Office of Research Services

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DPSAC > About Us > DPS News > 2026 DPS Newsletters
2026 DPS Newsletters

​​​​​​​Be sure to follow our latest DPS Newsletter and see below for previous newsletters, articles and topics we have covered:

  • March 23, 2026 - "NED 8.3 Updates Regarding Intermittent Designations and Default Background Investigation Tiers for All IT-Related Positions"

To ensure NIH processes comply with FIPS 201-3 requirements, all individuals entered in NED with an employment duration of more than six months must undergo a full-scope, tiered background investigation. Therefore, the "Intermittent" frequency status will be removed from the NED system in April. Servicing Administrative Officers (AOs) must update all individuals currently designated as "Intermittent" to "Non-Intermittent" by March 31, 2026, in advance of the NED system update scheduled to be available on April 12, 2026. Additionally, the NIH has a responsibility to ensure that physical and network/system (logical) access to the NIH is managed in a manner that protects sensitive information, systems and facilities. DPS has been working with the NIH Enterprise Database (NED) team to introduce a change in NED Release 8.3, anticipated to be available on April 12, 2026, which will ensure that all IT positions are defaulted to a minimum of Tier 2 (Moderate Risk Public Trust) or higher. For more information, please read the full article in this newsletter issue.

  • March 11, 2026 - "Administrative Staff: Please Ensure Applicant's Valid Personal Email Address is Correctly Entered into NED"

To protect the individual's privacy and to ensure that DPS instructions/requests for information are sent to the correct individual, DPS cannot accept any other email address in place of the applicant's personal email address. Not providing the applicant's personal email address can create delays in the prescreening, background investigation and badging processes. For more information, please read the full article in this newsletter issue.

  • February 26, 2026 - "Importance of Following HSPD-12 Guidelines and Deactivating Unsuitable/Ineligible Individuals’ NED Records When Notified"

Each Institute, Center and Office (ICO) have Administrative Officers (AOs) who undergo specific training to serve as authorized HSPD-12 Sponsors. These AOs are required to complete training that includes signing a certificate submitted to the Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-12 Program Office before any AO can have the authority to request a badge for an individual. It is with upmost importance to comply with all HSPD-12 guidelines and requests as an HSPD-12 Sponsor and to remember the responsibilities and duties that come with being an AO. AOs must remain aware of individuals’ statuses and the continuing need for holding an ID badge, as well as provide any updates to their information or status in the NIH Enterprise Directory (NED). 

​​If the Division of Personnel Security (DPS) office finds an individual to be unsuitable or ineligible for their position, DPS will immediately notify the AO, supervisor and the individual by email. When notifying AOs and supervisors, DPS instructs the AO to deactivate the unsuitable or ineligible individual’s NED record promptly. AOs must take prompt action to update the NED system and remove the unsuitable or ineligible individual immediately by deactivating the individual’s NED record to ensure access is no longer active. The individual must also turn in their badge the same day they are notified. For more information, please read the full article in this newsletter issue.

  • February 11, 2026 - "Applicants’ Personal and Citizenship Data Entered in NED Must be Accurate"

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Research Services (ORS) Division of Personnel Security (DPS) wants to share information with the NIH community and Administrative Sponsors regarding the critical importance of ensuring the accuracy of applicants' Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and citizenship data entered into the NIH Enterprise Directory (NED).

  • January 21, 2026 - "REMINDER: Credit Checks Now Being Run on All Background Investigations and Trusted Workforce Updates"

The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) is having all agencies transition from Trusted Workforce (TW) 1.25 to TW 1.5. With our National Security population already enrolled in TW 1.5, we will be enrolling the T2/4 population next to TW 1.5 around mid to late FY26. Additionally, it is with utmost importance that NIH staff ensure their federal and state taxes have been filed and paid, or that a payment plan has been set up. Not filing and/or paying federal or state taxes may negatively impact an individual’s suitability and/or fitness for federal employment at NIH. Next, as part of the DCSA background investigation, credit checks will be run on all staff of all Position Designation Tier levels, including Tier 1 Non-Sensitive, Low Risk positions.

Please read our full article on badge issuance to understand prescreening requirements that must be completed before an individual can be issued a badge, in addition to understanding what Prescreening requirements entail.


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