-Character Alpha-Numeric PIN as Requirement with all e-QIP Applications
As part of the newly revised e-QIP system, OPM will now require all applicants to use a 14-character alpha/numeric PIN to regain access to the e-QIP system. The e-QIP specialists will need to perform an authentication reset and provide the applicant with the PIN.

The specialists are instructed to provide this PIN to the applicant via their ".GOV" or ".MIL" e-mail address or in person for those without network accounts.

How these changes to e-QIP will impact NIH
DPSAC anticipates that it will be able to resume full use of e-QIP for everyone no earlier than September.

DPSAC will pre-screen all non-FTE personnel in accordance with the HHS directive requiring completed forms and agency review prior to issuing an identification card (PIV or RLA).  
 
DHS Issues REAL ID Program Update to Federal Agencies
Universal Enforcement of the Real ID Act Begins October 10 
 
(In an August 3 communique) the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reminded agencies that REAL ID enforcement Phase 3B begins on October 10, 2015. As of that date, federal agencies are prohibited from accepting driver's licenses or identification cards issued by non-compliant states for purpose of accessing military and federal facilities rated at Facility Security Levels 3, 4, or 5. [This includes NIH].

As this list is subject to periodic revision, individuals may always find the most recent list at http://www.dhs.gov/secure-drivers-licenses.
 
Implementing REAL ID at NIH 
The NIH will continue to accept all driver's licenses for day visitors (i.e., individuals who enter the NIH campus through the Gateway Center or Commercial Vehicle Inspection Facility who are issued a day pass).

Starting October 10, 2015, when all federal agencies will begin enforcing the REAL ID Act, NIH cannot accept non-compliant licenses as an I-9 document for federal identification purposes for issuance of a PIV card, RLA badge or NIH Legacy badge.

OPM Announces Immediate and Retroactive FY 2015 Price Adjustment for Background Investigations 
OPM's Federal Investigative Services (FIS) issued Notice No. 15-04 on July 21, 2015 announcing a retroactive price increase, effective immediately, on the reimbursable billing rates previously published in Federal Investigations Notice (FIN) 14-07, Investigations Reimbursable Billing Rates Effective October 1, 2014.

During the July billing cycle, OPM FIS will bill agencies for the additional amount required for each case previously ordered and billed thus far in FY 2015, and all remaining cases ordered in FY 2015 will be billed at the increased rates reflected in this FIN.
FIRE SAFETY TIPS FOR USING PERSONAL COMPUTERS 
- Make sure that a multipurpose fire extinguisher (e.g., one rated for ordinary combustibles and electrical fires) is    located within a reasonable distance from your personal computer. 
- When you leave your personal computer on and unattended, turn off the monitor during your absence. Monitors generate high voltage internally with the potential to start an electrical fire, or even trigger an explosion if the computer is located in a flammable atmosphere (such as one might encounter from a gas leak or from flammable vapors resulting from a chemical spill in a laboratory).
- Never leave on a personal computer, monitor, or printer with protective dust covers in place. 
- Never place liquids on computer components or other electronic equipment where damage from spills could occur. 
- Make sure that your computer's electrical outlet is properly grounded and has a sufficient power rating to handle all the components connected to it. 
- Keep backup copies of important data in a remote location (i.e., in another building or in a safe deposit box).
  
HHS Issues Guidelines to OPDIVs to Begin Implementing Revised e-QIP 
 
DPSAC anticipates that it will be able to resume e-QIP by network access in early to mid September, 2015.

OPM will now require all applicants to use a 14-character (alpha/numeric) temporary PIN to register in the e-QIP system. Upon entering the system, the individual will be prompted to create his or her own 14-character password. Below are posted a number of frequently asked questions regarding the continued use of the temporary background investigation process and what to expect when e-QIP resumes.
 
FAQs Address NIH's Temporary Background Investigation Process 
The following questions and answers relate to the implementation of revised onboarding standards for FTEs and non-FTEs.
Q. Once e-QIP is back online, will the applicant still need to complete the three steps before being issued a badge, i.e., submitting e-QIP, getting fingerprinted and having DPSAC review e-QIP for completeness and submitting it to OPM?

