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.
February 23, 2022 Issue of DPSAC News
In this issue:
  • NIH Badge Smoothing Initiative and Statistics
  • Intermittent vs. Non-Intermittent: What is the Difference? 
  • Badge Processing Times
  • FAQs – Am I allowed to bring my child to my appointment with DPSAC?
  • Helpful Tips: Avoiding Additional Delays in Processing New Hires
  • AOs Who Wish to Obtain Sponsor Authority
  • Provide Your Feedback to the DPSAC Office

NIH Badge Smoothing
Initiative and Statistics
In CY 2023, the NIH will experience a sustained spike in badge renewals, well-beyond DPSAC's operational capacity to process the 19,000+ renewals in a timely manner. This has the potential to lead to long wait times for PIV and RLA card holders. However, through a combination of badge smoothing as well as several tools at its disposal, DPSAC is positioned to mitigate the impact of negative operational impacts. Badge Smoothing entails ‘force renewing’ badges in advance of their natural expiration, allowing DPSAC to issue badges during periods of lesser volume. In this case, DPSAC is shifting large swaths of CY23 expiring badge holders to CY22.

To fully understand the purpose behind the NIH badge smoothing initiative and the mechanics behind it, please read this article. The overall success of this effort is dependent on AOs completing badge renewal tasks as they appear in their NED inboxes. Individuals are not notified to schedule an appointment with DPSAC until the badge renewal task is complete in NED.

Here are the most recent NIH badge smoothing statistics provided by DPSAC as of February 22, 2022.  

Number of individuals submitted to NED to start the process (Initiated): 1300
Number of individuals sponsored in NED (Sponsored): 453
Number of individuals issued a new badge (Issued): 437
Intermittent vs.
Non-Intermittent:
What is the Difference?
When creating a new record for a “Volunteer (other than Special Volunteer)” in NED, you must indicate how often the person will require access to NIH facilities and/or IT systems if the person requires an ID badge (see figure 1).  Individuals accessing NIH facilities and/or IT systems 2 or less times per week are considered “Intermittent” while those requiring access 3+ times per week are identified as “non-Intermittent.”  
This delineation is used to determine the type of background investigation required for the individual. Intermittent staff are required to undergo a fingerprint check while non-Intermittent staff must complete a full background investigation (fingerprints and background investigation forms). Intermittent staff are not required to undergo the full background check due to their infrequent need to access NIH facilities and/or IT systems.
Badge Processing Times
For the NOV/DEC/JAN time frame, the average processing time for issuing an ID badge is 23.8 calendar days.

A: Children are NOT allowed at any DPSAC office, except for Building 31. No children are allowed in the Clinical Center/Building 10 unless they are a patient. DPSAC customers with appointments in the Clinical Center/Building 10 that bring children (under the age of 16) will be turned away.​
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.
Want to share some feedback?

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. As part of your feedback, 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. 


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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. 

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