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
July 1, 2020 Issue of DPSAC News

In this issue:
  • HHS/ONS Issues New Prescreening Document Requirements for Sensitive Positions at NIH (Tier 3 & Tier 5)
  • Fourth NIH Virtual Town Hall Addresses Safety at NIH as NIH Begins to Return Staff in Group ‘A’ to Some NIH Locations
  • COVID-19 Self-Assessment Reporting Requirement for All NIH Staff Returning to Work
  • FAQs: Changes in the Prescreening Process for Tier 3/Tier 5 positions; Badge Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic
  • AOs Who Wish to Obtain Sponsor Authority
HHS/ONS Issues New Prescreening Document Requirements for Sensitive Positions at NIH (Tier 3 & Tier 5)
Per updated security guidance from the HHS Office of National Security (ONS), the NIH Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC) is now required to collect official position documentation (see table below) from individuals in non-Critical Sensitive and Critical Sensitive Positions at NIH (Tier 3 [1] and Tier 5 [2] ) during the Personnel Security prescreening process.
 
ONS requires the collection of these documents prior to allowing individuals in Tier 3 and Tier 5 positions to Enter on Duty or receive prescreening clearance authorization, and before requesting a background investigation or accepting a prior background investigation from another agency. Therefore, DPSAC cannot initiate for a background investigation, provide Prescreening Clearance for Entry on Duty or Authorize Badge Issuance for individuals in Tier 3 or Tier 5 Positions until these documents are collected.
 
Initially, DPSAC will be reaching out to the Program Offices (Administrative Officer and Supervisor), to request these documents during the prescreening process, after the individual has been sponsored for a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) or Restricted Local Access (RLA) Badge in the NIH Enterprise Directory (NED).
 
However, DPSAC asks that moving forward, administrators ensure these position documents (see table below) are combined into one file along with the Position Designation Tool (PDT) file and uploaded using the NED file path created for uploading the PDT during the NED registration process (or during an Update task if a position tier is being elevated to Tier 3 or Tier 5). This will ensure the required files are automatically uploaded to DPSAC systems.
 
Effective immediately, DPSAC would request that NIH Institutes and Centers provide DPSAC with the following documentation for individuals in Tier 3 and Tier 5 positions via the method described above during the NED Activate/Register process or upon request:
Fourth NIH Virtual Town Hall Addresses Safety at NIH as NIH Begins to Return Staff in Group ‘A’ to Some NIH Locations
On June 19, 2020 NIH Director Francis Collins, MD, PhD hosted the  4th NIH Virtual Town Hall  during which he and members of his leadership team addressed safety at NIH and the support of science as NIH begins to return staff in Group A to some NIH locations beginning June 22.

Prior to the Town Hall, on June 17, 2020, Dr. Collins posted a ‘Message from the Director’ on the NIH employee intranet detailing Group A Return to Work information. He noted that the NIH Coronavirus Response Team determined that Group A staff whose worksites are located in Montgomery County, MD, Frederick County, MD and Ravalli County, MT would begin returning beginning the week of June 22. These locations have met the criteria for the first phase of return. 

During the virtual town hall, Jessica McCormick-Ell, Director of the NIH Division of Occupational Health and Safety, who recently joined NIH, provided an overview of the  NIH Safety Guidance  for returning to our physical workspaces.

Also on hand to help answer questions submitted by NIH staffers in advance of the town hall were Alfred Johnson, NIH Deputy Director for Management and Julie Berko, Director, NIH Office of Human Resources. Face coverings, cleaning of facilities, testing and campus services were among the many topics covered during the FAQ segment of the meeting. If you missed the Town Hall, please take the time to watch it and review the staff intranet page that provides guidance and resources on NIH plans to return staff safely to NIH facilities.
In a message to the NIH community following the Town Hall and posted on the NIH Employee intranet, Dr. Collins emphasized that all staff returning to their physical worksites are expected to wear a face covering when they arrive at work. NIH will provide a new face covering to staff once onsite.

