DPSAC News A bi-weekly newsletter from the Division of Personnel Security and Access Control Providing timely information to help keep NIH safe and secure.

June 30, 2021 Issue of DPSAC News In this issue: Provide Your Feedback for DPSAC Office Visitors Arriving at NIH Bethesda Campus for Credentialing Appointments Asked to Present DPSAC Confirmation Email at Gateway Center or CVIF FAQs - One of our new employees was advised that she could not schedule her badge pickup until her EOD date. Is that accurate? Badge Processing Times Helpful Tips: Avoiding Additional Delays in Processing New Hires AOs Who Wish to Obtain Sponsor Authority

Provide Your Feedback for the DPSAC Office

We at DPSAC would love to hear from you regarding any feedback you may have for our office and how we can continue to improve. Please answer the following survey questions here. This should not take more than two (2) minutes. Thank you for taking the time to provide such feedback, as your thoughts are very valuable to us.

Visitors Arriving at NIH Bethesda Campus for Credentialing Appointments Asked to Present DPSAC Confirmation Email at Gateway Center or CVIF

When an applicant schedules a credentialing appointment with DPSAC (e.g. Enrollment/Badge Issuance/ Prescreening/Certificate Renewals), s/he receives immediate confirmation of the appointment in the form of an email. Recently, DPSAC has added verbiage to this email and on the website asking applicants to present a copy of the confirmation appointment email to security screeners upon arrival at the Gateway Center (or CVIF). This new requirement is intended to simplify and expedite the security screening process for these individuals and for the screeners on duty.    The revised appointment confirmation email now contains the following notice:  For customers obtaining credentialing (i.e., Enrollment or Badge Issuance) services at the NIH Main Campus, Bethesda, Maryland:  ***Prior to your arrival to the NIH, please print a copy of this email or have it ready to be presented on your smartphone. Once you have arrived, present this message to the Security Guard or Police Officer at the NIH’s Gateway Center or Commercial Vehicle Inspection Facility (CVIF) to ensure you are expedited through the security screening process. Failure to do so may result in delays or possible denial of entry to the NIH. *** Note: Applicants/Customers who already have access to campus can ignore the new message.  Should an applicant have questions about this process, s/he can call the DPSAC Case Review and Customer Service Branch Helpdesk at: 301-402-9755.

Q. One of our new employees was advised that she could not schedule her badge pickup until her EOD date. Is that accurate? A. ​​ NED will not allow an ID badge to be issued prior to the EOD date provided in the system. If the person has completed the requirements to receive an ID badge, NED will state “Waiting for EOD date: [date inserted here].” If he/she chooses to pick up the badge a day later, or a week later, that’s fine.    The DPSAC main office in Building 31, Room 1B03 on the Bethesda campus is open on weekdays and is by appointment only. If all appointments are booked on a particular day, the new employee would schedule badge pickup for the next available day, once again, on or after their EOD date, but not before.

Badge Processing Times For the MAR/APR/MAY time frame, the average processing time for issuing an ID badge is 21.3 calendar days.

Avoiding Additional Delays in Processing New Hires Processing times are often delayed due to reasons outside of DPSAC control, which include, but are not limited to: Incomplete or not submitted OF-306 Candidate response time Issues requiring clarification by the candidate Untimely submission of initial e-QIP or corrected e-QIP How the AO and HR communities can assist: By ensuring all required documents have been uploaded into HR's 'Onboarding Manager' prior to establishing a NED account By entering candidates as early as possible but no later than 8 weeks prior to their Entry on Duty (EOD) date By working with DPSAC to ensure candidates respond in a timely manner to inquiries ALT cards -- should be returned to the IC ALT card coordinator - NOT to DPSAC.

Administrative Officers (AOs) who wish to obtain sponsor authority must complete the sponsor training. To access the training module, click on: Sponsor. Upon completion, the AO should sign and email a copy of the certificate found at the end of the training module to Alex Salah at: salaha@ors.od.nih.gov. Upon receipt of the certificate, Mr. Salah will authorize the AO as a Sponsor.  Note: ONLY individuals with an Administrative Officer role in NED are eligible to be HHS ID Badge/PIV Card Sponsors.

Are there topics you would like to read more about in future issues of DPSAC News? Please send your suggestions to: Judie.Kuo@nih.gov. Your input is greatly appreciated.

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A biweekly e-newsletter from the National Institutes of Health, Office of Research Services, Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (ORS/DPSAC) to keep its readers informed of personnel security and access control policies and practices designed to safeguard the NIH and its workforce. DPSAC is responsible for verifying personal identity, validating suitability, reviewing background checks, authorizing facility access and issuing ID badges for NIH personnel.  Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Office of Management Office of Research Services Division of Personnel Security and Access Control

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