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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 thirteenth 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 (also known as a Personal Identity Verification or PIV Card), a Restricted Local Access (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.*
Classification: Alumni/Retiree
Who is an Alumni/Retiree?An Alumni/Retiree is an individual who previously worked as a federal employee at the NIH and would like to continue research and support his/her IC in an ad hoc capacity once his/her employment has ended.
Alumni and Retirees are listed as separate classifications on the Extended Visitors application form (DEPVF-100). The Retiree title includes individuals who have worked for the federal government and NIH long enough to qualify for retirement from NIH. Alumni include individuals who have worked at NIH and left the employ of NIH before qualifying for retirement.
Who is NOT an Alumni/Retiree?
Individuals who did not support NIH as federal employees cannot be considered an Alumni or Retiree. This classification is reserved for prior federal employees only.
Type of badge issued to Alumni/Retirees
Alumni and Retirees are issued an NIH Legacy Badge for identification purposes and for physical access to the NIH campus (Figure 1).
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Are Alumni/Retirees entered into NED?
No. Alumni and Retiree applicants must complete an
Extended Visitor application that is reviewed and
sponsored by his or her Institute's or Center's (IC) PIV approved Administrative Officer (AO). (see 'Who processes the badge requests for Alumni/Retirees)
Who processes the badge requests for Alumni/Retirees?
The Alumni or Retiree badge applicant must first complete the Extended Visitor application (posted in PDF format at: http://security.nih.gov/Documents/Extended%20Visitor% 20Form.pdf and bring the completed form to his or her IC's Sponsoring AO. The Extended Visitor application includes the individual's Full Name, complete Home Address, Social Security Number, Date of Birth, Citizenship, Gender and Signature. The application must also include a justification statement to support the request that falls into the Alumni or Retiree category. Once the AO reviews and signs the application as the Sponsor, the applicant will be directed to take the application to the duty officer at the Badging Desk at the Gateway Center (Building 66) or the NIH Police Guard Force Operations Branch (31/B4BE09). There, the applicant will present the completed application to the badging officer.
- AOs approve Alumni NIH Legacy badge applications the year of retirement; the NIH Police approve subsequent badge renewals.
- The Chief of the NIH Police reviews and approves Retiree badge applications.
Once the appropriate background check is completed, the NIH Police will e-mail the applicant and the Sponsoring AO with the results and instructions to visit the Gateway Center Badging Desk to be photographed
and issued an NIH Legacy Badge.
What background investigation is required for Alumni/Retirees?
Alumni and Retirees who apply for an NIH Legacy badge within 90 days of retiring or leaving the NIH, and have a "NACI" investigation or higher on file, may obtain their Legacy badge based on reciprocity. Alumni and Retirees who have less than a NACI or who apply after the 90-day window shall submit fingerprints for a Special Agency Check (SAC).
How long is the badge good for?
NIH Legacy Badges issued to Alumni/Retirees have a lifecycle of up to one year. At the end of the badge's lifecycle, the badge holder will be required to renew his or her ID Badge. Badge renewal will be bassed on an NCIC check.
What else should you know about Alumni/Retirees? Retirees and Alumni who are issued an NIH Legacy badge are not eligible for logical access. If logical access is required, the individual must be entered into NED. Please refer to the Badging Authority Chart posted on the DPSAC website at: http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/badge/Pages/NIH-Badging-Authority-by-Classification-Table.aspx.
Disposition of an Alumni or Retiree ID Badge
When Alumni and Retirees end their employment/affiliation with the NIH, they must turn in their ID badge to their AO/Sponsor. The AO/Sponsor must return the badge to DPSAC in Building 31, Room 1B03 or the local ID Badge issuance office.
Should you have questions about a classification, please call the DPSAC Helpdesk at 301-402-9755 or e-mail them at: [email protected]
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Update on the REAL ID Act 
and NIH
Background
In 2004, the 9/11 Commission recommended that the U.S. government set standards for the issuance of "sources of identification, such as driver's licenses." The Commission recognized that "[s]ources of identification are the last opportunity to ensure that people are who they say they are and to check whether they are terrorists."
In accordance with that recommendation, Congress enacted the REAL ID Act. This law prohibits federal agencies from accepting, for official purposes, driver's licenses and identification cards issued by States that do not meet the law's standards for secure issuance and production. The law charges the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with establishing minimum requirements for these standards.
According to the DHS, for a license or identification card to be REAL ID compliant, the State issuing it must, for example, incorporate anti-counterfeit technology into the card, verify the applicant's identity, and conduct background checks for employees involved in issuing driver's licenses.
The overall goal of the REAL ID Act is to prevent the fraudulent issuance and use of driver's licenses and identification cards, thereby ensuring the safety and security of the American public.
Phasing in the REAL ID Act
Since the enactment, the DHS has implemented the law in careful phases, including most recently at military bases, most federal facilities, and nuclear power plants.
At present, 23 States are fully compliant with the REAL ID Act, and the Department has used its authority to grant States extensions when they demonstrate steps toward compliance. Most recently, New Mexico was granted an extension to become compliant. Thus, 28 States and territories have been granted extensions for a period of time to become compliant.
