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
September 9, 2020 Issue of DPSAC News

In this issue:
  • Enhanced Badge Tracking Status Messages in NED Help Administrators Pinpoint Where Applicants are in the Badging Process
  • NIH Begins Issuing New v.8 PIV Cards
  • FAQs: Sponsorship Required When Moving to NIH from Another HHS OPDIV
  • AOs Who Wish to Obtain Sponsor Authority
New Badge Status Messages in NED Help Administrators Pinpoint Where Applicants are in the Badging Process
This past spring, NED incorporated several new status messages to help the NIH community know where they are in the badging process. Prior to this latest release, NED did not offer any insight into the completion of background investigation forms. The failure to fully and accurately complete these forms is often the reason for delays in the overall process. 
 
Here is a quick overview of these status messages. Because most of these messages may reveal the need for additional action on the part of the applicant for the process to move forward, they are particularly important:

  • Waiting for DSPAC to send background investigation paperwork: This message indicates that DPSAC has yet to email the individual notifying them to complete the necessary forms. In most instances, this will occur within 1-2 business days. Please note that DPSAC cannot send the forms unless the individual has a Social Security Number (SSN) in the NED system. 

  • Waiting for the individual to complete background investigation paperwork: At this point, DPSAC is waiting for the individual to submit the necessary forms for review. This step may still show for 1-2 business days after the person submits the forms as DPSAC must download them from the online e-QIP portal.

  • Waiting for DSPAC to review background investigation paperwork: Once the person submits the forms, DPSAC must complete a thorough line-by-line review of the forms to ensure completeness and accuracy. Approximately 70% of the forms submitted contain errors or omissions. This step can take from 7-10+ business days depending on the current volume of investigations DPSAC is currently processing.

  • Waiting for individual to correct background investigation paperwork: When DPSAC finds errors or omissions in a person’s investigation paperwork, they will contact the individual via email outlining what corrections are required. Please know that in several instances DPSAC must ask for corrections multiple times as the person corrects some mistakes but not others. NED will continue to show this status message until all errors have been fixed. 

  • Waiting for DSPAC to finalize investigation paperwork and authorize ID badge issuance: This is the final step before the individual will be notified that their ID badge is ready to be issued. This step is typically completed in 1-2 business days as DPSAC must submit the completed paperwork to the Defense Counterintelligence & Security Agency (DCSA) to initiate the background investigation.

  • Waiting for individual to complete enrollment: Enrollment is the process where DPSAC captures the individual’s fingerprints and photograph for the ID badge. The enrollment process is completed in parallel to the background investigation forms, so NED may show two active statuses (e.g., waiting for individual to complete enrollment AND waiting for individual to complete background investigation paperwork). It’s important to look for any/all status messages in bold text. 

Note: some individuals will request paper cards to submit fingerprints prior to arriving at an NIH facility. While individuals can use paper cards to submit initial fingerprints, they will still need to complete the enrollment process (and get fingerprinted a second time). Individuals who submit initial fingerprints as part of the enrollment process will not be fingerprinted twice. 

Please know that at any point in the process, DPSAC is ready to help our customers and answer their questions. The best way to contact our office is via email at ORSPersonnelSecurity@mail.nih.gov or via telephone at (301) 402-9755.
NIH Begins Issuing New v.8 PIV Cards

Where to Get Help During This Transition
On July 27, 2020, NIH began issuing new PIV Cards that contain a more advanced v.8 chip. These new credentials, which are replacing the v.7 cards currently in use, are faster and more secure and have a 5-year
lifecycle. NIH must retire all v.7 PIV cards currently in use by NIH employees, contractors and affiliates by June 30, 2024 and will no longer be supported after that date. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) established this deadline to eliminate physical access using proximity or “prox” readers.*
 
As NIH migrates to the v.8 cards, badge users with the new cards will need to remove their credential from the electromagnetically opaque card holder sleeve and ‘touch and hold’ their cards IN CONTACT WITH the reader. A video showing how to properly use the PIV card with the card reader is posted on the DPSAC website at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFt0hPnNv3I.
 
Where to get help with your new PIV card
As expected, some recipients of the new badges are experiencing issues when they try to use their badge to open a door or gate (physical access) or when they try to access the NIH network (logical access). DPSAC and CIT have been working together to iron out the bugs.
 
Some issues users are reporting:

Scenario 1: The card does not allow me access to a door I previously had access to. 

Where to go for help: Card holders should always contact the Facility Access Control help desk if they are having issues accessing doors. They will help determine the next steps.

Contact Information for Facility Access Control:

Bethesda: 
Helpdesk: 301-451-4766 (available 6:00am – 6:00pm)  
Email: facilityaccesscontrol@mail.nih.gov 
Badging Center: Building 31, Room 1B03
Hours of Operation: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Badging Center: Building 10, Room 1C52 (South Lobby)
Hours of Operation: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed for lunch from 11:40 a.m. - 12:40 p.m.

Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, Hamilton, MT:
Access Control
Building 30, Room 30116
Hours of Operation: By Appointment Only
Contact Name: Ron Frost
Helpdesk: 406-375-9628
Email: RMLNIHPolice@mail.nih.gov
 
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, (NIEHS), Research Triangle Park, NC
Questions regarding HSPD-12, access control, personnel security and other security procedure related issues should be directed to the Operations and Security Branch. Individuals with questions or issues regarding badges are asked to contact the Security Office.

