Dm 4620-0002

DM 4620-002
United States
Department of
Agriculture

Office of Security Services

COMMON IDENTIFICATION STANDARD FOR
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EMPLOYEES AND
CONTRACTORS
DM 4620-002

COMMON IDENTIFICATION STANDARD FOR U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
1.
2
3.
4.
5.
6.
Chapter 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Chapter 3
1.
2.
3.

i

4.
5.
Chapter 4

Overview
Purpose
Special Instructions
Background
Applicability
Credentialing Standards
Reciprocity of Credentialing Determinations
PIV-I
PIV-I Applicability
Privacy Policy
Background Investigation Requirements
Registration, Identity Proofing, and Credential Issuance
Expiration Date Requirements
Temporary Badges
Contracting Impacts
Audit and Records Management
Use of Approved Forms
Reporting Requirements
PIV-II
PIV-II Overview
PIV-II Applicability
Registration, Identity Proofing, Credential Issuance, and
Revocation
Physical Access Control Systems (PACS)
Logical Access Control Systems (LACS)
Training

Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
Figure D-1
Appendix E
Figure E-1
Figure E-3
Figure E-4
Figure E-5

Definitions
A-1
Abbreviations
B-1
PIV-II Standard Operating Procedures
C-1
LincPass Distribution Risk Assessment
D-1
LincPass Distribution Risk Assessment
D-1
PIV-II Credential Topology and Examples of Temporary Badges E-1
Front of PIV-II Credential
E-2
Back of PIV-II Credential
E-3
Example of LincPass
E-4
Example of USDA Site Badge
E-6

i

1
1
3
3
4
5
6
9
9
10
11
12
16
16
17
17
17
18
20
20
21
21
27
29
31

Figure E-6
Figure E-7
Appendix F
Appendix G
Appendix H
Appendix I
Appendix J

Example 1—Visitor Badge
Example 2 —Visitor Badge
Training for PIV-II
Training for Non-PACS Facilities
ePACS Technical Requirements
Form AD-1197
Amendments Log

ii

E-7
E-8
F-1
G-1
H-1
I-1
J-1

January 14, 2009

DM 4620-002

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
WASHINGTON, DC 20250

Number:

DEPARTMENTAL MANUAL

DM 4620-002

SUBJECT:

DATE:

Common Identification Standard for U.S.
Department of Agriculture Employees and
Contractors

January 14, 2009
OPI:

Office of Security Services
(OSS)

CHAPTER 1
OVERVIEW

1.

PURPOSE
This Departmental Manual (DM) provides policies and procedures for USDA staff
to meet the Personal Identity Verification (PIV) requirements of the directives and
standards:
a.

Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), Policy for a
Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors,
August 27, 2004

b.

U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST) Federal Information Processing Standard Publication 2011 (FIPS 201-1), Personal Identity Verification (PIV) of Federal Employees
and Contractors, March 2006

c.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum, Implementation of
Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 12 – Policy for a Common
Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors M-05-24,
August 5, 2005

d.

OMB Memorandum, Acquisition of Products and Services for
Implementation of HSPD-12, M-06-18, June 30, 2006

e.

OMB Memorandum, Validating and Monitoring Agency Issuance of Personal
Identity Verification Cards, M-07-06, January 11, 2007

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DM 4620-002

f.

January 14, 2009

U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and
Technology, Special Publications (SP):
(1)

800-37, Guide for the Security Certification and Accreditation of
Federal Information Systems, May 2004

(2)

800-53, Recommended Security Controls for Federal Information
Systems, February 2005

(3)

800-63, Electronic Authentication Guideline, Appendix A, June 2004

(4)

800-73-1, Interfaces for Personal Identity Verification, April 2006

(5)

800-76-1, Biometric Data
Verification, January 2007

(6)

800-78-1, Cryptographic Algorithms and Key Sizes for Personal Identity
Verification, July 2006

(7)

800-79, Guidelines for the Certification and Accreditation of PIV Card
Issuing Organizations, July 2005

(8)

800-85a, PIV Card Application and Middleware Interface Test (SP 80073 Compliance), April 5, 2006

(9)

800-85b, PIV Data Model Conformance Test Guidelines, July 2006

Specification

for

Personal

Identity

(10) 800-87, Codes for the Identification of Federal and Federally Assisted
Organizations, January 2006.
(11) 800-96, PIV Card/Reader Interoperability Guidelines, September 2006
(12) 800-104, A Scheme for PIV Visual Card Topography
g.

Federal Acquisition Regulation, FAR Case 2005-15, Common Identification
Standard for Contractors

h.

Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Memorandum, Interim Credentialing
Standards for Issuing Personal Identity Verification Cards Under HSPD-12,
December 18, 2007

HSPD-12 mandates the development and implementation of a mandatory,
Government-wide Standard for secure and reliable forms of identification issued to
Federal employees and contractors.
FIPS 201-1 (1) defines a reliable, Government-wide PIV system for use in
applications such as access to Federally controlled facilities or information systems,
(2) specifies a PIV system within which common identification badges can be
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January 14, 2009

DM 4620-002

created and later used to verify a claimed identity, and (3) requires identity proofing
and background investigations to verify identity.
OMB Implementation Memorandum M-05-24 provides guidance for implementing
the requirements in FIPS 201-1 and HSPD-12. The guidance clarifies timelines,
applicability, and the requirements of PIV-I and PIV-II. OMB Memorandum M07-06 provides the guidance for reporting the number of PIV credentials issued by
quarter. Beginning March 1, 2007 and each quarter thereafter, agencies will post
their reports on their Federal agency public Web site.
USDA mission areas, agencies, and staff offices are referred to hereafter as
“agency” or “agencies.”

2.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
DM 4620-002 is a new Departmental Manual and does not replace any previous
Departmental Manual. Agency HSPD-12 designated Points of Contact (POC) are
responsible for the distribution of DR 4620-002 and DM 4620-002 and the
administration of the program within their agencies.