Five States and a Territory - Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Washington, and American Samoa - remain non-compliant and do not currently have extensions.
In January 2016 U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson announced the schedule for implementing the fourth and final phase of the REAL ID Act:
- Starting October 1, 2020, every air traveler will need a REAL ID-compliant license, or another acceptable form of identification, for domestic commercial air travel.
- Starting January 22, 2018, passengers with a driver's license issued by a State that is still not compliant with the REAL ID Act (and has not been granted an extension) will need to show an alternative form of acceptable identification for domestic air travel to board their flight.
Passengers with driver's licenses issued by a State that is compliant with REAL ID (or a State that has been issued an extension) will still be able to use their driver's licenses or identification cards.
Enforcing the REAL ID Act at NIH
On October 10, 2015, DHS implemented Phase 3 of the Act that prohibits federal agencies from accepting, for official purposes, driver's licenses and identification cards issued by states that do not meet the law's standards for secure issuance and production.
This phase of the REAL ID Act applies to all federal facilities "except those providing healthcare, federally protected benefits and participation in law enforcement functions."
Because the NIH falls into the category of 'excepted federal facilities' by providing health care and federally protected benefits, it is not currently enforcing the REAL ID Act for campus access purposes. The current NIH policy is to accept all driver's licenses so that patients, invited speakers, and medical students are not turned away.
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A part of the statute that is enforced pertains to licenses from compliant States that contain the wording "not suitable as a federal identification" (Figure 1).
This statement means the person has not met the minimum federal standard for proving his/her identity, legal status or residency. A person presenting this type of credential to NIH security will not be permitted to enter the campus unless he/she has an alternate I-9 document (passport) or is met and escorted on campus at all times by a sponsoring federal employee.
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Helpful Tips
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. If you work outside the Bethesda/Rockville area, contact your local badge issuance office. You can find contact information for all badge issuance offices at: http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/Pages/contactinfo.aspx. Know someone who should be reading DPSAC News? -- have the person contact Lanny Newman, [email protected], and ask to be put on the mailing list.
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REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions
(For more FAQs relating to the REAL ID Act, visit the DHS website at: https://www.dhs.gov/real-id-frequently-asked-questions)
Q. What is REAL ID?
A. Passed by Congress in 2005, the REAL ID Act enacted the 9/11 Commission's recommendation that the Federal Government "set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses." The Act established minimum security standards for State-issued driver's licenses and identification cards and prohibits Federal agencies from accepting for official purposes licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet these standards. States have made considerable progress in meeting this key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission and every state has a more secure driver's license today than before the passage of the Act.
Q. Will a federal agency accept my Enhanced Driver's License?
A. Yes. State Enhanced Driver's Licenses (EDLs) designated as acceptable border-crossing documents by DHS under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative are acceptable for official federal purposes such as accessing a Federal facility or boarding a commercial aircraft. Individual agency policies may still apply.
Q. Can States still receive extensions from DHS?
A. Yes. DHS is continuing to provide extensions, as warranted. Extensions are granted for a maximum of one year and may be renewed if a State demonstrates continued progress towards compliance. Extensions are not a long-term alternative to a State becoming compliant. All States must become compliant-both in terms of the law, but also to prevent the burden of additional documentation from falling on their residents.
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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.
To register for one of the classes listed below, go to: http://training.cit.nih.gov/class_details.aspx?cId=NIHCIT-GN142
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Safety Corner
NIH Fire Hazard Reporting Tool 
The following fire safety awareness article was prepared by the Division of the Fire Marshal, ORS, NIH
In January 2016, the Division of the Fire Marshal (DFM), Office of Research Services (ORS) kicked off the New Year with a fire safety campaign titled, "Help Us Help You! - Know How to Spot Common Fire Safety Hazards in the Workplace." (Provide a LINK to the January 6, 2016 Edition of the DPSAC News Here).
The DFM offered suggestions on how to spot, correct and prevent such fire hazards as: blocked or locked exit doors; storage in stairwells; fire doors propped open; improper use of extension cords; material/equipment in corridors that impede egress; portable space-heating devices in labs and health care areas; flammable or combustible liquids and compressed gas cylinders in corridors; tampering with fire protection equipment; missing ceiling tiles; and, equipment with damaged or exposed electrical wiring.
Even though all facilities on the NIH Bethesda and Poolesville campuses are surveyed regularly for fire safety hazards by the DFM, the "Top Ten" list of common fire safety hazards in the workplace still prompted substantial feedback from concerned NIH employees recognizing potential fire safety hazards.
You can choose to provide your name and contact information or you are welcome to issue a report anonymously. If you choose to enter your contact information, your submission will be handled confidentially.
The NIH community should not assume the DFM is aware of, or is 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, or report, the more common workplace fire safety hazards before a fire incident occurs.
The DFM, ORS greatly appreciates the ongoing assistance and support of the NIH community as our advocates for keeping NIH facilities fire safe. For questions or assistance regarding any workplace fire safety matter,
please contact the DFM at 301-496-0487.
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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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