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August 17, 2016 issue of the DPSAC NEWS  
In This Issue
"Waiting for ..." Status Messages in NED Allow NED Portal Users to Monitor the Badging Process
Reminder to AOs: Return Summer Student RLA Badges to DPSAC at End of Employment Period
FAQs
DIS Asking AOs to Update Citizenship Status in NED for Foreign Nationals
Helpful Tips
News Briefs
Safety Corner.
NED Training Schedule Announced for FY'17

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  "Waiting for ..." Status Messages in
  NED Allow NED Portal Users to
  Monitor the Badging Process 
NED generates a number of status messages that give portal users useful snapshots of tasks that have either been completed or that might be underway in the badging process.

Six of these status messages are unique in that they require action, either by the applicant, DPSAC, or the Administrative Officer (AO) before the next task in the badging process can begin. These are the 'Waiting for' messages that NED generates in sequential order in the View Badge History section.

In the coming weeks, DPSAC News is going behind the scenes to examine each of these status messages in some detail, describing the purpose of each message, the steps necessary to move the badge process forward, and tips and tricks to help expedite the process.

Knowing how to monitor, interpret and act on these status messages are valuable skills that Administrative Officers (AOs)/Administrative Technicians (ATs) and other NED portal users can use to help an applicant navigate the sponsorship, enrollment and badge issuance procedures so that s/he can get an ID badge in a timely manner.

An AO/AT who knows what is required to complete each task is more likely to spot where a delay may be occurring and intervene to move the process forward.

The goal is to ensure that the applicant can get his or her HHS ID Badge/PIV card and start work as soon as s/he arrives for duty at NIH.
Below are the six 'Waiting for' messages that DPSAC News will cover in some detail over the next several weeks:

1. Waiting for individual to submit personal information online

        2. Waiting for Sponsor to substantiate the need for the ID
             badge

        3. Waiting for DIS to validate work status 

        4. Waiting for DPSAC to determine investigation requirements 

        5. Waiting for DPSAC to authorize ID badge issuance

        6. Waiting for the individual to pick up new ID badge    

The series' first installment, featured in the August 3, 2016 DPSAC News, highlighted the NED status message, 'Waiting for individual to submit personal information online."

The article noted that as soon as the AO directs NED to 'Send Email to Applicant' requesting the applicant to provide his or her Personally Identifiable Information (PII), NED's View Badge History/Badge Activation panel displays the status message "Waiting for individual to submit personal information online.
 
"Waiting for Sponsor to substantiate the need for the ID Badge"
Upon AO approval of a NED Portal Register/Activate task that includes an ID badge request, View Badge History displays the message "Waiting for Sponsor to substantiate the need for the ID badge" under the "Badge Activation" section.
 
If a NED Portal user with the AT role initiates a Register/Activate task and the AO who approves the task has the Sponsor role, they can sponsor the badge at the time of approval. If an AO initiates and submits a Register/Activate task, NED generates an "Awaiting Sponsorship" task and displays it in the NED Inbox of Sponsors whose primary SAC coverage includes the applicant's SAC assignment. A Sponsor can run the task from his/her NED Inbox and sponsor the applicant's ID badge.
 
Following sponsorship, View Badge History displays the following messages under Badge Activation: "Sponsor substantiated the need for the ID Badge" and "NED sent position information to DPSAC."
 
Important points to remember when sponsoring an individual in NED
  • A Sponsor must login to the NED Portal using a smart card (PIV or RLA) to sponsor a person for an ID badge.

  • After running an "Awaiting Sponsorship" task, a Sponsor can approve or reject the badge sponsorship, but cannot update information in the record.

    Rejecting badge sponsorship returns the task to the Inbox of the AO who submitted the Register/Activate task, and after running the task, the AO can update information in the record before re-submitting for sponsoring.

  • Once sponsored, an AO or Sponsor cannot terminate or cancel an individual's badge request except by deactivating the individual's NED record. If the individual doesn't need an ID badge, but his or her NED record needs to remain active, please contact the NIH IT Service Desk and they will ask the NED team to terminate the badge request.

  • NED removes all Portal user Sponsorship privileges when a person changes ICs. Please e-mail the HSPD-12 Program Office at HSPD-12@mail.nih.gov to request reinstatement of the NED Portal Sponsor role. (Note: the HSPD-12 Program office will only grant the Sponsor role to an NIH federal employee already assigned the NED Portal AO role.)

  • Once granted, the NED Portal Sponsor role remains with a person unless s/he changes ICs, converts to a non-FTE, or the AO's role is revoked.

