DPSAC News
A bi-weekly newsletter from the Division of Personnel Security and Access Control
Providing timely information to help keep NIH safe and secure
Special Edition -- May 13, 2020 Issue of DPSAC News
In this issue:

  • Fingerprint Requirement Delayed, But NOT Eliminated, Due to COVID-19

Fingerprint Requirement Delayed, But NOT Eliminated
Due to COVID-19
DPSAC will contact individuals who must submit fingerprints for their background investigation once the deferral is no longer valid
DPSAC is issuing a reprint of DPSAC News article originally published on May 6, 2020 in response to readers’ question regarding DCSA’s temporary guidance for submitting background investigation requests without fingerprints for those impacted by COVID-19. Clarifying information is provided in red text:

The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) issued Federal Investigations Notice 20-03 on March 30, 2020 advising agencies of the temporary deferral of fingerprint requirements to submit background investigations effective April 6, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Normally, fingerprints are required in order to schedule a background investigation request with DCSA. This waiver applies to background investigation submission requirements only and does not apply to HSPD-12 PIV Badge/RLA Badge Credentialing requirements or DPSAC requirements for prescreening clearance ; both of which still require capturing biometric fingerprints. Please note, individuals whose investigation requests were submitted without fingerprints will not be authorized DPSAC prescreening clearance or PIV badge issuance until they complete fingerprinting. Individuals whose investigation requests were submitted without capturing fingerprints as part of this waiver will be required to provide fingerprints once the waiver is no longer valid. At that time, DPSAC will contact these individuals in order to capture fingerprints. 

In addition to delaying fingerprints, DCSA has made operational changes to mitigate COVID-19 impacts to include conducting interviews via telephone for most investigations. If NIH staff have been contacted by a DCSA investigator and have concerns they can verify the investigator’s name by visiting: https://www.dcsa.mil/mc/pv/mbi/vi/
A biweekly e-newsletter from the National Institutes of Health, Office of Research Services, Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (ORS/DPSAC) to keep its readers informed of personnel security and access control policies and practices designed to safeguard the NIH and its workforce. DPSAC is responsible for verifying personal identity, validating suitability, reviewing background checks, authorizing facility access and issuing ID badges for NIH personnel. 

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