A. The three-step process will stay in place once e-QIP goes back online. DPSAC is now required to receive and review the background investigation forms and release them to OPM prior to any Badge (HHS ID or RLA) being issued. This new HHS requirement affects all HHS OpDivs.
Also new to the process, DPSAC will have to communicate with the applicant and supply him/her with a personalized and unique 14 character (alpha and numeric) temporary PIN. The new 14-character temporary PIN will be required to initially log into e-QIP and must be used every time the applicant returns to e-QIP to update his/her responses.
Two-Factor Is Better Than One: Celebrating Progressive Government IT
(Excerpted from an article appearing in NextGov.com, August 4, 2015 by Tony Busseri (CEO of Route1 Inc).

The data breach at the Office of Personnel Management announced in June was a terrible event, but it has been a major catalyst for positive change in regards to government cybersecurity practice.
   
Federal officials have seized the opportunity to critically examine security standards, identify weak points and aggressively address them. The government is now leading the charge for secure mobility, especially with its planned rollout of mandatory two-factor authentication for all agencies.
The Office of Management and Budget, along with U.S. CIO Tony Scott, initiated a 30-day "cyber sprint" June 12. There can no longer be any excuse for not keeping mobile data secure, and the government is taking the lead on patching critical vulnerabilities.           
Among those initiatives included in the cyber sprint was the mandatory implementation of smart card-based two-factor authentication across the federal workforce. This rollout stems from Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which mandates a standard for reliable forms of authentication for government networks, including personal identity verification cards and Common Access Cards.
NIH to Resume e-QIP Initiations in September 
DPSAC is pleased to announce that it has successfully incorporated OPM's new security measures into its own procedures and will resume e-QIP initiations in September. Please note that individuals who completed the paper background investigation forms will be notified by DPSAC to complete e-QIP. OPM has stated the paper forms cannot be submitted to their offices.

Foreign National Contractor Badge Clearance Update 
All foreign national contractors who need a Restricted Local Access (RLA) badge must first be cleared by the Division of International Services (DIS). DIS now offers contractor badge clearance hours from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, no appointment necessary.    

FAQs
Q.
What is the difference between "revocation" of a person's ID badge and "deactivation" of their NED record?    
A.Revocation refers to the disabling of a person's ID badge in the NIH Physical Access Control System (PACS) and the HHS Smart Card Management System (SCMS). When this occurs, the person is no longer able to use the badge for physical and/or logical access (i.e., in the case of a smart card).

For example, when an Administrative Officer (AO) reports a person's badge as lost in the NED Portal, or the expiration date printed on the badge is in the past, the person's badge is revoked, but the NED record remains "active."

NED deactivation occurs when a person separates from NIH and their NED record status changes from active to inactive. For example, when an AO submits a 'deactivate' task in the NED Portal, or NED deactivates the record based on a person's 'not to exceed' (NTE) date, the deactivation (of the NED record) initiates the revocation of the person's ID badge and/or NIH network account. 

Safety Corner - Fire Lanes on the NIH Campus  
We have all noticed cars illegally parked in designated fire lanes. It happens everywhere, unfortunately, including on the NIH Bethesda campus. These lanes are absolutely essential for effective emergency response. Blocked emergency access places our people and facilities at risk.

The signs that shout "NO PARKING - FIRE LANE" should be simple and straightforward enough.
 
When there is an emergency, fire, rescue and police vehicles need to get close to the buildings, fire hydrants and sprinkler/standpipe system connections.

Leaving your privately owned or government owned vehicle in a fire lane can severely hinder firefighting and rescue efforts, making this a very serious offense. At the NIH, this violation results in a $55 fine plus a $25 processing fee for the driver of the vehicle plus towing and impoundment charges.

Make no mistake: All parking in designated fire lanes on the NIH Bethesda campus is against the law and there are no exceptions!
 
