Situations When NED Revokes Current Badges: An Overview
Classification Change from FTE to something else (typically contractor): If an NIH employee (FTE) has a PIV badge and their NED record is updated to another classification (e.g., contractor), NED will immediately revoke the current badge. This prevents non-FTE staff from possessing an FTE badge. Since FTEs can complete inherently governmental functions, it is important that non-FTE staff do not possess an FTE badge, even for short periods of time.
Badge Type Changes (typically RLA TO PIV): If someone will receive a different type of ID badge (e.g., RLA to PIV), the current badge will be revoked immediately. The HHS Smart Card Management System (SCMS), which manages RLA and PIV badges for all HHS agencies, does not allow someone to possess one badge type (RLA) and request a different badge type (PIV). There are two scenarios where this happens regularly:
1. Foreign Nationals: Foreign nationals who have not resided in the United States for at least three years cannot undergo a full-scope background investigation. While they complete e-QIP and get fingerprinted, the investigation completed by DCSA is limited in scope. This disqualifies them from receiving a PIV card and instead are issued an RLA badge that is valid for three years. When their badge comes up for renewal three years later, they have now been in the US long enough to complete a full-scope investigation and receive a PIV badge. As such, when the AO runs the badge task in NED, the current RLA badge is revoked so the PIV can be requested per the HHS SCMS rules. In this scenario, the individual will also be required to complete e-QIP and fingerprinting again so that DCSA can run the full-scope investigation.
AOs will frequently see this scenario play out with their foreign national staff since the date to renew the individual’s ID badge often coincides with the date to change his/her badge type.*
AOs can help their customers avoid the inconvenience of losing their access to the NIH campus (physical access) or to the NIH network (logical access) during the badge renewal process by coordinating the renewal process with the individual badge holder. If possible, the AO should plan on submitting the renewal request when the individual is on campus and pre-emptively schedule enrollment and issuance appointments on the day of the action to limit any interruption to his/her physical access.
2. Short-Term Staff: Individuals who are initially entered into NED as short-term (less than six months) will receive an RLA badge and a fingerprint check. The badge is valid for six months. At the end of the six months, a badge renewal task will appear in NED for the person. This badge renewal will convert the NED record to long-term (more than six months) and generate a request for a PIV badge. Per the HHS SCMS rules, this requires the current RLA badge to be revoked. These individuals must also complete e-QIP and fingerprinting since they did not undergo a full-scope background investigation to receive the short-term RLA badge.
* Note: NED displays the following warning message to the AT/AO when these scenarios are occurring in the system:
- Warning: This update contains changes that if approved, will result in the immediate revocation of the individual’s current ID badge and require the issuance of a new badge. Upon your approval, NED will immediately revoke the current ID badge and automatically initiate a new badge request. The individual may need to be re-sponsored and/or enrolled per Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC) policy. Please ensure this is the action you desire prior to approving the update.
