DPSAC News Header

September 28, 2016 issue of the DPSAC NEWS  


In This Issue

Contact Us

 

Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC),  

Office of Research Services  

 

Building 31, Room 1B03
Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

             Monday - Friday  

 

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    

"Waiting for DPSAC to authorize ID badge issuance"
This is the fifth in a series exploring the "Waiting for ..." status messages in NED that allow NED Portal users to monitor the badging process.  

The NED Portal's "View Badge History" displays a number of status messages that give Portal users helpful 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 step in the badging process can begin. These are the View Badge History 'Waiting for' status messages.

In this series, 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) and 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.

AOs/ATs who understand the badge process as displayed in View Badge History are more likely to spot where a delay may be occurring and intervene to move the process forward.

The goal is to ensure that applicants can get their HHS ID Badge/PIV card and start work as soon as they arrive for duty at NIH.
Below are the six 'Waiting for' messages that DPSAC News will cover in this series:
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
A review of the first four "Waiting for" status messages:

 
- 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 second installment "Waiting for Sponsor to substantiate the need for the ID badge" was featured in the August 17, 2016 DPSAC News .

- Following sponsorship of a non-U.S. citizen who is not a lawful   permanent resident (LPR), View Badge History displays " Waiting
for DIS to validate work status." This third status message was
featured in the
August 31, 2016 DPSAC News .

- Once the Sponsor of a U.S. Citizen (or LPR) applicant has substantiated
the need for the ID Badge, or the Division of International Services (DIS)
has validated the work status of a non-Lawful Permanent Resident,
foreign national, 'View Badge History' displays the following sequential
status messages: "NED sent position information to DPSAC" and "Waiting
for DPSAC to Determine Investigation Requirements
." This last message
was featured in the
September 14, 2016 DPSAC News .   
Waiting for DPSAC to authorize ID badge issuance
The fifth message, "Waiting for DPSAC to authorize ID badge issuance"
is the next sequential 'Waiting for...' message to appear following "Waiting for DPSAC to Determine Investigation Requirements."

Before DPSAC can authorize ID badge issuance, DPSAC must have (1) the results of the fingerprint check and (2) e-QIP submitted to OPM. 

One of the more surprising, consistent and disappointing metrics regularly reported by DPSAC identifies over two thirds of applicants' e-QIP submissions with missing and/or incorrect information or all required forms.

Despite appeals through DPSAC News articles and correspondence with the administrative community and badge applicants to make sure e-QIP questionnaires and ALL accompanying required forms are complete and accurate before submitting them to DPSAC, this statistic has remained fairly constant.

Remember, DPSAC's goal is to issue badges to all applicants in a timely manner, i.e., they have their badges on their first day of work. DPSAC cannot release the applicant's e-QIP and ALL accompanying required forms to OPM until they are in receipt of the applicant's completed e-QIP and ALL required forms.
Applicants with an appropriate background check on file
For an applicant who has an appropriate background investigation on file, a badge is authorized for issuance as soon as the applicant completes enrollment and NED submits a badge creation request to the HHS Smart Card Management System (SCMS).

View Badge History will display the status messages "Badge Creation Request Submitted" and "Waiting for the individual to pick up new ID badge" (Figure 1). Click
here to view an enlarged image of Figure 1.
 
Figure 1 : This screen shot outlines the process for a badge applicant who has an investigation on file and only gets 2 fingerprints. Since there is an appropriate and verified investigation on file, the badge is authorized for issuance as soon as the person completes enrollment and NED submits a badge creation request to the HHS SCMS. 
Applicants without an appropriate background check on file
For an applicant who still must complete his/her e-QIP and therefore does not yet have an appropriate investigation on file, View Badge History displays the following sequential messages: "Applicant Enrollment Complete" and "Waiting for DPSAC to authorize the ID badge for issuance."

The applicant must successfully submit his/her e-QIP to DPSAC AND have his or her fingerprints scanned successfully and adjudicated, if necessary, before DPSAC can authorize the ID badge for issuance (Figure 2). Click
here to view an enlarged image of Figure 2.  
Note: if an applicant's fingerprints are un-classifiable (i.e, they cannot be read electronically by OPM), DPSAC may contact the person to be fingerprinted again.
Once both requirements (i.e., successful fingerprints and a successful e-QIP submission) are met, DPSAC manually updates the Background Information Tracking System (BITS) which in turn notifies NED to authorize the ID badge for issuance.
Figure 2 : For badge applicants who do not have an investigation on file, View Badge History will display "Waiting for DPSAC to authorize the ID badge for issuance."  e-QIP is required.    
Points to remember:
  • Individuals who have an appropriate background investigation on file (i.e., a background check that matches the requirements of his/her position) will be enrolled using only two fingerprints and can pick up their badge following enrollment.

  • Individuals who do not have an appropriate investigation on file (either there is no background investigation on file, or the current background investigation does not match the elevated requirements of the position) will be enrolled using all ten fingerprints and must wait for DPSAC to authorize the ID badge for issuance.

    Once both requirements (i.e., successful fingerprints and a successful e-QIP submission) are met, DPSAC manually updates the Background Information Tracking System (BITS) which in turn notifies NED to authorize the ID badge for issuance.
Need Help Getting a PIV Card at
a Remote Badging Site?
  
Make ORS Personnel Security your FIRST STOP!
This article first appeared in the May 25, 2016 DPSAC News.
HHS's Program Support Center (PSC) now offers comprehensive ID Badging Services at its 10 regional offices.