NED Team Deploys NED v.3.7.5 
NED completed deployment of a maintenance release (NED v.3.7.5) on September 5. This release includes functionality for NED to e-mail an OD/Office of Human Resources (OHR) e-mail distribution list when DPSAC completes pre-screening of a prospective new NIH FTE (employee).

DPSAC pre-screening includes adjudication of the prospective employee's fingerprints and validation that the e-QIP forms completed by the prospective employee are ready for DPSAC to submit to OPM.

This added functionality will save both DPSAC and OHR considerable time and commitment of personnel in determining when OHR is able to extend a final offer letter to a prospective new employee.

Customers Continue to Give DPSAC High Marks 
Six months after being activated, customers using the 'HappyOrNot' interactive kiosks installed at DPSAC's Building 31 enrollment and badging offices are continuing to report very high customer satisfaction.

(For the month of August 2015) out of a total of 584 individuals who gave responses at the Enrollment and Badging kiosks, 568 (97%) reported having a very positive 'happy' or 'somewhat happy' experience, whereas 16 (3%) reported being less than happy.

OPM, DoD Announce Identity Theft Protection and Credit Monitoring Contract
OPM issued the following news release on September 1, 2015

Victims of Cybercrime to Receive Three Years of Services 
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) today announced the award of a $133,263,550 contract to Identity Theft Guard Solutions LLC, doing business as ID Experts, for identity theft protection services for 21.5 million individuals whose personal information was stolen in one of the largest cybercrimes ever carried out against the United States Government.

These services will be provided at no cost to the victims whose sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, were compromised in the cyber incident involving background investigations.
NED Screens Signal When ID Badge Can be Issued & When Person Can Begin Working at NIH

Determining When an Applicant is Approved for a PIV Card or RLA Badge
DPSAC regularly fields calls from the administrative community asking about the badge status of incoming employees, contractors and affiliates. Finding where someone is in the badge approval process is as simple as checking 'View Badge History' in the NED Portal. Badge approval also signals that a person can begin working at the NIH.

As each step in the badge process is completed, the NED Portal updates 'View Badge History' with a new tracking point.

The NED team recommends the use of 'View badge History' instead of 'Track Badge Status' because the latter may not always return the expected results. Specifically, when there are two badge requests, 'Track Badge Status' will only show the request with the most recent activity.

If the most recent activity is terminating one of the requests, 'Track Badge Status' will display the request with the last action "Process Terminated," but will not display the active request.

Authorizing ID Badge Issuance
The View Badge History "DPSAC authorized ID badge issuance" tracking point indicates that DPSAC has completed its employment suitability pre-screening process. This means that the individual has been cleared by DSPAC to begin working at the NIH.

For new federal employees, it signals to the Office of Human Resources that it can extend a final offer letter with an expected EOD (Entry on Duty) date to the prospective employee. For non-FTEs, this means that the IC can allow them to begin working.

The "Email sent to individual to pick up ID badge" tracking point indicates that the badge is available for issuance. Individuals should not report to a badging office with an expectation of receiving a badge until NED has sent this e-mail.

Note: badges cannot be issued prior to the expected EOD date.

New NED e-mail alerts OHR it can extend final offer to a new FTE
The September 16 issue of DPSAC News reported the deployment of maintenance release NED v.3.7.5 that includes functionality for NED to e-mail an OD/OHR e-mail distribution list when DPSAC completes pre-screening of a prospective NIH FTE (employee).

DPSAC pre-screening includes adjudication of the prospective employee's fingerprints and validation that the e-QIP forms completed by the prospective employee are ready for DPSAC to submit to OPM.

This added functionality will save both DPSAC and OHR considerable time and commitment of personnel in determining when OHR is able to extend a final offer letter to a prospective new employee.
"Click-to-Sign" (CTS) Will Offer Faster e-QIP Review and Approval 
Starting October 1, applicants completing their electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (e-QIP) will have the ability to 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 capability will extend to all federal applicants (military, employees and contractors) who use e-QIP to fill out their Standard Form.