    Note: NED has a known defect that results in revocation of an AO's Sponsor role when someone modifies the AO's SAC coverage. If this happens, please contact the NIH IT Service Desk and they will ask the NED team to restore the Sponsor role.
How to become a Sponsor
Sponsor: the individual who substantiates the need for an HHS ID Badge (PIV Card) to be issued to the Applicant.

Any NIH federal employee with the NED Portal AO role can become a sponsor by completing the PIV Sponsor training module posted on the DPSAC website at: http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/Training/Pages/administrators.aspx.

Once the AO has completed the online training, s/he will need to sign the certificate of completion found at the conclusion of the module and e-mail it to hspd12@od.nih.gov requesting approval for sponsorship.  
                                     
Reminder to AOs: Return Summer Student RLA Badges to DPSAC When Student's Employment Period Ends

DPSAC wants to remind AO Sponsors to collect the RLA badges from their Summer students once they end their employment/affiliation with the NIH and return them to DPSAC in Building 31, Room 1B03. All Summer Student RLA badges expire on September 30.

FAQs

Q. Can I put someone into NED even though that person's Entry On Duty (EOD) date is a few weeks off?

A. Yes. DPSAC actually encourages AOs to enter new staff into NED a few weeks before EOD.

 
Q. After a contractor has been reclassified to FTE in NED, can he or she make appointments for Enrollment and Badge Issuance before their FTE EOD date?

A. Yes. It's important that the person be reclassified to FTE, and other NED information be updated as necessary, otherwise, the individual won't be able to get an appointment! Once the AO updates NED and DPSAC updates their database, the person can get an appointment.

Please note: a person can be enrolled and adjudicated prior to his or her EOD date, but NED will not authorize issuance of the badge until the person's actual EOD date. 
 
DIS Asking AOs to Update Citizenship
Status in NED for Foreign Nationals Who Have Become U.S. Citizens 
This article first appeared in the August 3, 2016 DPSAC News 
According to the Division of International Services (DIS), while many eligible U.S. lawful permanent residents (LPRs) apply for, and are granted, U.S. citizenship within 3-5 years of obtaining their LPR status, they may not remember to report their change of citizenship status to their IC.*
DIS is in the process of updating the NED data it maintains for foreign nationals at NIH and is asking the administrative community for their help by speaking with their scientists and updating the NED records of LPRs who have secured U.S. citizenship.

Filing Fees to increase for U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services Applications
DIS reports that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a filing fee increase for many U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) applications, including the N-400 Application for Naturalization which is used to apply for U.S. citizenship. Although USCIS has not yet published the date that the increased USCIS filing fees will take effect, DIS recommends that individuals who are eligible to naturalize may want to begin the process soon to avoid the anticipated fee increase.

* Lawful Permanent Resident: Any person not a citizen of the United States who is residing in the U.S. under legally recognized and lawfully recorded permanent residence as an immigrant.  Also known as "Permanent Resident Alien", "Resident Alien Permit Holder" and "Green Card Holder." (U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS)

Helpful Tips
 
All Building 31 badging services - Enrollment, Badge Issuance and Customer Service -- now offered at a single, convenient location in 1B03.  All badging services in Building 31 are available between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. DPSAC will continue to offer Enrollment and Badging services in the South Lobby of the Clinical Center from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.

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 hspd12@od.nih.gov. Upon receipt of the certificate, the Program Office will authorize the AO as a Sponsor. Please note: ONLY individuals with an Administrative Officer role are eligible to be HHS ID Badge/PIV Card Sponsors.

ICs that want to add Lifecycle Work Station (LWS) operators to the approved roster -- send a written request to Richie Taffet at: taffetr@mail.nih.gov. 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
  • the hours of operation of the Lifecycle Work Station
Once Mr. Taffet has approved the request, he will forward the name(s) to HHSIdentityAdmins@deloitte.com 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, newmanl@mail.nih.gov, 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 1B03 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, newmanl@mail.nih.gov, and ask to be put on the mailing list.   

News Briefs 
 
DOD'S Cyber Lessons for OPM 
Excerpted from the August 5, 2016 NextGov Newsletter by Mohana Ravindranath

Federal "cyber warriors" and "cyber defenders" might soon get formal credentials that communicate their specific expertise, according to Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Acting Director Beth Cobert.

"When someone says they are a Navy Seal or Army Ranger, we immediately know that means they have special advanced skills; that they are at the top of their game," Cobert said in prepared remarks at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Intelligence Information Systems Conference in Atlanta on Tuesday.