3.

BACKGROUND
Government agencies use a wide range of methods to authenticate Federal
employees and contractors as a requirement to enter Government buildings and use
Government systems. Federal agencies use authentication mechanisms to allow
access to specific areas or systems. The methods and level of assurance for
authentication (i.e., identification) and authorization (i.e., permission) vary widely
from agency to agency, and sometimes within a single agency.
HSPD-12 requires that all Government agencies develop specific and consistent
standards for both physical and logical identification systems. NIST’s FIPS 201-1
establishes detailed standards on implementing processes and systems to fulfill the
requirements of HSPD-12. FIPS 201-1 outlines two phases to implementing an
HSPD-12 program. Phase I (PIV-I) describes the registration and identity proofing
process. Phase II (PIV-II) describes the technical and interoperability requirements
of an HSPD-12-compliant system.
The 2002 Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) does not permit
waivers to the FIPS 201-1 standards.

4.

APPLICABILITY
According to FIPS 201-1, the standard “is applicable to identification issued by
Federal departments and agencies to Federal employees and contractors (including
contractor employees) for gaining physical access to Federally- controlled facilities
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DM 4620-002

January 14, 2009

and logical access to Federally-controlled information systems except for “national
security systems” as defined by 44 U.S.C. 3542(b)(2).
Specifically, PIV applies to all Employees (as defined in title 5 U.S.C §2105
“Employee”) within a department or agency. Further defined by Executive Order
(EO) 12968, “Employee” means a person, other than the President and Vice
President, employed by, detailed or assigned to, USDA, including members of the
Armed Forces; an expert or consultant to USDA; an industrial or commercial
contractor, licensee, certificate holder, or grantee of USDA, including all
subcontractors; a personal services contractor; or any other category of person who
acts on behalf of an agency as determined by the agency head.
In addition, all part time employees and contractor employees who require routine
access to federally controlled facilities and/or information systems will be subject to
PIV. Federal employees who submitted their retirement paperwork and will retire
within 6 months of submission are not subject to PIV and do not need to enroll in
the HSPD-12 program. Refer to the LincPass Distribution Risk Assessment in
Appendix D for guidance with regard to part time employees and contractors.
Temporary employees and contractors, short-term employees and contractors,
guests, occasional visitors to Federal facilities, and individuals needing remote
access to systems or applications can be issued alternate badges as described in
Chapter 2, Section 6 of this Manual. These individuals are subject to a badge risk
assessment just as full-time Federal employees and contractors are. Such
individuals shall have in their written work agreements (volunteer agreement, guest
researcher agreement, memorandum of understanding, extramural agreement, etc.)
a statement as to whether the agency risk assessment requires a PIV ID credential,
and the eligibility requirements for a PIV ID credential. Refer to the LincPass
Distribution Risk Assessment in Appendix D and on the Physical Security website,
http://www.usda.gov/da/pmd/physprop.htm.
FIPS 201-1 also contains a special-risk security provision: “The U.S. Government
has personnel, facilities, and other assets deployed and operating worldwide under a
vast range of threats (e.g., terrorist, technical, intelligence), particularly heightened
overseas. For those agencies with particularly sensitive OCONUS threats, the
issuance, holding, and/or use of PIV credentials with full technical capabilities as
described herein may result in unacceptably high risk. In such cases of extant risk
(e.g., to facilities, individuals, operations, the national interest, or the national
security), by the presence and/or use of full-capability PIV credentials, the
Secretary of Agriculture may issue a select number of maximum security badges
that do not contain (or otherwise do not fully support) the wireless and/or biometric
capabilities otherwise required/referenced herein. To the greatest extent
practicable, agencies should minimize the number of requests for such special-risk
security badges so as to support inter-agency interoperability and the President’s
policy. Use of other risk-mitigating technical (e.g., high-assurance on-off switches
for the wireless capability) and procedural mechanisms in such situations is
preferable, and as such is also explicitly permitted and encouraged. As protective
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DM 4620-002

security technology advances, this need for this provision will be re-assessed as the
standard undergoes the normal review and update process.”
Since foreign national employees and contractors may not have lived in the U.S.
long enough for a background investigation to be meaningful, USDA should
conduct an equivalent investigation, consistent with requirements of this Manual.
OMB will establish an interagency working group to explore whether guidance is
necessary with respect to background investigations for foreign national employees
and contractors. Pending receipt of OMB guidance, if any, agencies shall at a
minimum complete a National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI) for foreign
national employees and contractors who have lived in the U.S. continuously for the
past 5 years prior to employment. Agencies shall contact the Personnel and
Document Security Division (PDSD), and the Office of Security Services (OSS) for
guidance on conducting background investigations for foreign national employees
and contractors who have not lived in the U.S. continuously for the past five years
prior to employment.
5.

CREDENTIALING STANDARDS
a.

b.

HSPD-12 Minimum PIV Card Credentialing Standards. In accordance with
OPM guidelines, a PIV card will not be issued to an individual if any of the
following applies:
(1)

The individual is known to be or reasonably suspected of being a
terrorist;

(2)

The employer is unable to verify the individual’s claimed identity;

(3)

There is reasonable basis to believe the individual has submitted
fraudulent information concerning his or her identity;

(4)

There is a reasonable basis to believe the individual will attempt to gain
unauthorized access to classified documents, information protected by
the Privacy Act, information that is proprietary in nature, or other
sensitive or protected information;

(5)

There is a reasonable basis to believe the individual will use an identity
credential outside the workplace or inappropriately; or

(6)

There is a reasonable basis to believe the individual will use Federallycontrolled information systems unlawfully, make unauthorized
modifications to such systems, corrupt or destroy such systems, or
engage in inappropriate uses of such systems.