Dr. Collins reiterated that “all NIH staff returning to the physical workplace are expected to comply with the Safety Guidance/Code of Conduct and we will want documentation. Executive Officers within your Institute, Center, or Office will be seeking to obtain your attestations, either centrally or in coordination with supervisors.” He added that NIH is exploring systems that allow staff approved to work onsite to provide affirmation to their supervisors that they are symptom free. Please watch for an email from AlertNIH with more details.

“We are taking this one step at a time” said Collins. “But Group A is just the beginning of the long-term plan that seeks to bring staff back to their normal workplaces. In that regard, we will begin informing staff if they are part of Group B in the coming weeks. Please be patient, however. I continue to emphasize that we will wait  at least  three weeks from June 22 to return Group B staff, to allow time to assess the impact of increased onsite staffing on health and safety” Collins concluded.
COVID-19 Self-Assessment
Reporting Requirement for
All NIH Staff Returning to Work
The following AlertNIH announcement was sent to all NIH staff on June 25, 2020:

To promote a culture of safety as we return to the physical workspace, HHS has instructed all employees, including contractors, to continuously self-monitor and self-assess for COVID-19 symptoms before entering their place of work.

The NIH is launching a pilot self-assessment reporting tool utilizing the existing notification system, AlertNIH.

An employee will receive emails and text messages daily at approximately 9pm ET, including on weekends, starting this evening, Thursday, June 25, from "NIH COVID Self-Check ( [email protected] )" to all work and personal email and phone numbers on file. No phone calls will be sent. Employees should respond for the next day, no matter what time their shift begins and whether they are scheduled to work. Employees are asked to self-assess for COVID-19 symptoms and reply with one of 3 responses:

1 – I do not have symptoms and will report to work tomorrow
2 – I have symptoms or recent exposure and will submit an OMS form
3 – I will not be onsite tomorrow

If an employee answers yes to 'having symptoms' or 'recent exposure' with someone known or suspected of having COVID-19, they should not report to work, should notify their supervisor, and fill out an Occupational Medical Service (OMS) screening form: https://go.usa.gov/xvDRR . 

Employees who want to confirm their contact information is up to date in AlertNIH, to include personal emails and phones numbers, should visit: https://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/alert/get-connected/Pages/update-ned.aspx .  

To download the AlertNIH mobile app, search for "Blackberry AtHoc" in the Apple or Google Play Store. Register with your work email and use the Organization Code, "NIH".

If you are not already working on campus or part of Group A, and you receive the message in error, or if you are already working onsite or part of Group A and do not receive the message, please contact your ICO Emergency Coordinator. The coordinators can also help answer questions. A list of emergency coordinators can be found at: https://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/alert/Pages/Emergency-Coordinators-by-InstituteCenter.aspx .   

Thank you for your assistance in helping to ensure the NIH is a safe place to work for everyone.

Q. What has changed in the prescreening process for Tier 3 and Tier 5 positions?

A. DSPAC) is now required to collect official position documentation from individuals in non-Critical Sensitive and Critical Sensitive Positions at NIH (Tier 3 and Tier 5) during the Personnel Security prescreening process.

ONS requires the collection of these documents prior to allowing individuals in Tier 3 and Tier 5 positions to Enter on Duty or receive prescreening clearance authorization, and before requesting a background investigation or accepting a prior background investigation from another agency.

Therefore, DPSAC cannot initiate for a background investigation, provide Prescreening Clearance for Entry on Duty or Authorize Badge Issuance for individuals in Tier 3 or Tier 5 Positions until these documents are collected. 


Q. How do I go about renewing my PIV Card (HHS ID Badge) during the COVID-19 pandemic? 

A. DPSAC offers its badging services by appointment only on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM. 

If you need to contact DPSAC to schedule an appointment, please email [email protected] or call 301-402-9755. DPSAC staff will be available to answer email and phone inquiries Monday – Friday between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM.
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: [email protected] . 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: [email protected] . Your input is greatly appreciated.
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. 

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