...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.
 
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.

Currently, this restriction only applies to driver's licenses and identification cards from Minnesota and American Samoa.

The NIH Legacy ID Badge - a Primer 
Every person entering NIH facilities is issued and required to display prominently on his or her person, an ID badge issued by NIH.
Over the coming weeks, DPSAC News will run a series of articles describing, in some depth, the three types of ID Badges issued by NIH - the HHS ID Badge (PIV Card), the Restricted Local Access (RLA) Badge and the NIH Legacy ID Badge - and how NIH uses position classifications to determine which badge to issue to individuals requiring access to NIH facilities and/or the NIH computer network.  
The series begins with an overview of the three badge types with special emphasis on the NIH Legacy ID Badge.
The Three Major Badge Types  
All ID badges start with position classifications
The issuance of ID badges is based on strict identity proofing and the determination of one's suitability for a specific position classification. NIH uses a large variety of distinct position classifications based on a person's function in support of the NIH mission to determine the type of badge it will issue. Each classification, in turn, is paired with one of three badge types.   
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 possible badge types issued by NIH: the PIV Card (HHS ID Badge), the RLA Badge or the NIH ID Legacy Badge.
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).

PIV Cards
While the majority of Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Cards issued by DPSAC go to NIH Employees (FTEs) and Contractors (44.5% and 33.3% respectively), there remain a significant number of individuals who are not FTEs or Contractors but also qualify for a PIV Card. These individuals, referred to collectively as Organizational Affiliates, include:
  •     Fellows
  •     Guest Researchers
  •     Collaborators (Clinical and Non-Clinical)
  •     Special Volunteers
Each candidate for a PIV Card is sponsored by an IC AO and undergoes a background investigation commensurate with his or her roles and responsibilities. Also, each candidate is entered into NED and will receive a PIV card that is good for up to five years before it needs to be renewed.
RLA Badges
The Restricted Local Access (RLA) Badge is reserved for three classifications: Short Term Hires (i.e., individuals hired by NIH for less than six months); Summer Students (all Summer Student badges expire on September 30 of the year they are issued); and Foreign Nationals.   
Each candidate for an RLA Badge is sponsored by an IC AO and undergoes a fingerprint check and/or background investigation commensurate with his or her roles and responsibilities.

While all Foreign Nationals at NIH are issued an RLA badge, the lifecycle of the badge may extend up to 3 years. Foreign nationals at NIH longer than three years will continue to be issued an RLA badge but will be subject to a more rigorous background investigation.
NIH Legacy ID Badges
A Legacy Badge provides physical access to the NIH main campus and allows holders of this badge to enter the campus through employee entrances. Legacy Badge recipients are individuals who do not qualify for a PIV Card or RLA Badge but need access to the NIH to provide a function that supports the NIH mission.

Who can be issued a Legacy ID Badge? 
While all Legacy Badges are authorized by the NIH Police, the vetting process will vary based on the individual's role and responsibilities at NIH, (i.e., his or her classification). Who can sponsor the individual is also dependent on the roles and responsibilities inherent in the position classification.

The "Extended Visitor NIH Legacy ID Badge" 
Of the many position classifications that require a Legacy ID Badge, NIH has identified several for which applicants must complete the "NIH Extended Visitor Application Form," formerly the "Authorization for Release of Information Form (Extended Visitor ID Badge Application) (DPEVF-100)" provided by the NIH Police. This form is available on the NIH Security website at the link: NIH Extended Visitor Application Form  
OPM Publishes 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.

The 'Notice' states that "For FY 2016, OPM-FIS is raising prices to fully recover an increase of 7.8% in the costs necessary to run (the) OPM-FIS' investigations program."     
 