Supplemental PIV Card Credentialing Standards: USDA may work with
individuals who do not require a suitability determination or a security
clearance. In such cases, there is flexibility to apply supplemental

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DM 4620-002

January 14, 2009

credentialing standards in addition to the six basic standards in the previous
section. These supplemental standards are intended to ensure that the grant of
a PIV card to an individual does not create unacceptable risk, when the
individual is not subject to an adjudication of suitability for employment in the
competitive service under 5 CFR part 731, or qualification for employment in
the excepted service under 5 CFR part 302 or under a similar authority, or of
eligibility for access to classified information under E.O. 12968. These
standards may be applied based on the risk associated with the position or
work on the contract.
An agency may consider denying or revoking a PIV card to an individual
based on one of these supplemental credentialing standards. In the following
standards, an “unacceptable risk” refers to an unacceptable risk to life, safety,
or health of employees, contractors, vendors, or visitors; to the Government’s
physical assets or information systems; to personal property; to records,
including classified, privileged, proprietary, financial, or medical records; or
to the privacy of data subjects.
(1)

There is a reasonable basis to believe, based on the individual’s
misconduct or negligence in employment, that issuance of a PIV card
poses an unacceptable risk;

(2)

There is a reasonable basis to believe, based on the individual’s criminal
or dishonest conduct, that issuance of a PIV card poses an unacceptable
risk;

(3)

There is a reasonable basis to believe, based on the individual’s material,
intentional false statement, deception, or fraud in connection with
Federal or contract employment, that issuance of a PIV card poses an
unacceptable risk;

(4)

There is a reasonable basis to believe, based on the nature or duration of
the individual’s alcohol abuse without evidence of substantial
rehabilitation, that issuance of a PIV card poses an unacceptable risk;

(5)

There is a reasonable basis to believe, based on the nature or duration of
the individual’s illegal use of narcotics, drugs, or other controlled
substances without evidence of substantial rehabilitation, that issuance
of a PIV card poses an unacceptable risk;

(6)

A statutory or regulatory bar prevents the individual’s contract
employment; or would prevent Federal employment under
circumstances that furnish a reasonable basis to believe that issuance of
a PIV card poses and unacceptable risk; or

(7)

The individual has knowingly and willfully engaged in acts or activities
designed to overthrow the U.S. Government by force.

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January 14, 2009

6.

DM 4620-002

RECIPROCITY OF CREDENTIALING DETERMINATIONS
OMB guidance requires agencies to accept PIV card credentialing determination for
a person transferring from another agency when the possession of a valid Federal
identity credential can be verified by the person’s former agency and the individual
has undergone the required NACI or other suitability or National Security
investigation at the person’s former agency.
At the agency’s discretion, a person may be ineligible for a PIV card when the
former employing agency (1) determined he or she is unsuitable for employment in
the competitive service, (2) denied (or revoked) his or her security clearance, or (3)
disqualified him or her from an appointment in the excepted service or from
working on a Federal contract. Credentialing determinations are maintained by the
granting agency in the Identity Management System (IDMS). This system will
allow agencies to certify each other the HSPD-12 credentialing of employees, and
contractor employees.
If a person’s eligibility for a PIV card is unfavorably adjudicated for reasons other
than standards 1-6 of Section 5, sub-section a, and the person moves to a lower-risk
position, the gaining agency or office may reconsider the person’s eligibility for a
PIV card.

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DM 4620-002

January 14, 2009

CHAPTER 2
PIV-I

1.

PIV-I APPLICABILITY
PIV-I requires the implementation of registration, identity proofing, and issuance
procedures in line with the requirements of FIPS 201-1. To comply with this
requirement, agencies must adopt and implement DR 4620-002 and DM 4620-002.
According to FIPS 201-1 PIV-I applies to employees and contractors requiring
routine access to Federally-controlled facilities or information systems, who have
begun work on or after October 27, 2005. USDA has determined that all full time
employees (FTEs) will require a LincPass, while part time employees’ and
contractors’ need for a LincPass (USDA’s PIV-I and II compliant credential), will
be assessed based on the level of access required using the risk assessment tool
described in Appendix D of this document, LincPass Distribution Risk Assessment.
All individuals shall follow the procedures outlined in the Appendices to apply for
and receive their credentials. Agencies will continue to issue existing badges using
PIV-I processes until the USAccess system is implemented. The processes for
application, registration, and issuance will change with this solution, as well as roles
and responsibilities. The PIV-II procedures and processes utilizing USAccess are
discussed in detail in Chapter 3.

2.

PRIVACY POLICY
HSPD-12 explicitly states that “protect[ing] personal privacy” is a requirement of
the PIV system. As such, agencies shall implement the PIV system in accordance
with the spirit and letter of all privacy controls specified in FIPS 201-1, as well as
those specified in Federal privacy laws and policies including but not limited to the
E-Government Act of 2002, the Privacy Act of 1974, and OMB Memorandum M03-22 (OMB322), as applicable.
Background investigation records are subject to the Privacy Act. Agencies must
ensure those records are:
a.

Secured against unauthorized access.

b.

Accessed by only those whose official duties require such access.

c.

Stored in a locked metal file cabinet or secure room.

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DM 4620-002

Agencies must also:
a.

Establish procedures to allow employees or their designated representatives
access to their own records, while ensuring that the records remain subject to
agency control at all times.

b.

Ensure that those authorized to access personnel records subject to the Privacy
Act understand how to apply the Act’s restrictions on disclosing information
from a system of records.

c.

Coordinate with appropriate department or agency officials to define
consequences for violating privacy policies of the PIV system.

