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Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday Personnel Security Helpdesk: 301-402-9755 E-mail: orspersonnelsecurity@ mail.nih.gov Access Control Helpdesk: 301-451-4766 E-mail: facilityaccesscontrol@ mail.nih.gov   |
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Your Position Sensitivity Level - the Starting Point in the Badging Process to Safeguard the NIH Workforce
In this issue, DPSAC News begins a new series that explores Position Sensitivity Levels (PSLs) and the critical role they play in vetting and protecting the approximately 37,000 employees, contractors and affiliates who are issued a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card (a.k.a., HHS ID Badge) and become part of the NIH federal workforce.
This introductory article provides a high-level overview of the various Position Sensitivity Levels and how the correct level is determined when entering someone into the NIH Enterprise Directory (NED).
For the protection of everyone who enters NIH facilities
Every person entering NIH facilities is required to have an identification badge. All federal employees, contractors and organizational affiliates who require access to federal facilities and/or information systems for a period greater that six months must complete the Personal Identity Verification (PIV)[i] process in order to be issued a PIV card (HHS ID Badge or, in some cases, an NIH Restricted Local Access (RLA) Badge).[ii]
All Position Sensitivity Levels fall under one of three major categories: Non-Sensitive, National Security and Public Trust
Each position at NIH is assigned a level of risk and sensitivity that determines what type of background check will be required for that position. While all employee and contractor positions at NIH fall within one of these three major security categories, each position also has a defined risk and sensitivity profile that determines the type of background investigation that must be completed.
Non-Sensitive
Non-Sensitive positions are those which include mostly low-risk, non-public trust and non-national security program responsibilities. Individuals with Non-Sensitive positions fall into Level 1.
* Level 1 - (Non-sensitive)
National Security
National Security positions are those in which the incumbent needs a security clearance for access to classified, national security information.
* Level 2 - (Confidential or Secret access level)
* Level 3 - (Top Secret access level)
* Level 4 - (Special Compartmented Information)
Public Trust
Public Trust positions are those positions which require a high degree of integrity with public confidence in the individual occupying the position.
* Level 5 - (Moderate Risk level)
* Level 6 - (High Risk level)
The Form 2866 - An indispensable tool in NED for helping AOs determine the position sensitivity levels for NIH positions
Because of the sheer number of position titles used at NIH (nearly 170!), NED provides an online interactive worksheet (Form 2866) to help guide Administrative Officers (AOs) and Administrative Technicians (ATs) in determining the appropriate sensitivity level and corresponding background investigation for every NIH position.
When completing the Form 2866 in NED, it is important never to guess! If you are not sure how to complete part of the form, DPSAC strongly advises you to reach out to the individual's supervisor. DPSAC updates the Form 2866 against the OPM Position Designation Tool (PDT) annually to ensure compliance.
How to use the 2866 worksheet to calculate the Position Sensitivity Level 1 and NACI background investigation requirements in NED
The position "Communications and public liaison professional" is used here to illustrate how to complete the 2866 worksheet to calculate a Level 1 PSL.
When an AO is registering a new record in NED, he/she will be required to complete the Position Sensitivity Worksheet (Form 2866) in the Position Information portion of the NED record. To successfully complete the Form 2866, the AO will need to complete the following steps:
Step 1 of the worksheet will display the Position Title selected (Communications and public liaison professional). If you are not sure of the correct Position Title, please contact the individual's supervisor.
Step 2 automatically validates the Position Sensitivity Level for the Selected Position Title/Function as a Level 1 (i.e., the basic and minimum investigation required on all new federal employees, contractors and affiliates).
Steps 3 and 4
in the worksheet allow the AO to select "exception factors" that would elevate the minimum sensitivity level to 5B or 2 respectively (Level 2 requires a higher level background investigation than either Level 1 or Level 5B). In this example there are no exception factors to move the position to one of these higher levels.
Step 5 asks the user to "Select Additional Exception Factors Requiring No Position Sensitivity Level Changes." The only Exception Factor listed here is 'Works with children.' Applicants who work with children will require additional scrutiny in their background investigation but will remain under the Level 1 in this example, since the applicant does not work with children.
Since the AO has determined that the applicant's position does not have exception factors to move him or her to a higher position sensitivity level or to an elevated background investigation, the 2866 has computed the minimum position sensitivity level at a Level 1 - NACI.
After completing Form 2866, NED will also require a Common Account Number (CAN) to cover the costs of the background investigation. In the next edition of DPSAC News, we will begin exploring Position Sensitivity Level 1 (non-sensitive) in more detail.
[i]
Personal Identity Verification (PIV) is a common credentialing and standard background investigation process required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12).
[ii]
A PIV card is a United States federal smart card that contains the necessary data for the cardholder to be granted access to federal facilities and information systems and assure appropriate levels of security for all applicable federal applications.
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Attention AOs: a Contractor's PIV Card Continues to Work Even After You Reclassify the Individual to FTE in NED
This article first appeared in the December 21, 2016 DPSAC News.