 
 
Spotlight on... Collaborators

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.
Spotlight on ... Guest Researcher

Who is a Guest Researcher?
According to "NIH Manual Chapter 2300-308-1, NIH Guest Researcher/Special Volunteer Programs, "Guest Researchers are scientists, engineers and students who are permitted to engage in scientific studies and investigations using NIH facilities. Under this program, these individuals further their own research by using equipment and resources that would otherwise be unavailable to them. They provide no direct services to NIH. They may not have any patient contact."
DPSAC Customers Are (almost) All Smiles 
DPSAC is pleased to report that its customers are happy . . . and getting happier!

According to customer feedback collected at DPSAC's "HappyOrNot" kiosks installed near the exits of its Enrollment and Badge Issuance locations in Building 31, 99% of those who responded (440 of 477 individuals) were happy with the service they received, while only 1% (7 of 477 individuals) recorded unhappy experiences.

These data represent a 2% rise in customer satisfaction for the Enrollment Office, and a 1% rise in satisfaction for the Badge Issuance Office.... October marked the first full month that the new contractor customer service staffs were in place for the Enrollment Office.
New NIH Policy Manual, Chapter 1443: Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) Implementation Policy
On November 3, 2015, the Office of the Director (OD), Office of Management (OM), Office of Research Services (ORS), Office of Security and Emergency Response (SER), Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC) announced the issuance of a new manual chapter, "Chapter 1443 - Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) Implementation Policy."

This new chapter, which is posted at https://oma1.od.nih.gov/manualchapters/management/1443/ establishes the HSPD-12 implementation policy for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and includes "the requirements for obtaining an identification (ID) badge for all employees, contractors, and affiliates who require physical access to NIH facilities and access to NIH Information Technology (IT) networks and information."     

Don't Risk Losing Your Access to NIH Facilities and NIH IT Resources
DPSAC wants to remind its customers that they must complete their e-QIP forms and respond to Letters of Interrogatory (LOIs), when requested, in a timely manner or risk losing their physical and logical access (i.e., access to the NIH network and IT services) privileges. LOIs are sent to individuals when DPSAC needs additional information to clarify findings from that person's background investigation.

Spotlight on ... Special Governmenet Employees   
Who is a Special Government Employee? 
A Special Government Employee (SGE) is a member of an NIH Advisory Council, Board of Scientific Counselors or Program Advisory Committee who receives an honorarium and/or per diem and travel. SGEs are appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Director of NIH or the Director of an Institute/Center (IC).
 
NED Release v.3.7.6 Supports RLA Badge Issuance to Clinical Rotators
On November 16, 2015, the NED Team deployed maintenance release NED v3.7.6. According to the Team, "the ... release implements functionality to support a new ORS Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC) requirement that NIH issue RLA (Restricted Local Access) ID badges to Volunteer-Clinical Rotators instead of NIH ID 'Legacy' badges."
As of November 16, Volunteer-Clinical Rotators entered into NED will be sent to DPSAC for fingerprinting. Upon successful completion of the fingerprint check, these individuals will be issued an RLA badge.  

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.

Q. Our Institute has invited an individual from Minnesota to speak at an upcoming meeting being held on the NIH campus in mid-December. Since this person is from Minnesota, his driver's license does not meet the REAL ID ACT requirement for identification to access the NIH campus.  However, this person does have a 'Global Entry Card.' Will he be able to access the campus with that card?
      
A. Yes. Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States.

According to the Associate Director for Security and Emergency Response, the Global Entry Program screening and identity verification processes correspond to HSPD-12 procedures. Therefore, if a person has a Global Entry Card with a picture and RFID chip, it suffices for access to NIH.
Note: the REAL ID Act will also affect identification requirements for air travel as of January 1, 2016.

December 9, 2015
Spotlight on ... Clinical Rotator 

Who is a Clinical Rotator? 
Medical or dental student who participates in a clinically-oriented elective rotation, usually over a 4- to 12-week period, in one of the specialty fields and biomedical disciplines at the NIH.
 
NIH badging statistics from HHS as of December 4 , 2015 
Sponsored: 37,102  Enrolled: 36,474  Issued: 35,409* 
*This figure represents 95.0% of individuals who have been sponsored.
 
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.