See OPM’s Guide to Personnel Recordkeeping, Chapters 1 and 6, at:
http://www.opm.gov/feddata/recguide.pdf for instructions on proper safeguarding
of personnel records, and DR 3080, Records Management, at:
www.ocio.usda.gov/records/doc/DR3080-001.htm.
Agencies with active roles in the HSPD-12 processes must ensure the following
items are secured in a GSA-approved Class V container with a Kaba Mas (formerly
known as Mas Hamilton) X09 lock:

3.

a.

Plastic stock used to make ID credentials

b.

ID credentials awaiting destruction

c.

ID credentials not in the personal custody of authorized users

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION REQUIREMENTS
a.

A NACI is the minimum background investigation that must be performed for
all individuals to whom this Directive applies, except when the position
requires a more in-depth OPM or National Security community background
investigation (OPM/NS BI). In such cases the OPM/NS BI shall be scheduled
in lieu of the NACI through the Personnel and Document Security Division
(PDSD).
The above requirement may also be met by referencing a previous favorably
adjudicated NACI or other OPM/NS BI. Agency human resources offices can
meet the above requirement by completing the SF-75, Request for Preliminary
Employment Data, Section K, Security Data, for federal employees
transferring to the Department. Applicants experiencing a break in Federal
service exceeding two years must undergo a new NACI.

b.

Agencies are responsible for ensuring proper position sensitivity designation

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January 14, 2009

for employees and contractors, and completion of background investigations
consistent with those designations. Agencies must also ensure that periodic
reinvestigations are scheduled as required through PDSD.
c.

Agencies will submit the SF-85, Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions,
and related documents needed to conduct an NACI, directly to OPM and
make final PIV identity and suitability determinations on all persons serving
in low-risk or non-sensitive positions.

d.

Agencies may utilize the Enrollment Station for submitting the FBI fingerprint
check to OPM. The Applicant must be sponsored in the USAccess system
prior to using the Enrollment Station to submit the fingerprint check. If an
agency requires a pre-hiring decision fingerprint check for new employees,
they may continue to follow their current processes for obtaining and
submitting fingerprint checks instead of submitting the fingerprint check via
the Enrollment Station.

e.

USDA agencies may issue a provisional credential after successful
adjudication of the FBI fingerprint check. Completion and successful
adjudication of the final NACI results or OPM/NS BI are still required. Upon
completion of a background investigation, and at the time of determination of
suitability, eligibility for access to classified information under E.O. 12968, or
to work on a contract, should be made by the agency with a final credentialing
determination. Alternatively, agencies may issue a PIV card after a single and
final credentialing determination is made based on a completed background
investigation, eligibility for access to classified information under E.O. 12968,
or qualification for an appointment in the expected service or to work on a
contract, is made on the same person.

f.

Applicants shall submit SF-85 forms via OPM’s Electronic Questionnaire for
Investigations Processing (a USDA accepted background investigation
process) system located on the OPM secure Web site when available. Use of
a USDA accepted background investigation process must be facilitated by
agency human resources or other designated representatives. Completing a
USDA accepted background investigation process Web-based security
questionnaires will lead to improved processing time of all types of
investigations and dramatically reduce the overall error and rejection rates of
federal security questionnaires.

g.

In the case of non-US citizens at U.S.-Based Locations and in U.S. Territories,
immigration status and employment authorization of non-US citizens must be
verified with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in accordance with
OMB Memorandum 07-21. Acceptable DHS credentials to prove employment
authorizations include, but are not limited to:


Unexpired Permanent Resident Card (I-551)

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January 14, 2009

DM 4620-002



Unexpired Employment Authorization Document (I-766)



Unexpired foreign passport with a valid I-94 or I-94A for a class of
admission that permits employment.

(1)

For non-U.S. citizens in the U.S. or U.S. territory for 3 years or more, a
background investigation (NACI or equivalent) must be initiated after
immigration status and employment authorization have been verified

(2)

For non-U.S citizens in the U.S. or U.S territory for less than three years,
agencies may delay the background investigation until the individual has
been in the U.S or U.S. territory for at least three years. Before a PIV
card may be issued to a non-U.S. citizen, the individual’s immigration
status and employment authorization must be verified, an FBI finger
print based on criminal history must be completed, and a check must be
made of Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) and Blocked Persons
List. If the agency decides to delay the background investigation, the
agency may request the following national agency checks:


FBI Investigation Files (name check search)



Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)



Department of State Security



Citizen and Immigration Services Check (Former INS)

(3) In the case of non-US citizens at foreign locations, agencies must initiate
the completion of a background investigation before applying the
credentialing standards. However, the type of background investigation
may vary based on the standing reciprocity treaties concerning identity
assurance that exist between the United States and its Allies with the
host country. In most cases, OPM will not be able to conduct a NACI,
unless the non-U.S. citizen is or has been residing in the United States.
(4) For those non-U.S. citizens where NACI or equivalent cannot be
performed, an alternative facility access identity credential may be
issued at the discretion of the Department of State Chief of Mission
Authority, Department of Defense Installation Commander, and/or other
agency official as appropriate based on a risk determination
See OSS guidance for instructions on scheduling and adjudicating background
investigations at www.usda.gov/da/pdsd.

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4.

January 14, 2009

REGISTRATION, IDENTITY PROOFING, AND CREDENTIAL ISSUANCE
The PIV-I process contains critical roles associated with the identity proofing,
registration, and issuance process. These roles may be collateral duties assigned to
personnel who have other primary duties. The PIV identity proofing, registration
and issuance process shall adhere to the principle of separation of duties to ensure
that no single individual has the capability to issue a PIV credential without the
cooperation of another authorized person.
a.

Roles and Responsibilities
The roles and responsibilities initially defined for the PIV-I process have been
redefined for PIV-II. See Chapter 3 for more information on PIV-II roles and
responsibilities.

b.

Registration, Identity Proofing, and Issuance Procedures
The procedures initially defined for the PIV-I process have been redefined for
PIV-II. See Appendix C for more information on PIV-II procedures.

c.

