Be sure to follow our latest DPSAC Newsletter and see below for previous newsletters, articles and topics we have covered.
Read our top 10 highlighted articles from DPSAC news published in 2024!
Prior to authorizing an individual’s ID badge, DPSAC must ensure that all required forms for the background investigation are completed fully and accurately. This part of the process usually entails several back-and-forth communications between DPSAC and the individual and this is where it may get confusing following the NED badge tracking status. Please read the full article in this newsletter to understand the status messages displayed in NED.
A Visit Authorization Request (VAR) letter is a form of background investigation or security clearance verification submitted between departments and agencies (D/As) when employees are required to attend a classified meeting, detail or visit at another agency. D/As respective Personnel Security Offices are required to submit these types of verifications so other agencies are able to accurately verify background/clearance information. Please read the full article in this newsletter to understand how to submit VARs.
Please read the full newsletter to understand how to differentiate what type of badge an individual needs and if they need to go through a background investigation. Please note that the DPSAC Prescreening process does not start until the AO completes Badge Sponsorship in NED (and until DIS validation is complete for non-immigrant foreign nationals). It is critically important that the individual's information entered into NED is accurate. Additionally, any employee or contractor who needs to access campus for more than 6 months should not be utilizing the Gateway Center as their means to enter the NIH campus and should go through the DPSAC background investigation process to receive their proper badge. Individuals who attempt to use the Gateway Center as a means to avoid the required background investigation may be banned from entering NIH facilities.
Note: The November 20, 2024 newsletter was reissued to correct any confusion from the November 13, 2024 newsletter.
Different NED transactions affect badges in different ways. So, it is understandable when Administrative Officers (AOs) and Administrative Technicians (ATs) may hesitate to take a certain action in NED if they are unsure whether the customer’s current badge would be revoked. Please read the full article to understand various scenarios and examples that may lead to badges getting revoked.
This notice shares information about the new Position Designation System Recorded Educational Session, which is a recorded training video now available to personnel who are responsible for designating positions at the NIH (i.e. Administrative Officers, Contract Officer Representatives, HR staff, etc.) using the Position Designation Tool. Please read the announcement from Suitability and Credentialing Executive Agent (Suit/CredEA) in this newsletter.
ORS is pleased to introduce Mr. Patrick Kilgore as the new leader of NIH’s Personnel Security Program as well as the new Director of DPSAC with a core mission to ensure the NIH workforce is comprised of suitable federal employees, contractors and affiliates who do not pose a threat to the NIH workforce or mission. Mr. Kilgore has over 30 years of professional experience in the Intelligence Operations and Security arenas. With his immense knowledge and experience ORS is excited to have Mr. Kilgore lead the Personnel Security program and continue to build and grow our critical mission of ensuring the NIH is comprised of a workforce that promotes the integrity and efficiency of the NIH service, in overall support of the NIH mission.
In this newsletter issue, DPSAC covers two important topics. Please read the newsletter in full to understand the annual training requirements for NIH staff in Sensitive Tier 3 (non-critical sensitive) and Tier 5 (critical sensitive) positions and/or who have a security clearance. The newsletter will also announce the final pricing for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) products and services for fiscal year (FY) 2024 and the updated estimated prices for FY 2025.
As part of any investigation, there is a possibility of getting contacted by a Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) investigator. It is important to emphasize that staff must still cooperate with the requests, even if they may have already received their badge. For more information, please read the full newsletter.
To make visits smoother, individuals preparing for their DPSAC enrollment appointment should review the Approved Identifications Document to know which Identification Documents (IDs) are acceptable for HSPD-12 Personal Identity Verification (PIV) badge enrollment. It is important to note that at this time, a mobile ID or mDL is NOT an acceptable form of ID for identity proofing/enrollment purposes under HSPD-12. Individuals must still bring physical original versions of their identity documents (i.e. driver’s license/ID) with them. For more information, please read the full article in this newsletter.
Please read this article in this newsletter to fully understand what the SEAD-3 reporting requirements are and who this applies to. It is also related to why it is important to accurately designate an individual's position designation. AOs can read more on these SEAD-3 requirements on our website here.
DPSAC offers two different types of fingerprint services: (1) Crossmatch Fingerprints and (2) Enrollment Fingerprints. We would like to remind everyone of the differences between these two fingerprint services, as these should not be confused with one another when communicating with applicants and individuals needing a new NIH Personal Identity Verification (PIV) badge or Restricted Local Access (RLA) badge. Please read the full article in the newsletter for more information.
A current employee/individual who is completing a badge renewal must travel to an NIH Enrollment & Issuance Facility to pick up their new badge once the badge renewal is processed and approved by DPSAC. This cannot be done at a remote Fieldprint location and NIH does not have remote Enrollment & Issuance centers. Individuals can find NIH Enrollment & Issuance Facility locations under our Contact page. For more information, please read the full article in the newsletter.
- July 10, 2024 - "All About Renewing Digital Certificates on Your PIV Card!"
All PIV card holders are required to renew digital certificates that are tied to their badge in order to continue logging in, using email encryption, and/or digitally signing documents. Renewing digital certificates should be done before their expiration date. HHS Identity will automatically contact any PIV card holder with an email alert requesting them to renew their digital certificates before their expiration date. Please read the full article in the newsletter to understand the three options that PIV card holders can choose from to renew their digital certificates!