From time to time, remote NIH employees, contractors and affiliates will require assistance with identity proofing, enrollment, certificate renewal and ID badge issuance.

If a member of your staff is unable to visit an NIH badging facility due to lack of proximity, please reach out to the NIH Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC) to request scheduling an appointment at a non-NIH, Health and Human Services (HHS) badging facility.

Please DO NOT reach out directly to a non-NIH HHS badging office for badging assistance. AOs should always contact ORS Personnel Security first to help arrange remote badging. NIH has an existing agreement with the Program Support Center (PSC) to provide badging services at its 10 regional offices to NIH employees, contractors and affiliates.

The Program Support Center (PSC), the largest multi-function shared service provider to the federal government, is hosted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

PSC offers identity proofing, enrolling and ID badge issuance services to its NIH customers on a fee-for-service basis. PSC regional offices are located in the following cities: Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Denver, San Francisco and Seattle.

Badging Services at other 'very remote' locations
On rare occasion, DPSAC can also make a special request to the Indian Health Service (IHS) or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on behalf of an NIH worker needing badging assistance at a very remote location. These two OpDivs, which maintain badging facilities at several remote and sparsely populated locations, will occasionally be able to help out.

DPSAC will coordinate all of the badging services related to the remote individual. DPSAC encourages Administrative Officers (AO) to contact ORS Personnel Security at orspersonnelsecurity@mail.nih.gov in order to make the arrangements with the appropriate parties.
 
Please contact ORS Personnel Security for any other inquires related to NIH badging.

Last Call and 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 are accountable property and all automatically expire on September 30 and will not work thereafter.

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.

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.   

FAQs

Q.
Some of our Administrative Officers (AOs) report losing their sponsorship role in NED and are no longer able to see their AD Account Review in NED. Does sponsorship have to be renewed each year?

A.
No. AOs should not have to renew their sponsorship authorization. Unfortunately, NED has a known defect, namely, that when the SACs available to a sponsor change (i.e., added or removed), the sponsor role is terminated.

According to the NED team, when this happens in the future, the affected AO should open a ticket and the NED team can restore the sponsor role. Indicate in the comments that sponsorship needs to be restored.


Q.
I know that the RLA badges issued to Summer students all automatically expire on September 30. Is there any action I need to take when these students leave NIH?

A.
Yes. Their b adges should be collected and returned to DPSAC or the appropriate badge issuance office when they leave,on or before September 30. 
 
Safety Corner

Fire Prevention Week 2016 (October 9 - 15, 2016)

"Don't Wait - Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years"
This fire safety awareness article was prepared by the Division of the Fire Marshal, ORS, NIH
 
This year the Fire Prevention Week campaign "Don't Wait - Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years" takes aim at ensuring every room used for sleeping in your home has a working smoke alarm. In fact, working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in home fires in half!

Home fires in the United States continue to claim many lives each year. In fact, 85 percent of all fire deaths occur in the home, and the majority happen at night when most people are sleeping. Most people think they have at least 6 minutes before a fire in their home would become life threatening. The time available is often less. Data indicates that a typical living room fire can become deadly in only two minutes or less.

Smoke alarms are an important first line of defense against fire. But if they don't work, they can't protect you. It is essential for every household to have working smoke alarms. Data indicates that 40 percent of home fire deaths happen in homes with no smoke alarms and another 23 percent happen in homes with smoke alarms that don't work. When smoke alarms fail to sound (beep), it's usually because they have missing, dead, or disconnected batteries.
 
Smoke alarms generally have a useful life expectancy of 10 years. It is wise to check the date of manufacture for your smoke alarms and replace them as you deem appropriate.
 
The Division of the Fire Marshal, Office of Research Services is strongly urging the NIH community to ensure their homes, sleeping rooms, and loved ones are adequately protected by using battery operated smoke alarms in their residences.

Most fatal home fires begin in one room and then kill people elsewhere in the house. This occurs after the fire has reached extremely high temperatures in the room where it began and then smoke and toxic gases migrate to other areas. These fires are readily detected by all common types of smoke detectors in time for sleeping occupants to awaken and safely escape.
 
Smoke alarms are not created equally. Hard-wired smoke alarms will not work during a power outage, unless they are equipped with a battery back-up and many are not so equipped. Homeowners are strongly urged to install battery operated smoke alarms in order to provide maximum protection when power is interrupted, a common occurrence during thunderstorms and heavy snow storms.

Smoke alarms must be properly located, installed and maintained in order to be effective.

To afford adequate protection, smoke alarms must be: (1) located on each level of the dwelling unit, including basements; (2) located in all sleeping rooms and outside of each separate sleeping area, in the immediate vicinity of the sleeping rooms; (3) installed properly and in working condition; and (4) tested at least once a month by pushing the "test button." Batteries should be routinely replaced twice a year.
 
Remember, at the first sound of the alarm, all occupants should evacuate, call the fire department from a phone away from the house and remain out of the house until the responding firefighters allow reentry.

If you experience a fire in your home, and your house contains properly installed and maintained smoke alarms, the chances of serious injury or death are significantly reduced.

Working smoke alarms save lives! Test yours every month!

If you have any questions regarding residential smoke alarms, including detailed advice on their proper placement in your home, please contact the Division of the Fire Marshal, Office of Research Services at 301-496-0487.
 
NED Training Schedule 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 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.
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.