Adjudication
(1)

When making a PIV eligibility determination, the Adjudicator must find
whether or not the identity provided to the Sponsor and Registrar during
the registration process is the Applicant’s true identity. The Adjudicator
will consult with the federal Applicant or employee’s servicing human
resources office before making a final determination whether to deny or
revoke a credential.
If the adjudication confirms the individual’s true identity but reveals
potentially disqualifying information that involve criteria 1 through 8
below, an adjudication under Title 5, C.F.R. Part 731 shall be conducted.
Title, 5 C.F.R. Part 731 criteria are:
(a)

Misconduct or negligence in employment

(b)

Criminal or dishonest conduct

(c)

Material, intentional false statement or deception or fraud in
examination or appointment

(d)

Refusal to furnish testimony as required by §5.4 of Title 5, C.F.R.

(e)

Alcohol abuse of a nature and duration which suggests that the
applicant or appointee would be prevented from performing the
duties of the position in question, or would constitute a direct
threat to the property or safety of others

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January 14, 2009

(2)

d.

DM 4620-002

(f)

Illegal use of narcotics, drugs, or other controlled substances,
without evidence of substantial rehabilitation

(g)

Knowing and willful engagement in acts or activities designed to
overthrow the U.S. Government by force

(h)

Any statutory or regulatory bar which prevents the lawful
employment of the person involved in the position in question

When making a suitability determination under Title 5 C.F.R. Part 731,
the following factors shall be considered to the extent they are deemed
pertinent to the individual case:
(a)

The nature of the position for which the person is applying or in
which the person is employed

(b)

The nature and seriousness of the conduct

(c)

The circumstances surrounding the conduct

(d)

The recency of the conduct

(e)

The age of the person involved at the time of the conduct

(f)

Contributing societal conditions

(g)

The absence or presence of rehabilitation or efforts toward
rehabilitation

Appeal Procedures for Denial or Revocation of Credential
(1)

Appeal Rights for Federal Service Applicants
When the Adjudicator determines that a Applicant has not provided his
or her true identity during the registration process or is found unsuitable,
and the determination results in a decision by the agency to withdraw an
employment offer, or remove the employee from the federal service, the
procedures and appeals rights of either 5 CFR Part 731, Subparts D and
E (Suitability), 5 CFR Part 315, Subpart H (Probationary Employees), or
5 CFR Part 752, Subparts D through F (Adverse Actions) will be
followed, depending on the employment status of the federal service
Applicant, appointee, or employee. Employees who are removed from
federal service are entitled to dispute this action using applicable
grievance, appeal, or complaint procedures available under Federal
regulations, Departmental directives, or collective bargaining agreement
(if the employee is covered).

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(2)

e.

January 14, 2009

Appeal Rights for Contract Applicants
(a)

Notice of Proposed Action - When the Adjudicator determines that
an Applicant has not provided his or her true identity or is found
unsuitable, the Adjudicator shall provide the Applicant reasonable
notice of the determination including the reason(s) the Applicant
has been determined to not have provided his or her true identity or
is otherwise unsuitable. The notice shall state the specific reasons
for the determination, and that the individual has the right to
answer the notice in writing. The notice shall inform the Applicant
of the time limits for response, as well as the address to which such
response should be made.

(b)

Answer - The Applicant may respond to the determination in
writing and furnish documentation that addresses the validity,
truthfulness, and/or completeness of the specific reasons for the
determination in support of the response.

(c)

Decision – After consideration of the proposed determination and
any documentation submitted by the Applicant for reconsideration
of the proposed determination, the Agency Head/Staff Office
Director or his/her designee, will issue a written decision to the
Contracting Officer (CO), who relays the decision to the
Applicant’s company Program Manager and the Contracting
Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR). The CO will notify
the company that the Applicant was found unsuitable to work on a
USDA contract based on suitability guidelines. The company is
responsible for notifying the Applicant of the decision and
removing the individual from the worksite. The COTR is
responsible for ensuring the action is accomplished without delay.
Specific details regarding the suitability issues will not be provided
to the CO, the company, the COTR or the Program Manager, in an
effort to protect the Applicant’s privacy. The reconsideration
decision will be final and is not subject to appeal.

Record Retention
(1)

The SF-85, SF-85P, SF-86, OF-306, SF-87, FD-258, and summaries of
reports and other records reflecting the processing of the NACI or
OPM/NS BI, exclusive of copies of investigative reports furnished by
the investigative agency: Destroy upon notification of death or not later
than five years after separation or transfer of employee or no later than
five years after contract relationship expires, which ever is applicable.

(2)

Investigative reports and related documents furnished to agencies by
investigative organizations for use in making PIV ID credential
eligibility determinations: Destroy in accordance with the investigating
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DM 4620-002

agency instructions.
(3)

5.

Appeal records related to unsuccessful adjudications: Destroy no sooner
than 4 years but no later than seven years after final appeal decision.
See GSA Records Schedule 1 and 18 at:
http://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/ardor/records-schedules.html
and DR 3080-001, Records Management, at:
http://www.ocio.usda.gov/directives/doc/DR3080-001.pdf.

EXPIRATION DATE REQUIREMENTS
All PIV credentials issued to the USDA must have an expiration date printed on
them. The expiration date for all credentials must be five years or less from the date
of issuance. PIV credentials for contractors must expire at the end of the contract
period of performance.
All badges issued to applicable employees and contractors must be replaced with
PIV-compliant credentials no later than October 27, 2009.

6.

TEMPORARY BADGES
USDA has identified categories of individuals, temporary employees or contractors,
guests, volunteers, student interns, and occasional visitors, who will not require a
LincPass. These individuals, however, may need badges to gain access to facilities
but do not require secure access. These individuals will have limited access to such
places as the front entrance of the facility, their immediate workspace, and open
areas such as a cafeteria, snack bar, employee break room, restroom, and similar
open areas, as directed and controlled by the facility. Agencies may choose to
implement stricter requirements at their own discretion following the LincPass
Distribution Risk Assessment. See Appendix E for more information on the types
of credentials/badges USDA issues.
a.