OPM is working on designations to give federal cyber professionals the same kind of recognition, "[s]o when someone says they are a cyber defender, cyberwarrior, or cyber investigator, their level of expertise will be instantly understood and recognized."

Cobert, who described how her organization has worked with the Pentagon in the aftermath of a major intrusion into federal background check records, said OPM is trying to collaborate more with other agencies on cybersecurity programs and also revamping the way cyber professionals are recruited.

After working with the National Security Agency and the Pentagon to "better defend ourselves," OPM regularly consults with staff from both agencies, Cobert said.

Cobert's staff has been collaborating with DOD's chief information officer and the Defense Information Systems Agency to create the backbone of the National Background Investigations Bureau, the nascent team that would handle government background investigations.

OPM plans to handle the actual background investigation process in-house, but the Pentagon is responsible for "designing, building, securing and operating the IT systems," she said.

OPM is also refining hiring policies that would make it easier for cyber talent to move in and out of the government. The agency is working with DOD on an "excepted hire" program called the "Cyber Civilian Hire Service," which would let professionals move between government jobs without having to go through a competitive process. 
 
Safety Corner

Help Keep NIH Public Assembly Events Safe
The following fire safety awareness article was prepared by the Division of the Fire Marshal, ORS, NIH
 
A "Public Assembly Event" is defined by the National Fire Codes as a gathering of 50 or more people for purposes such as lectures, plays, concerts, sporting events, amusements, entertainment, eating, drinking, banquets and worship services.
 
Public assembly events are typically held in structures that are classified as "Assembly Occupancies." (Examples include: auditoriums with fixed or loose chair seating, large conference rooms, multipurpose rooms, exhibition halls, libraries and cafeterias.)
 
With this type of occupancy, the fire codes are concerned with safety and hazards associated with large numbers of people gathered in one place at one time. Therefore, NIH public assembly events are required to comply with specific life safety requirements.

In order to assist the NIH community in meeting these requirements, the Division of the Fire Marshal, Office of Research Services provides: life safety consultations; pre-event planning; open flame permits; approvals for interior finishes and decorative materials; fire protection surveys; and, occupant load monitoring (e.g., crowd control).
 
The life safety of employees and visitors who attend NIH public assembly events is of paramount importance. If you are responsible for a public assembly event, it is recommended that you and your staff devise an emergency plan to help ensure that all are trained in safe emergency procedures.
 
The infamous 1977 Beverly Hills Supper Club fire in Southgate, KY demonstrated the importance of staff emergency preparedness and assistance in fire survival. Although the building lacked proper exits, staff members were able to save hundreds of lives by leading patrons to means of escape otherwise unknown to the guests.
 
Public assembly events at the NIH can be safely attended by employees and visitors by supporting the personnel who oversee the various public assembly requirements in order to avoid the following problem conditions:

- Overcrowding 
- Blocked or impaired exits or means of exit access such as aisles 
- Chained or locked exits 
- Storage of combustible materials in non-approved locations 
- Improper use or control of smoking materials and open flames 
- Disregard for the fire characteristics of non-approved interior 
   finish and decorative materials

If you have any questions concerning safe occupancy during an NIH public assembly event, please contact the Division of the Fire Marshal, Office of Research Services at 301-496-0487.

                                            ***

Increased Police Patrols and Inspections of Common Areas on NIH Campus
Beginning July 1, 2016 NIH police and associated K-9 units stepped up patrols and inspections of common areas on the NIH campus, including vehicles in parking lots and multi-level parking garages and building common spaces (e.g., building atria).    
 
NED Training Schedule Announced for FY '17
Description: This course provides 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 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 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.
Intended Audience: New or relatively inexperienced NED Portal users with the Administrative Officer (AO) or Administrative Technician (AT) role.
Prerequisites: Basic personal computer skills and experience with web-based computer applications.
Reasonable Accommodations/Interpreting Services: For deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals requiring interpreting services, please enter your request online in the Interpreting Services System at least five (5) days before the start of the class.

If you have any questions regarding this service, you may contact the ORS Division of Amenities and Transportation Services (DATS) Interpreting Team at (301-402-8180). Individuals who need other reasonable accommodations to participate in any of the CIT Training courses should let CIT Training know at least 5 days prior to the class.
How to Register: To register for one of the classes listed below, go to: http://training.cit.nih.gov/class_details.aspx?cId=NIHCIT-GN142.   

   
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.