There are several reasons why an individual’s ID badge may have stopped working. While it is possible that the ID badge itself may be malfunctioning (perhaps a bad chip or a bad antenna), most of the time there is a corresponding event in the NIH Enterprise Directory (NED) that explains why an ID badge is no longer working. When a badge stops functioning, it can prevent the individual from opening doors or logging into their computer. This article provides an overview of the various reasons why an ID badge (PIV or RLA) might not be working correctly, and what is required to get the individual a new badge if necessary.
Manual ID Badge Deactivations
Manual deactivations are intentional actions completed and/or approved in NED by an NIH Administrative Officer (AO) to terminate an existing ID badge. These types of deactivations occur when the following NED tasks are completed:
NED Record Deactivation: If an AO runs or approves a NED record deactivation task, the individual’s entire NED record is deactivated. This not only revokes the ID badge, but also terminates the individual’s NIH network account. This task is routinely completed when an individual leaves NIH and no longer requires access to NIH facilities or IT networks. If the individual’s NED record is deactivated by accident, the individual must be re-entered into NED by their AO and a new ID badge request must be submitted to DPS.
ID Badge Revocation via a NED Modify Task: AOs can run or approve a NED Modify task that revokes an existing ID badge for one of the following reasons: (1) Lost badge, (2) Stolen badge, or (3) Revoke badge. As soon as an AO runs and/or approves this type of NED task, the current ID badge is revoked. If the reason selected is Lost or Stolen, a new ID badge is automatically requested for the individual. If the “revoke badge” option is selected, a new badge is not requested. In the event an AO accidentally runs or approves a revoke badge task, they will need to initiate a new NED Modify task to request another badge.
DPS Badge Ineligibility/Unfavorable Suitability Determinations: DPS will communicate with the AO and program office when an individual has been found ineligible for their NIH badge and/or unsuitable for their position at NIH. In these circumstances, the AO must ultimately deactivate the NED record to sever all services.
Automatic ID Badge Deactivations
Automatic deactivations of an ID badge are based on future termination dates associated with an individual’s NED record or NED tasks that impact the type of ID badge a person will possess. Below, we will expand on the Not-to-Exceed Date, ID Badge Expiration Date and DIS Validation End Date, and we also will provide more information on Date Entered US and Badge Card Type Changes.
| | Not-To-Exceed
(NTE) Date | ID Badge Expiration Date | DIS Validation End Date (DVED) | Date Entered US (DEUS) | Badge Type Change |
| What is it? | An NTE date is a type of termination date that will deactivate an individual’s entire NED record and will revoke their badge. NED will deactivate records containing an NTE date the day after the NTE date. | An ID Badge Expiration date is only the expiration date of a person’s ID badge itself. The ID Badge will expire on the date listed in the field in NED. | A DVED is only the expiration date that will revoke the Foreign National’s badge with such date listed in NED. All Foreign Nationals (FN) working at NIH who are not permanent residents must be processed and cleared by DIS, who will be computing a DVED for each FN. | A DEUS corresponds with the Foreign National’s (FN) arrival date listed on their customs documentation and is entered into NED. This does not include permanent residents. | Two badge type changes that will cause automatic badge deactivations:
1. Card-type change from ‘FTE Badge' to ‘Non-FTE Badge’ (such as white stripe to green stripe badge)
2. RLA Badges and Transitions from RLA to a PIV Badge. |
| Is it required? | No, it is not a required field. | Yes, this is a required field. | Yes, this is required, but can only be computed by DIS. | Yes, this is required, but can only be computed by DIS. | Yes, this is required if an individual needs to go through this transition. |
| Can I leave the field blank? (And any additional notes) | Yes, the NTE date can be left blank. If the NTE date is left blank and the individual’s badge is about to expire, their badge can be renewed through DPS and their NED record can remain without needing to rebuild their entire NED record again.
Those who choose to use this optional NTE data field should do so with extreme caution, as it can deactivate everything without any notice if the NTE date isn’t tracked closely. When the NED record is deactivated, the AO must rebuild the entire NED record for the individual using the NED “Activate/Register” function. | If left blank, it will default to 5 years unless determined by an AO/AT to be shorter in length when requesting an ID badge in NED (or by DPS during the badge issuance process). The individual will be informed if they need to come in to DPS to get their badge renewed. | No, this will not be left blank by DIS. This date indicates how long the person is authorized to work in the United States at NIH. The AD account will automatically de-authorized on DVED expiration – logical access (NIH network account) will be revoked.
Please note: an FN who has an RLA badge may still find their badge revoked for a variety of other reasons, since RLA badges are for Restricted Local Access to NIH facilities and systems and are not as durable as NIH PIV badges. For instance, a transaction such as a name change will revoke the RLA badge whereas that is not the case for the NIH PIV badges. | No, this will not be left blank by DIS. As it approaches 3 years after the FN's DEUS, a PIV instead of an RLA badge will be issued, requiring the FN's new registration 42 days prior to the FN's 3 year anniversary of the FN's DEUS. The old RLA badge would immediately be revoked and the FN would then receive the blue stripe PIV card.
If a FN needs a badge renewal or name change, this may also prompt a new badge transaction. |
1. Card-type change from ‘FTE Badge' to ‘Non-FTE Badge’: An FTE badge will be revoked immediately upon sponsorship of a non-FTE badge type in the NED system. This will occur once the sponsorship task is completed by the AO, and usually occurs when the AO changes the employee classification from FTE to non-FTE in the NED system.
