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Contact Us
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
 
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This is the sixth 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 6 months, up to a year, up to 3 years or up to 5 years).*
Classification: Volunteer (other than Special Volunteer)
(as the classification appears in the NED Portal)
Who is a Volunteer?
A Volunteer (other than Special Volunteer) is a non-paid individual who volunteers to support the function of the Clinical Center, a specific Institute or Center volunteer internship program, the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES), Parents of Preschoolers, Inc.(POPI), the Executive Child Development Center (ECDC), NIH Recreation and Welfare (R&W), NIH Federal Credit Union (FCU), Childkind, Inc., and others.
Individuals who fall into this classification are often referred to simply as 'Volunteers.'
Volunteers (other than Special Volunteers) include, but are not limited to: Red Cross, Sunday supper providers, Patient Ambassadors, Playroom Attendants, Family Friends, Language Interpreters, Patient Greeters and Social Worker Interns.
These individuals may begin volunteering at the NIH at any time throughout the year.
Who is NOT a Volunteer?
NED Portal users registering or activating a volunteer-applicant must first select the applicant's classification from a 'dropdown' menu in the NED Portal (in the Preregistration screen).
Although two classifications containing the term 'Volunteer' appear on the menu -- 'Volunteer (other than Special Volunteer)' and 'Special Volunteer' -- the roles and level of responsibilities for the two categories are quite different and easily distinguishable for classification purposes.
According to NIH Policy Manual 2300-308-1 (http://oma.od.nih.gov/manualchapters/person/2300-308-1/), a Special Volunteer 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."
The Special Volunteers classification was spotlighted in the December 23, 2015 DPSAC News
.
Type of badge issued to Volunteers (other than Special Volunteers)
Volunteers are issued an Extended Visitor NIH Legacy Badge ( Figure 1). This badge provides physical access to the NIH campus but not logical access to NIH IT services.
Are Volunteers entered into NED?
Yes. The Volunteer will complete the "Authorization for Release of Information Form (Extended Visitor ID Badge Application) (DPEVF 100)" which can be found on the NIH Security website at: http://security.nih. gov/Pages/Home.aspx.
The Volunteer applicant will submit the completed form to his or her PIV-approved AO who will then sponsor the Volunteer applicant in the NED Portal.
Who processes the badge requests for Volunteers?
Once the PIV-approved AO enters the individual into NED, the NIH Police will be alerted to contact the individual to be fingerprinted. Once the fingerprint check is successfully completed, the NIH Police will contact the individual to be photographed and to receive his or her Extended Visitor NIH Legacy Badge.
What background investigation is required for Volunteers?
The NIH Police will administer a fingerprint check which electronically transmits the individual's biometric data that is checked against the FBI's criminal database for past or current criminal activity. Once the fingerprint check is completed, the NIH Police will issue a badge.
How long is the badge good for?
Extended Visitor NIH Legacy Badges are typically issued with a 1-year lifecycle. After one year, the individual will be required to renew his or her NIH Legacy Badge.
What else should you know about Volunteers?
Volunteers at the NIH Clinical Center
At the Clinical Center, the term 'volunteer' is used in two distinct ways. An individual can: (1) volunteer by participating in clinical trials through the Clinical Research Volunteer Program (CRVP); or (2) volunteer by helping out at the hospital through the NIH Clinical Center Volunteer Services (CCVS).
Volunteering through the CRVP: CRVP provides an opportunity for healthy volunteers - local, national and international - to participate in medical research studies (also referred to as protocols or trials).
Healthy volunteers provide researchers with important information for comparison with people who have specific illnesses. Nearly 3,500 healthy volunteers participate in studies at NIH annually. Clinical Research Volunteers are not under any employee classification. (i.e., they are not Clinical Center Volunteers or Special Volunteers). As a Clinical Research Volunteer, they must have a medical record number and are under a protocol of care. For that reason, they are classified as patients and are only eligible for Extended Visitor Badges as patients. Clinical Research Volunteers are not entered into NED.
Compensation: The NIH compensates study participants for their time and, in some instances, for the inconvenience of a procedure. There are standard compensation rates for the participant's time. The study's principal investigator determines inconvenience rates.