When an employee, contractor or affiliate plans on leaving the employ of NIH, understand the required process the departing staff member must go through and how to properly return his/her ID badge to DPSAC.
- June 12, 2024 - "Review of NIH Position Classifications and Corresponding ID Badges"
Determining an individual's correct classification when registering him/her into NED is an important first step in the badging process, as this ensures that individual is vetted appropriately and issued the correct badge to allow them appropriate access at the NIH. Depending on the position classification, the individual will be eligible for one of three ID badge types. Readers are encouraged to read, bookmark and save this webpage: Review of NIH Position Classifications and Corresponding ID Badges, as this webpage allows readers to understand each of the 16 position classifications.
- May 29, 2024 - "Requirement to Correctly Insert an Applicant's Email Address in NED"
When entering an applicant or new staff into NED or updating records for current staff, the Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC) requires the individual's personal email address be listed within the NED record. The new-hire's personal email address is the primary method used by DPSAC to contact applicants, instructing them to complete the prescreening, badging and investigation processes. During the prescreening and/or background investigation process, DPSAC may need to reach out to the applicant directly. To protect the individual's privacy, DPSAC requires that their personal email address be listed. Please note: DPSAC cannot accept any other email address in place of the applicant's personal email. Not providing an email address that belongs to the applicant can lead to delays in the badging process. For further information, please read this newsletter in full.
As a reminder, before employees, contractors or affiliates can start a new position at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or be issued a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) or Restricted Local Access (RLA) badge, they must complete the Prescreening process through the Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC). The Prescreening process takes an average of 30 business days from administrative badge sponsorship in NED to badge issuance to complete. This average does not include additional time incurred due to non-responsiveness of applicant, or suitability/security issues developed on prescreening paperwork. In this newsletter issue, DPSAC provides a useful checklist to help Administrative Officers and Program Office staff better understand the DPSAC prescreening process to assist applicants complete prescreening in a timely manner.
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May 1, 2024 - "Position Designation Tool (PDT) vs. Emergency Tier Designation (ETD)"
The Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC) would like to clear up confusion between the Position Designation Tool (PDT) and Emergency Tier Designation (ETD). The PDT is not to be confused with the ETD at the NIH. Please read the full article to understand the differences between the PDT and ETD.
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April 17, 2024 - "FAQs on Classification Changes and HHS Agency Transfers"
Please read this newsletter to better understand what happens when classification changes are made and when individuals transfer from another HHS agency to NIH.
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April 3, 2024 - "Importance Notice from NED Regarding Maintenance Release 6.2"
The NED team deployed Maintenance Release 6.2 on Saturday, March 16, 2024. Please see the full important notice from the NIH Enterprise Directory (NED) Application team in this newsletter.
For administrators who will be involved in processing Summer Students, please read the newsletter for information on the type of badge that Summer Students will be receiving and the DPSAC process they must go through in order to receive their badge.
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March 6, 2024 - "Not-to-Exceed (NTE) Dates vs. ID Badge Expiration Dates"
Understand the difference between "Not-to-Exceed" (NTE) dates and "ID Badge Expiration" dates in the NIH Enterprise Directory (NED)!
The Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC) is pleased to share about our partnership with the CIT Helpdesk ServiceNow. ServiceNow is a ticketing service platform that allows users to easily submit helpdesk requests to DPSAC. There are two ways to submit a helpdesk request. Please feel free to check out our introductory video on how to submit a helpdesk ticket, which is shared on DPSAC's new
Contact page and
home page.
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February 7, 2024 - "SuitEA's Reminder to Agencies on Instructions for Frozen Credit"
On behalf of the Director of Suitability Executive Agent (SuitEA) Programs under the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), SuitEA has issued the following notice on January 8, 2024 to remind agencies that individuals undergoing background investigation do not need to lift security freezes on consumer or credit report files. Please read their notice in the newsletter.
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January 24, 2024 - "Responsibility to Submit Individual’s Position Designation and Tier Level Accurately in NED"
When entering individuals into NED, AOs must comply with all HSPD-12 guidelines and requests as an HSPD-12 Sponsor and remember the responsibilities and duties that come with being an AO. Therefore, AOs must enter individuals into NED with the correct tier level and proper position designation for DPSAC to conduct a proper investigation accordingly. AOs should not be entering individuals at a lower tier with the hopes of onboarding the individual quicker. When individuals are onboarded at a lower tier level (e.g., Tier 1) and then have their Position Sensitivity Level (PSL) upgraded once approved (e.g., Tier 3), the individual will be required to complete the background investigation process a second time. This leads to longer processing times and doubles the amount of time and effort, as our staff in DPSAC will have to process the same individual again. Additionally, upgrading an individual’s PSL after getting approved at a lower tier level will cost their ICO additional funds to go through the background investigation process again. Please read the full article in this newsletter issue.
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January 10, 2024 - "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 and Access Control (DPSAC) office finds an individual to be unsuitable or ineligible for their position, DPSAC will immediately notify the AO, supervisor and the individual by email. When notifying AOs and supervisors, DPSAC 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 article in this newsletter issue.
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January 3, 2024 -
"Year-End Message from the DPSAC Director" & "2023 DPSAC Newsletter Highlights in Review"
Read our top 10 highlighted articles from DPSAC news published in 2023!
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