Operations and Security Branch
Building 102, Room S150
Hours of Operation: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - Monday through Friday
Phone: 984-287-4369

Security Office
Rall Building (Building 101), Room B114
Hours of Operation: 8:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. - Monday through Friday
Phone: 984-287-3854
Email: fac-security@niehs.nih.gov
 
The access control specialist will want to know:
  • Does the card reader beep and/or does the light on the reader change color when you present your card to the card reader? 
  • Does your new ID work on any other doors that you would normally have access to?

Possible remedies:
  • Even though the card is brand new, the antenna inside the card may be damaged. You will need to go back to the badging office to have them reprint a new ID.
  • The card reader may need to be reprogrammed (flashed) to accept the new type of cards DPSAC is now issuing.

Scenario 2. The card reader for accessing my NIH computer/laptop is not recognizing that my new card has been inserted. This is likely an IT issue. [e.g., the problem may lie with the firmware version on your hardware that reads the chip on your card’]

Where to go for help:
Contact your local IT department and/or the NIH IT Service Desk at: 301-496-4357

Scenario 3. I’m having trouble logging into the NIH network.

Remedy: You should contact your IC’s IT department or the NIH IT Service Desk at 301-496-4357 

* The June 17, 2020 DPSAC News contains two related articles on the new PIV Cards and new PIV Card
Readers: 
  • NIH Completes Year-Long Project to Replace PIV Card Readers Across NIH Campuses
  • HHS to Replace All PIV Cards with More Secure Model by 2024; NIH Begins Migration from v.7 to v.8 PIV Cards in June 2020
Q. I’ll be leaving FDA soon to take a job at NIH. Will I need a new ID badge or can I use the Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Card issued by FDA when I begin working at NIH?

A. Since you will be moving from one HHS operating division or OPDIV (FDA) to take a position at another OPDIV (NIH), you will need to be sponsored for a new badge by the Administrative Officer (AO) in the NIH Institute/Center you are assigned to.

Once your AO sponsors you, you will need to be enrolled and issued a new HHS ID Badge (PIV Card). Your new badge will contain digital certificates that will need to be updated periodically. 

The new NIH badge cannot be fully processed or issued until the FDA PIV Card is turned in and disabled in the system. However, your NIH AO can initiate the request to bring you on board at NIH prior to your leaving FDA. This will begin the NIH Prescreening process and assessment of whether you will need a new background check.

To read about the badging process, visit http://www.idbadge.nih.gov. This website describes in detail how to apply for a new HHS ID Badge (including enrollment and badge issuance) and the PIV process required of everyone issued a new badge.
 
Note: if you plan to continue working for FDA while working at NIH, you will keep your FDA PIV card, and your NIH Institute ALT Coordinator will issue you an ALT Card for access to NIH Systems. For physical access to the NIH campus, your Institute AO can put in a request to our Access Control group to program your FDA PIV card for NIH physical access.


Q. What types of IDs do I need to provide when enrolling?

A. Two forms of original and unexpired government issued identification are required. 

For an Enrollment appointment:
NIH REQUIRES THE APPLICANT TO SHOW TWO FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION, ONE OF WHICH MUST BE A FEDERAL OR STATE ISSUED PHOTO ID.

For an ID Badge Issuance appointment:
NIH REQUIRES THE APPLICANT TO SHOW A FEDERAL OR STATE ISSUED PHOTO ID.

The most commonly used types of identification are drivers’ licenses, voter registration cards, passports, birth certificates and social security cards. All documents must be valid and unexpired. Please visit the DPSAC website at https://www.idbadge.nih.gov for more information. 


Q. How do I go about renewing my PIV Card (HHS ID Badge) during the COVID-19 pandemic? 

A. DPSAC has returned to offering badging services Monday through Friday. Please note: DPSAC will
continue to require appointments, with availability between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM. 

If you need to contact DPSAC to schedule an appointment, please email ORSPersonnelSecurity@mail.nih.gov or call 301-402-9755. DPSAC staff is available to answer email and phone inquiries Monday – Friday between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM.

Avoiding Additional
Delays in Processing
New Hires

Processing times are often delayed due to reasons outside of DPSAC control, which include, but are not limited to:

  • Incomplete or not submitted OF-306
  • Candidate response time
  • Issues requiring clarification by the candidate
  • Untimely submission of initial e-QIP or corrected e-QIP

How the AO and HR communities can assist:
  • By ensuring all required documents have been uploaded into HR's 'Onboarding Manager' prior to establishing a NED account
  • By entering candidates as early as possible but no later than 8 weeks prior to their Entry on Duty (EOD) date
  • By working with DPSAC to ensure candidates respond in a timely manner to inquiries

ALT cards -- should be returned to the IC ALT card coordinator - NOT to DPSAC.
Administrative Officers (AOs) who wish to obtain sponsor authority must complete the sponsor training. To access the training module, click on: Sponsor.

Upon completion, the AO should sign and email a copy of the certificate found at the end of the training module to Alex Salah at: salaha@ors.od.nih.gov. Upon receipt of the certificate, Mr. Salah will authorize the AO as a Sponsor. 

Note: ONLY individuals with an Administrative Officer role in NED are eligible to be HHS ID Badge/PIV Card Sponsors. 
Are there topics you would like to read more about in future issues of DPSAC News?
Please send your suggestions to: Lanny.Newman@nih.gov. Your input is greatly appreciated.
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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