Site Badge
A Site badge is issued locally by the facility to persons that do not require a
LincPass but need access to the facility or information system to conduct
temporary work. Also, a site badge is issued to individuals who require a
LincPass after having fingerprints taken and waiting for credential to be
printed and returned for activation.

b.

Visitor Badge
This type of card can be either a plastic card turned in after the visit and

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January 14, 2009

sequentially numbered, or a paper tag that can be worn and disposed of upon
completion of the visit. The paper or plastic badge has the expiration date
clearly visible. The maximum issuance for this type of badge is 24 hours, and
requires continuous escort.
In addition, should an employee or contractor forget their credential on a particular
day, they will be issued a visitor badge after their identity is confirmed.
7.

CONTRACTING IMPACTS
a.

All contractors must abide by the identity proofing and registration
requirements outlined in Chapter 2, Section 4 above. USDA contract
statements of work must indicate that all contractors requiring routine access
to Federally-controlled facilities or information systems must go through the
identity proofing and registration process, and must have been successfully
identity proofed, and have a successfully adjudicated NACI or OPM/NS BI to
serve on the contract.

b.

Contractor ID credentials will be issued after they have been successfully
identity proofed, and upon a successfully adjudicated NACI or OPM/NS BI.
All contracts must specify periods of performance. Contractors must, by
contract law, renew their credentials after 5 years if they have not yet reached
the end of their period of performance.
Certain PIV language must be implemented in all contracts. This language is
found in FAR Subpart 4.13, Personal Identity Verification of Contractor
Personnel. HSPD-12 clauses include FAR Clause 52.204-9 and AGAR
Clause 452.204-71. AGAR Advisory 81, Common Identification Standard
for Contractors, contains additional HSPD-12 procurement guidance.

c.

8.

AUDIT AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT
The Office of Inspector General has responsibility for auditing identity proofing and
registration records. As such, all agencies should be prepared for such reviews.
Agencies must comply with DR 3080-001, “Records Management,” for the
creation, maintenance, use, and disposition of all records associated with the PIV
process.

9.

USE OF APPROVED FORMS
To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, all agencies will be
required to use OMB approved forms throughout the identity proofing and
registration process. Most of these forms are standard Federal Government-wide

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forms that have been available for many years. In addition to the Government-wide
forms, the USDA has created an additional PIV specific form that will fulfill the
information gathering requirements of the PIV program. The following is a list of
approved forms for use in the PIV-I process:
a.

AD-1197:

PIV-I Request and Issuance Approval Form or
OMB-approved equivalent (see Appendix I).

b.

FD-258:

Fingerprint Chart used to conduct contractor
FBI fingerprint checks.

c.

OF-306:

Declaration for Federal Employment

d.

OF-612:

Optional Application for Federal Employment

e.

OPM OFI-79A:

Report of Agency Adjudicative Action on
OPM Personnel Investigations

f.

Standard Form (SF)
85:

OPM Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive
Positions (to be completed using a USDA
accepted background investigation process
when available)

g.

SF 85P:

OPM Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions
(to be completed using a USDA accepted
background investigation process)

h.

SF 86:

OPM Questionnaire for National Security
Positions (to be completed using a USDA
accepted background investigation process)

i.

SF 87:

Fingerprint Chart used to conduct FBI
fingerprint checks for federal appointees and
employees and Applicants for federal
employment.

10. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Agencies are required to submit quarterly and annual reports on their credential

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programs to ensure controls are in place for tracking all credentials. Agencies must
submit the following reports to OSS within 15 days of the end of each quarter and
the fiscal year:
a.

Number of credentials issued during designated period

b.

Number of credentials renewed during designated period

c.

Number of credentials lost during designated period

d.

Number of credentials stolen during designated period

e.

Number of credentials revoked during designated period

f.

Number of credentials suspended during designated period

g.

Number of credentials retired during designated period

h.

Number of credentials expired during designated period

Beginning on March 1, 2007 and each quarter thereafter, agencies are required to
post a report on number of credentials issued on their public websites per OMB
Memorandum M-07-06. This memorandum provides the guidance for reporting the
number of credentials issued by quarter and includes the report template.

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CHAPTER 3
PIV-II

1.

PIV-II OVERVIEW
PIV-II is the implementation phase that meets the technical interoperability
requirements of HSPD-12. Specifically, PIV-II addresses the technical
infrastructure for providing interoperable credentials for federal employees and
contractors. All authentication mechanisms described in FIPS 201-1 are to be met
with the use of integrated circuit cards.
FIPS 201-1 describes minimum technical requirements for the PIV-II-compliant
credentials. These requirements include interfacing specifications, cryptographic
specifications, PKI and certificate specifications, card topology specifications, and
biometric data specifications. The PIV-II-compliant credentials issued will be used
to control physical access to all Federally controlled facilities and logical access to
all Federally controlled information systems through a contact or contactless
interface. USDA has named their common ID card the LincPass, as it is designed
to link a person’s identity to an identification card and the card to a person’s ability
to access Federal buildings and computer systems.
For PIV-II, the USDA will be using the USAccess system, a system-based model
with increased functionality to improve efficiency and accuracy in processing PIV
applications. A planned rollout to USDA employees and contractors will be phased
in by organization and geographic location. PIV-II will include three new logical
subsystems:
a.

PIV Front-End Subsystem - PIV credential and biometric readers, and
Personal Identification Number (PIN) input device. The PIV credential holder
interacts with the front-end subsystem to gain physical or logical access to the
desired Federal resource.

b.