Volunteering through the NIH Clinical Center Volunteer Services (CCVS):
Volunteers at the Clinical Center provide services to the NIH that require no special skill, training or access to NIH systems. These individuals do not provide direct hands-on patient care.
CCVS promotes the mission of the Clinical Center by "developing and maintaining an efficient corps of volunteers to deliver an extra dimension of staff support in the effort of delivering quality care that exceeds the expectations of patients, families and visitors served."
Signing in: The volunteer must sign in when reporting for duty and sign out when leaving the hospital. This is in compliance with the HHS requirements that a record of actual service performed by each volunteer shall be maintained. This also enables the Clinical Center Volunteer Services Program to know at all times who is in the building, to ensure that the individual assignment is covered and to locate the volunteer in an emergency.
Supervision: Volunteers will be accepted for a specific assignment and will report to the supervisor who shall have immediate responsibility for the supervision and control of volunteers assigned to him/her.
(Clinical Center) Volunteer Prerequisites:
- Must be at least 16 years old to volunteer (parental consent required if under the age of 18)
- Complete the volunteer application form
- Sign the volunteer agreement form
- Complete two reference forms
- Commit a minimum of six months (unless otherwise stated in position description)
- Provide documentation of a negative TB test within the past year
- Complete an on-site interview
- Undergo criminal background investigation (fingerprint check as part of the ID badge process)
- Participate in mandatory volunteer orientation
- Cannot be a current or recent patient of the Clinical Center or caregiver/immediate family member of a patient
Pay/Compensation: NIH does not financially compensate Volunteers for their activities or services.
Disposition of a Volunteer's ID Badge
When Volunteers end their 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.
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Temporary Six-Month ID Badges Issued During Summer e-QIP Outage Coming Due for Renewal
AOs and ATs Alerted to Watch for Renewal Notices in their Inboxes
A security breach at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) over the summer caused the agency to shut down e-QIP between July 16, 2015 and August 25, 2015. Over that six-week period, DPSAC issued temporary ID badges (good for six months) with the intention of re-issuing permanent ID badges at the end of the temporary badges' six-month lifecycle.
The NED Team recently notified the AO/AT community to be on the lookout for renewal tasks in their NED inboxes for staff who had been issued six-month (temporary) badges during that period as OPM took e-QIP offline to remedy security weaknesses to the system.
The background information request forms processed during this outage were paper. Since OPM did not accept these paper forms, anyone who falls into this category or still has a six-month badge must complete the background investigation request online.
Because DPSAC is also receiving inquiries from customers about the renewal of six-month badges, DPSAC News is reprinting the NED Team e-mail to remind all stakeholders that these temporary badges will soon need to be renewed in a timely manner:
To: NED AOs/ATs
From: NED Team
Hello -
Over the next three months you may be surprised to see badge renewal tasks in your NED Portal inbox for staff who received ID badges between 7/16/2015 and 8/25/2015.
You probably recall that during this time the NIH Division of Personal Security and Access Control (DPSAC) was issuing ID badges with a maximum six month expiration date due to the temporary shutdown of the Office of Personnel Management e-QIP system.
Even though these individuals only recently received an ID badge, please complete their badge renewal tasks to ensure they receive new badges in a timely manner.
Thanks,
The NED Team
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(Optional) Two-Factor Authentication for e-QIP Enrollment to be Available January 10, 2016
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recently announced that beginning January 10, 2016, e-QIP applicants will have the "option" of using two factor authentication when logging into e-QIP. OPM has also published a Login Guide that shows applicants how to use two-factor authentication when logging into e-QIP. (A link to this Guide is posted below).
As noted on the OPM Portal homepage, "E-QIP version 3.20 will be deployed on Sunday, January 10, 2016. It will include the implementation of 'Two-Factor Authentication,' which is a change that will affect the login process for all e-QIP applicants.
Two-Factor Authentication is an additional layer of protection that e-QIP Direct Applicants can opt into when they are logging into their e-QIP Request or Applicant Access Request (to receive the Archival Copy of a completed e-QIP request). It is an "optional" security action and the applicant must use either a Smartphone or a desktop application to download an app to complete the action."