DPSAC Cannot Issue a New (Employee) PIV Card at the Person's EOD Orientation Unless the AO Has Reclassified the Individual Beforehand
DPSAC reports that during the most recent EOD orientation, five Contractors converting to Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Employees were unable to obtain a new employee PIV card because their NED record showed that they were still Contractors. Their AOs hadn't updated their status as Employees in NED.
DPSAC wants to remind AOs that they should reclassify their contractors to FTEs via a NED update prior to their first day as an FTE. Some AOs are under the impression that this action will immediately cause the person's badge to be revoked. This is not true. The contractor badge (with the green stripe) will continue to work until the badge holder receives the Employee version of the HHS ID Badge (PIV Card) (with the white 'stripe').
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Helpful Tips
Do not lend your ID badge to anyone! -- lending out your ID badge is prohibited. The issuance of ID badges is based on strict identity proofing and the determination of one's suitability for a specific position classification. To do so is a criminal offense.
ALT cards -- need to be returned to the IC ALT card coordinator -
NOT to the Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC).
All Building 31 badging services -- Enrollment, Badge Issuance and Customer Service -- now offered at a single, convenient location in 1B03. All badging services in Building 31 are available between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. DPSAC will continue to offer Enrollment and Badging services in the South Lobby of the Clinical Center from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.
Administrative Officers (AOs) who wish to obtain sponsor authority -- must complete the sponsor training (see:
http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/Training/Pages/administrators.aspx) and e-mail a copy of your signed certificate to the NIH HSPD-12 Program Office at
[email protected]. Upon receipt of the certificate, the Program Office will authorize the AO as a Sponsor.
Please note: ONLY individuals with an Administrative Officer role are eligible to be HHS ID Badge/PIV Card Sponsors.
ICs that want to add Lifecycle Work Station (LWS) operators to the approved roster -- send a written request to Richie Taffet at: [email protected]. Your request should include:
- the new operator's name
- his/her Institute or Center (IC)
- his/her NED number
- the operator's e-mail address, building/room and phone number
- the hours of operation of the Lifecycle Work Station
Once Mr. Taffet has approved the request, he will forward the name(s) to
[email protected] to complete the approval process, add the name(s) to the LWS operator roster, and inform the IC that the individual is now approved to operate the LWS.
Need to make changes to the LWS operator directories? -- drop an e-mail to Lanny Newman,
[email protected], and let him know what needs changing (e.g., adding new operators or LWS locations, removing operators, etc.). Remember, before a new operator can be added to the LWS directory, s/he must first be approved by Richie Taffet (see preceding Helpful Tip).
If an LWS is not available in your IC or your immediate area, and you work in the greater Bethesda or Rockville area -- please call 301-402-9755 to schedule an appointment with DPSAC, located in Building 31, Room 1B03 or in Building 10, South Lobby, Room 1C52.
If you work outside the Bethesda/Rockville area, contact your local badge issuance office. You can find contact information for all badge issuance offices at:
http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/Pages/contactinfo.aspx.
Know someone who should be reading DPSAC News? -- have the person contact Lanny Newman,
[email protected], and ask to be put on the mailing list.
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NED Training Schedule for FY '17
Description:
This course provides an overview of the NED Portal and the NIH business functions it supports from the perspective of a NED Portal user with the AO or AT role. Upon completing the course, students will have a solid working knowledge of the NED Portal and be able to perform the following tasks: Register/Activate, Update, Modify, Transfer, Badge Renewal, and Deactivate.
The course will also familiarize students with other aspects of the NED Portal so they can: set their primary SAC coverage using Preferences; determine the status of a person's ID badge and/or network account request; look up and view information in a person's NED record; and, utilize NED reporting capabilities.
Intended Audience:
New or relatively inexperienced NED Portal users with the Administrative Officer (AO) or Administrative Technician (AT) role.
Prerequisites:
Basic personal computer skills and experience with web-based computer applications.
Reasonable Accommodations/Interpreting Services:
For deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals requiring interpreting services, please enter your request online in the Interpreting Services System at least five (5) days before the start of the class.
If you have any questions regarding this service, you may contact the ORS Division of Amenities and Transportation Services (DATS) Interpreting Team at (301-402-8180). Individuals who need other reasonable accommodations to participate in any of the Center for Information Technology (CIT) Training courses should let CIT Training know at least 5 days prior to the class.
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Percentages are rounded up, yielding a total greater than 100%
NIH badging statistics from HHS as of December 30, 2016
Sponsored: 38,025 Enrolled: 37,029 Issued: 35,625*
*This figure represents
94.0% of individuals who have been sponsored.
Note: the Department reports weekly on the number of individuals who have been sponsored, enrolled and issued new HHS ID Badges for each OPDIV.
DPSAC News
reports the latest Departmental figures for NIH in the first issue published for that month.
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A biweekly e-newsletter from the Office of Research Services, Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (ORS/DPSAC) to keep you informed as NIH rolls out "Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12" (HSPD-12) establishing a common identification standard to better safeguard NIH and its workforce.
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