Credential Issuance and Management Subsystem - the components
responsible for identity proofing and registration, card and key issuance and
management, and various repositories and services required as part of the
verification infrastructure.

c.

Access Control Subsystem – the physical and logical access control systems
and authorization data.

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2.

January 14, 2009

PIV-II APPLICABILITY
PIV-II applies to all full-time employees, contractors, and others assigned to or
associated with the agency who require routine access to federally controlled
facilities and/or information systems. Applicability to other individuals will be
based on a LincPass risk assessment and is subject to rule making procedures. PIVII applies to the facilities and information systems as defined in FAR Subpart 2.1,
Definitions. Note: The information in Chapter 2, Sections 2, 3, 4c, 4d, 4e, 5, 6, 7,
8, 9, and 10 apply to PIV-II processes and procedures.

3.

REGISTRATION, IDENTITY PROOFING, CREDENTIAL ISSUANCE, AND
REVOCATION
The PIV-II process contains critical roles associated with the identity proofing,
registration, and issuance process. These roles may be collateral duties assigned to
personnel who have other primary duties. The PIV identity proofing, registration
and issuance process shall adhere to the principle of separation of duties to ensure
that no single individual has the capability to issue a PIV credential without the
cooperation of another authorized person.
The following roles shall be employed for identity proofing, registration, and
issuance prior to complete implementation of USAccess system. See Appendix C
for more detailed information on the PIV-II processes.
a.

Roles and Responsibilities
(1)

Applicant. The Applicant is an individual requesting a credential from
an agency that is a participant in the USAccess system. Applicant
responsibilities include:
(a)

Provide Sponsor with any necessary information.

(b)

If no Background Investigation completed or in progress, input
information into e-QIP (if available) or fill out the appropriate SF8X form.

(c)

Submit fingerprints for a background check.

(d)

Schedule an enrollment appointment.

(e)

Appear for the enrollment appointment at the time and place
scheduled.

(f)

Provide the Registrar with two I-9 listed identity documents.

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DM 4620-002

(g)

Submit to a digital photo taken by the Registrar.

(h)

Submit 10 rolled fingerprints.

(i)

Digitally sign the enrollment package.

(j)

Pick up the credential at the specified time and place.

(k)

Take the credential to an Activation station to activate it via
biometric verification.

(l)

Set a PIN for the credential at the Activation Station.

(m) Provide a digital signature.
(n)
(2)

Complete IT Security Awareness Training.

Sponsor. The Sponsor is the employer or agency official responsible for
authorizing an individual to apply for a credential, who has undergone
Sponsor training, and is designated to perform Sponsor functions. In the
case of contractor employees, the Sponsor may be the COR, COTR, or
other designated program official. Sponsor responsibilities include:
(a)

Enter Applicant’s information into EmpowHR or other HR
System.

(b)

For part time employees and non-employees, determine if an
Applicant needs a LincPass utilizing the Risk Assessment Tool.

(c)

Determine if Applicants already have favorably adjudicated
background investigations via OPM for employees or through prior
agency HR or Security offices for contractors.

(d)

If (c) is no, set up Applicant for a USDA accepted background
investigation process, or review the Applicant’s SF-85, SF 85P or
SF-86, Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions, and OF-306,
Declaration for Federal Employment.

(e)

Modify Applicant’s record based on updates to user status and
relevant information.

(f)

Suspend or revoke LincPass via EmpowHR or USAccess.

(g)

Recover revoked credentials and send to the Security Officer for
destruction.

(h)

Recover suspended credentials and sent to the Security Officer for

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January 14, 2009

secure storage pending resolution of issue(s).
(i)
(3)

Initiate re-enrollments for current or previous cardholders.

Registrar. The Registrar is an individual responsible for identify
proofing the Applicant, as well as capturing biographic information,
digital photo, and biometrics. The Registrar’s responsibilities include:
(a)

Manage schedule for enrollment workstations in case of scheduling
conflicts.

(b)

Answer any privacy or system related questions that an Applicant
may have.

(c)

Locate and open the Applicant’s information, and verify the
information with the Applicant.

(d)

Contact the Sponsor if the Applicant’s record can not be found in
the system to investigate and resolve the problem.

(e)

Verify and scan the Applicant’s two identity source (I-9)
documents.

(f)

Enter FBI-required Applicant data.

(g)

Capture the Applicant’s facial image in the system via a digital
photograph.

(h)

Capture ten rolled fingerprints into the system.

(i)

Verify the primary and secondary fingerprints against the minutiae
to ensure that the templates will work when put on the credential.

(j)

Flag any issues during enrollment.

(k)

Digitally sign and send enrollment package to Credential Printing
Facility, and inform Applicant of next steps (i.e. credential
issuance and activation process).

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(4)

U.S. Office of Personnel Management. OPM is responsible for
coordinating the FBI fingerprint check, when applicable, and conducting
the NACI and background investigation. A direct link from the
Enrollment Station to the FBI for submitting fingerprints
will be implemented in the near future, but it is the individual agency’s
decision as to whether to utilize the enrollment station for submitting
fingerprints to OPM or to keep using current processes.

(5)

Agency Adjudicator. The agency Adjudicator is a Government
employee of the sponsoring agency who adjudicates or resolves any
issues or failures of the background check process and gives the
notification to print. A contractor employee may recommend how to
adjudicate a background investigation and record the results in the
HSPD-12 system, however a federal employee must sign off on the
recommendation first. Agency Adjudicator responsibilities include:

(6)

(a)

Receive manual reports on background checks.

(b)

Confirm NACI or FBI checks, denial of credential if “fail” results.

(c)

Respond to inquires on adjudication status from Applicants.

(d)

Adjudicate final background investigation results.

(e)

Update OPF/contract file or ensure agency receives appropriate
documentation.