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Helpful Tips
Do not lend your ID badge to anyone! -- lending out your ID badge is prohibited. The issuance of ID badges is based on strict identity proofing and the determination of one's suitability for a specific position classification.
AOs who wish to obtain sponsor authority -- must complete the sponsor training (see: http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/Training/Pages/administrators.aspx) and e-mail a copy of your signed certificate to the NIH HSPD-12 Program Office at [email protected]. Upon receipt of the certificate, the Program Office will authorize the AO as a sponsor.
ICs that want to add Lifecycle Work Station (LWS) operators to the approved roster -- send a written request to Richie Taffet at: [email protected]. Your request should include: - the new operator's name
- his/her IC
- his/her NED number
- the operator's e-mail address, building/room and phone number
Once Mr. Taffet has approved the request, he will forward the name(s) to [email protected] to complete the approval process, add the name(s) to the LWS operator roster, and inform the IC that the individual is now approved to operate the LWS.
Need to make changes to the LWS operator directories? -- drop an e-mail to Lanny Newman, [email protected], and let him know what needs changing (e.g., adding new operators or LWS locations, removing operators, etc.). Remember, before a new operator can be added to the LWS directory, s/he must first be approved by Richie Taffet (see preceding Helpful Tip). If an LWS is not available in your IC or your immediate area, and you work in the greater Bethesda or Rockville area -- please call 301-402-9755 to schedule an appointment with the Division of Personnel Security and Access Control located in Building 31, Room B1A26 or in Building 10, South Lobby, Room 1C52.
Know someone who could benefit by receiving DPSAC News? -- have the person contact Lanny Newman at [email protected] and ask to be put on the mailing list.
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NED Training Schedule: 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 (once 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.
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Safety Corner
 Help Us Help You! - Know How to Spot Common Fire Safety Hazards in the Workplace
The following fire safety awareness article was prepared by the Division of the Fire Marshal (DFM), ORS
Even though all facilities on the NIH Bethesda and Poolesville campuses are surveyed by the Division of the Fire Marshal (DFM) on a regular basis, fire safety hazards in the workplace can still pop up. With this in mind, the NIH community should not assume the DFM is aware of and/or working to correct every fire safety hazard.
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 -- Exit doors are required by fire codes to be unobstructed so that they are readily obvious in the event of an emergency. In addition, exits doors are required to be unlocked and readily available any time the building is occupied.
2. Storage in stairwells -- Stairwells are prohibited by fire codes to be used for storage or for the installation of equipment not necessary for safety. The objective is to not use the stairwell for any purpose that has the potential to interfere with its use as an exit.
3. Fire doors propped open -- Required fire doors in NIH facilities are typically doors to stairwells, mechanical/electrical rooms, and corridor doors to laboratory work areas. Fire codes prohibit the blocking or wedging of fire doors in the open position so that fire doors are always ready to serve their intended purpose -- to prevent the spread of fire, smoke and hot gases.
4. Improper use of extension cords -- Make sure all extension cords and power strips are approved by the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) and have a UL label. Sometimes extension cords and power strips that are not UL approved do not have a sufficient protective coating over the wires.
Electrical shocks, burns or fires can result from using unapproved equipment.
Do not "daisy chain" power strips with extension cords. In other words, do not hook several extension cords together to energize a power strip located far away from an electrical outlet. Electrical resistance increases with cord length and can cause overheating, leading to a fire or equipment failure.
In addition, hooking several power strips together can result in an overload, which can cause a fire, trip a circuit breaker, or cause a loss of power to the electrical equipment plugged into the power strips.
Do not use power strips or extension cords for high power loads such as microwave ovens, refrigerators or space heaters. Power strips and extension cords are for use with low power loads such as computers and audio or visual equipment according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
In addition, inspect the wattage of everything plugged into a power strip. Add up the total wattage of all items plugged into the power strip. Do not exceed the total electrical wattage the power strip or extension cord is rated to handle to avoid the hazards of a fire or damage to the electrical equipment plugged into the strip.