2. RLA Badges and Transitions from RLA to a PIV Badge: same mentioned under DEUS. |
Not-To-Exceed (NTE) Date: An NTE date is an expiration date on the NED record itself, and it is important to note that the
NTE date is completely unrelated to and different from the ID Badge Expiration Date. NTE dates in NED are found under "NIH Work Info." NTE fields may be used as a way to automatically deactivate an individual's NED record
only if the individual will be at the NIH for a pre-determined length of time. If a NED record has an NTE date assigned to it, then the record will be automatically deactivated when that date occurs. This will deactivate not only the ID badge, but also the person’s NED record, and NIH network account.
Many AOs use the NTE date field as a way to automatically deactivate someone’s NED record if they know the person will only be at NIH for a pre-determined length of time. However, if the person will be staying at NIH beyond this date, the NTE date field must be updated or the NED record will be deactivated when the date occurs. Please note: the NTE Date field is an optional field in NED. If someone’s NED record is deactivated by an NTE date, the entire record will need to be re-established in the NED system and a new ID badge must then be requested. If an administrative officer (AO) chooses to enter an NTE date, it is important that the NTE date is accurate. Otherwise, if an AO is unsure of the date, then keep the date blank in NED.
Please note: The NTE date is only required for NED records with no badge or account. For this type of NED record, the NTE must be a date less than 365 days from the day the AO enters the record. Otherwise, NTE field are still optional and encouraged to be left blank. AOs may choose to have an NTE field filled out for contractors and fellows, but individuals who are considered Full-Time Equivalent (FTEs) do not have NTEs, since they are permanent employees.
ID Badge Expiration Date: An ID Badge Expiration date is the expiration date of an individual's ID badge itself, which is separate from the NED record. The ID Badge Expiration field is found in NED under "NIH Service Info." ID Badge Expiration dates are required fields and will default to five years unless determined by an AO to be shorter in length when requesting an ID badge in NED (or by DPS during the badge issuance process).
ID badge renewal tasks are auto-generated by the NED system approximately six weeks prior to the badge expiration date. If the badge is not renewed before the expiration date printed on the badge, the badge will be automatically deactivated by the NED system. Badge renewal tasks appear in the AO’s NED Inbox 42 days before the badge expiration date. AOs also have the ability to “force renew” an ID badge that is within six months of expiration. To initiate an early renewal, the AO can simply select the “Renew Badge” task in NED. For more information on how ID Badge Expiration Dates differ from Not-To-Exceed (NTE) Dates, please see this
chart.
DIS Validation End Date: DIS also enters a DIS Validation End Date (DVED) for Foreign Nationals working at NIH who are not permanent residents. This date indicates how long the person is authorized to work in the United States at NIH. The AD account will automatically de-authorized on DVED expiration – logical access (NIH network account) will be revoked. If the person is still going to be at NIH beyond this date, they must obtain new employment authorization and/or visit authorization and coordinate with their AO and DIS. The AO can then sponsor them for a new badge. Once sponsored, the individual will need to bring their new paperwork to DIS for employment authorization validation, at which point DIS will enter the new DVED in NED.
Date Entered US (DEUS): Foreign Nationals (FNs) working at NIH who are not permanent residents must be processed and cleared by the NIH Division of International Services (DIS). DIS will enter a Date Entered US (DEUS) into the NED system which corresponds with the FNs arrival date on their customs documentation. There is no automatic deactivation of the badge based on this date; however, read below under “Badge Type Change” to see how the 3-year anniversary of this date affects the current RLA badge holders badge status.
Badge Type Change: This is probably the most confusing type of automatic badge deactivation. DPS issues several types of ID badges to individuals. Below we will discuss the various card type changes that may result in an automatic badge deactivation.
Card-type change from ‘FTE Badge' to ‘Non-FTE Badge’ (i.e. white stripe to green stripe badge) - An FTE badge will be revoked immediately upon sponsorship of a non-FTE badge type in the NED system. This will occur once the sponsorship task is completed by the AO, and usually occurs when the AO changes the employee classification from FTE to non-FTE in the NED system AOs should coordinate closely with the individual prior to sponsoring the transition to a non-FTE badge type to prevent sudden/unexpected loss of access.
Please note: While the automatic badge revocation will occur when changing the PIV card type from FTE to non-FTE, the same is not true when changing the card type from non-FTE to FTE. In this situation, the non-FTE PIV (Green Stripe) badge will remain active until the new FTE badge is issued.
RLA Badges and Transitions from RLA to a PIV Badge - The following categories of employee classifications will receive an RLA Badge:
Short Term Personnel (less than 6 months of NIH Physical and/or Logical access needed): This includes Summer Students.
Foreign National (FN): Non-Immigrant Foreign Nationals (FNs) who have been in the US for less than three years are automatically sponsored for an RLA badge in NED. A PIV instead of an RLA badge will be issued for new FN registrations 42 days prior to the individual's three year anniversary of their DEUS.
If an individual is changing badges from RLA to PIV (i.e. going from short term status to long term), or when a Foreign National (FN) requires a new badge transaction, such as a badge renewal or legal name change beyond the 3-year anniversary of their Date-Entered-United-States (DEUS), this automatically prompts a card type change from an RLA to a PIV Badge in the NED System. In these cases, the RLA badge would immediately be revoked.
U.S. Citizens would receive the PIV badge with the white stripe or green stripe, while FNs would receive the blue stripe PIV card. (For more information on badge types, please see the chart on this
page.) Additionally, any NED action on an existing RLA badge that results in a new badge request for the individual will immediately revoke the current RLA badge.
Broken or Malfunctioning ID Badges
While rare, there are instances where none of the above NED actions occurred, and an individual’s ID badge is not working correctly. Typically, this is the result of a broken ID badge (i.e., a physical defect with the badge itself). In these instances, DPS encourages the badge holder to make an appointment to visit an NIH badging facility where the badge can be tested. If the badge is indeed broken, DPS can print a new badge for the individual. A new NED transaction is not required to address a broken badge.
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