As an Administrative Officer (AO), you will be assigned candidates/applicants at NIH who require access to NIH resources such as physical access to facilities/doors and logical access to information systems. AOs are typically assigned to candidates from their Institute or Center. AOs will need to sponsor a request in the NIH Enterprise Directory (NED) for the candidate in order for the candidate to start the process in receiving an NIH badge and account needed to access such resources. 

Candidates who require more than 6 months of physical and/or logical access to NIH resources are subject to a background investigation commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position they hold at NIH. Please note that you should not be encouraging candidates who require more than 6 months of physical and/or logical access to NIH to use the Gateway Center. Please note that there may be candidates who do not require physical or logical access to NIH but may still require a background investigation due to the work they are performing on behalf of NIH. It is recommended that AOs sponsor these records at least 6-8 weeks in advance of the individuals start date, to allow time for DPSAC prescreening.​

Only certain NED requests are processed by DPSAC:

• Sponsored HHS PIV Badge Requests (Long term, more than 6 months; Employees, Contractors, Fellows, Guest Researchers, etc.)
  
• Sponsored Restricted Local Access (RLA) Badge Requests (Foreign Nationals in the U.S. less than 3 years; Short Term less than 6 months; Summer Students)​
  
• Employee classification changes requiring a badge change or DPSAC prescreening (i.e. conversion from non-FTE to FTE)
  
• Background Investigation Position Sensitivity/Risk Level upgrades/downgrades
• Critical Data Changes requiring a badge change or DPSAC validation (Name change or Citizenship change)
  

The following requests are processed by the NIH Police: 

• ​Legacy badges for Special Government Employees (these individuals undergo an NCIC check)​​
• Extended Visitor Badges for patients, service providers, blood donors, etc. (these badges do not require NED entries)
  

​​Badge Types:

The badge type requested is determined by employee classification, citizenship status and duration of access needed:

1. Long-term (greater than 6 months) physical & logical access:
• Subject to prescreening & background investigation and will receive either:
• Personal Identity Verification (PIV) badge (U.S. Citizens)
• Restricted Local Access (RLA) (Non-U.S. Citizens/under 3 years U.S. Residency)
• Blue Stripe PIV (Non-U.S. Citizens/over 3 years U.S. Residency)
2. ​Short-term (less than 6 months) physical & logical access:
• Subject to a fingerprint check (SAC) and will receive the short term RLA badge

​

Badge Classification Chart​​​:

For a better understanding of the different badge types, please see the Badge Classification chart​​​.

Information Regarding Alternative Login Token (ALT) Cards

If you are in a special circumstance where you need to continue working for FDA or another HHS Agency while working at NIH, and you will be keeping your FDA/or other HHS PIV card, your NIH Institute Program Office will process you for an Alternative Login Token (ALT) Card, which will give you access to NIH systems and networks. Check with your AO for a referral to your Institute's ALT Card Coordinator if this reflects your situation. For physical access to the NIH campus in situations like this, your Institute AO can put in a request to our Access Control group to program your FDA PIV card or other agency PIV card for physical access through NIH gates and doors.  

First, your AO will need to create an account in the NIH Enterprise Directory for you. Then, your AO or your program office will need to submit a request through the NIH IT Service Desk for an ALT Card. Once the ALT Card is approved, an ALT Coordinator will issue you an ALT Card for access to NIH Systems. 

Please note that DPSAC does NOT process ALT Cards. For more information on ALT Cards, please visit the OCIO website​. ​​