5. Material/equipment in corridors that impede egress -- A proper means of egress allows unobstructed travel at all times. Fire codes require means of egress to be continuously maintained free of all obstructions or impediments for full instant use in the case of a fire or other emergency.
6. The use of portable space-heating devices in laboratories and health care areas -- Fire codes and NIH policy prohibit portable space-heating devices in all health care areas and laboratory work areas.
7. Flammable or combustible liquids and compressed gas cylinders in corridors -- NIH Policy Manual 1361 (Corridor Utilization) prohibits the use of corridors for the storage of flammable or combustible liquids and compressed gas cylinders of all sizes. The restriction on the storage of flammable or combustible liquids in corridors is intended to eliminate significant fuel sources for a fire. Cylinders containing compressed gases present a particular hazard because of their high pressure and can act as a missile by reaching a high speed in an extremely short period of time if the valve mechanism breaks. For additional information, please use the following link to NIH Policy Manual 1361 (Corridor Utilization): http://oma.od.nih.gov/manualchapters/management/1361/.
8. Tampering with fire protection equipment -- Fire codes prohibit any person from tampering with or rendering any portable (i.e. fire extinguisher) or fixed fire protection system or device (i.e. automatic sprinklers, fire alarm system devices, etc.) inaccessible or obstructed from view and/or for proper operation.
9. Missing ceiling tiles -- A missing ceiling tile can easily allow hot products of combustion from a fire to rise through the ceiling opening and collect in the space above the ceiling. This effect can severely delay the activation time of automatic fire sprinklers that have been installed at the ceiling level. If you see ceiling tiles being removed by workers in your workplace, please remind the workers to have the ceiling tiles reinstalled in their exact location.
10. Use of equipment with damaged or exposed electrical wiring -- Do not use equipment with wiring that is damaged, including cuts or exposed wires. In addition, do not place power cords where they can incur damage during use. Damaged wiring on extension cords or power strips can cause fires and touching a single exposed wire can cause an electrical shock or burn.
For questions or assistance regarding any workplace fire safety matter, please contact the DFM at 301-496-0487.
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NIH badging statistics from HHS as of January 2, 2016
Sponsored: 37,083 Enrolled: 36,373 Issued: 35,310*
*This figure represents 95.0% of individuals who have been sponsored.
Note: the Department reports weekly on the number of individuals who have been sponsored, enrolled and issued new HHS ID Badges for each OPDIV.
DPSAC News reports the latest Departmental figures for NIH in the first issue published for that month
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News Briefs
$1.1 Trillion Spending Package Extends ID Protection for Hacked Feds to a Decade Hacked federal employees should receive an extra seven years of anti-fraud protection in their stockings this holiday season, once Congress votes on a must-pass spending bill.
A legislative package negotiated Tuesday night to keep the government operating slipped in a policy to protect, for a decade, the identities of victims of a personnel records and background investigation breach at the Office of Personnel Management.
Right now, OPM is only providing a year of financial safeguards to 4.2 million current and former federal employees whose Social Security numbers were compromised. Some 21.5 million individuals who applied for security clearances and their family members are receiving three years of coverage, in light of a related, more severe breach.
The legislation contains...some policy riders like the ID theft protections and tougher restrictions on foreigners entering the coun�try us�ing the visa-waiver pro�gram.
OPM must provide "complimentary identity protection coverage" at least as comprehensive as the coverage previously offered to the individuals affected by either hack, the legislative text states. The safeguards are "effective for a period of not less than 10 years," and must include at least $5 million in ID theft insurance for each victim.
Some lawmakers have proposed measures that would protect the identities of all OPM hack victims for life, because it is unknown how or when the stolen data will be used.
Security experts have said ID monitoring will not guard against e-mail campaigns that weave in the stolen information to look legitimate and convince recipients to divulge more secrets.
Government officials last week announced they had finished mailing notification letters to background check breach victims that provide a PIN for accessing credit monitoring, ID theft insurance and other protections.
The government expects to spend $330 million over three years on the financial security offerings. The one year of similar services for victims of the smaller hack cost OPM $20 million.
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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.
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