Issuer/Activator. The Issuer/Activator is the individual responsible for
processing credential activations. The Issuer/Activator verifies that the
Applicant is the person to whom the credentials are to be issued and
guides the Applicant through the issuance process.
Most activation stations will be unattended, meaning that Applicants
will use the system without assistance to activate their credentials. In
the event that there is an issue causing the unattended activation to fail,
the Issuer/Activator will assist the Applicant in completing the
activation, or collect the credential, note the issue in the system, and flag
the record for issue resolution.
Issuer/Activator responsibilities include:
(a)

Receive “to-be-activated” credentials from issuing station, signs
for packages (dependent on shipping model).

(b)

Log credential into the system, sending out electronic notifications
to the Applicants (TBD).

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(7)

(8)

January 14, 2009

(c)

Control secure storage of credentials in a locked safe, logging all
action items taken into or out of the safe.

(d)

Hand the credential to the individual after verifying their ID.

(e)

Verify that the Applicant information in the system and credential
display information are correct.

(f)

Visually check the Applicant’s facial image against the IDMS
photo and the LincPass photo to verify that Applicant information
and credential display info match if there is no fingerprint record.

(g)

Flag the credential in the system and note problems with
activation.

(h)

Retrieve the credential if activation fails.

Agency Role Administrator. The Agency Role Administrator is the
individual responsible for managing the agency’s Sponsor, Adjudicator,
Registrar, and Issuer/Activators. The Agency Role Administrator will
verify that the appropriate separation of duty policies are followed and
will verify that all the training certification requirements have been met.
Agency Role Administrator responsibilities include:
(a)

Authority on separation of roles within agency.

(b)

Provide written documentation of any allowance involving a
combination of roles.

(c)

Approve portal privileges for new role holders, verifying
separation of duties and training.

(d)

Revoke role privileges and portal access for users within the
agency when appropriate.

USDA Security Officer. The USDA Security Officer is the individual
responsible for maintaining credential security as well as physical
building security within USDA. The USDA Security Officer is
nominated by the Department. USDA Security Officer responsibilities
include:
(a)

Access all records in the system.

(b)

Delegate authority to designated Security Officers for record
access.

(c)

Provide oversight to Security Officers to ensure completed

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DM 4620-002

training, certification, and issuance of credentials.

(9)

(d)

Report to the Agency Role Administrator that designated Security
Officers are trained, certified, and credentialed.

(e)

Manage employees’ and contractors’ “credential status” when
required.

(f)

Grant necessary access privileges when required.

(g)

When required, immediately change the status of a credential
between active and suspended due to a security related situation.

(h)

Investigate incidents with to resolve any discrepancies if requested
by agency.

(i)

Collect and destroy lost credentials.

(j)

When requested, securely send credentials to another Activation
Station when a credential is shipped to a location other than where
the Applicant is located.

Agency Security Officer. The Agency Security Officer is the individual
responsible for maintaining credential security as well as physical
building security for their agency. The Agency Security Officer is
nominated by the agency. The Agency Security Officer’s
responsibilities include:
(a)

Access records in the system only related to their agency (TBD).

(b)

Delegate authority to agency designated Security Officers for
record access.

(c)

Make final determination on revocations with the Sponsor when
required.

(d)

Provide oversight to agency Security Officers to ensure completed
training, certification, and issuance of credentials.

(e)

Report to the Agency Role Administrator that designated Security
Officers are trained, certified, and credentialed.

(f)

Manage employees and contractors “credential status.”

(g)

Grant necessary access privileges.

(h)

When required, immediately change the status of a credential

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January 14, 2009

between active and suspended due to a security related situation.
(i)

Investigate incidents with to resolve any discrepancies.

(j)

Collect and destroy revoked credentials.

(10) Security Officer. The Security Officer is the individual responsible for
maintaining credential security as well as physical building security for
their agency. Security Officer responsibilities include:

b.

4.

(a)

Manage employees’ and contractors’ “credential status.”

(b)

Investigate incidents with to resolve any discrepancies.

(c)

Collect and destroy revoked credentials.

In order to assure timely provisioning and deprovisioning of accounts
(desktops, eAuthentication, building access, NFC applications, etc), agencies
must record hiring and termination events in the appropriate database (e.g.,
EmpowHR, Payroll/Personnel or NEIS (for non-employees)) as soon as
possible, but not later than:
(1)

Hiring. Within 3 days.

(2)

Termination--hostile situation. Within 3 days if LincPass is retrieved
from person; same day if LincPass is not retrieved from person.

(3)

Termination--normal situation. Within 3 days.

PHYSICAL ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS (PACS)
To comply with one of the four tenants of HSPD-12 (rapidly authenticate
electronically), USDA has developed and implemented a FIPS 201-1 compliant
enterprise PACS infrastructure in order to rapidly provision and deprovision
LincPasses (and all USDA issued electronic badges) based on the PIV process. All
authentication mechanism standards described in FIPS 201-1 are to be met, by
October 2011, as mandated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), for
all existing legacy and newly installed PACS. All USDA PACS must interface with
the USDA enterprise Physical Access Control System (ePACS) infrastructure.
All USDA agencies need to establish implementation plans for this integration for
the following scenarios:

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a.
b.
c.

DM 4620-002

Continued Use of Existing Compliant PACS
Converting an Existing PACS to meet Compliancy
Purchase and Install of a new Compliant PACS
Procedures for integrating PACS into ePACS are as follows:

5.

a.

Contact the ePACS Program Management Office (PMO) before the
integration of an existing PACS or new PACS installation for pre-planning
and implementation guidance.

b.

Before procuring PACS hardware and software for a new PACS installation
the ePACS Cost Benefit Analysis spreadsheet must be filled out to ensure
USDA agencies select the most cost effective manner to meet HSPD-12 and
ePACS compliance while meeting their operational security needs.

c.

Notify the ePACS PMO of any PACS-related hardware/software that is
involved in the integration with ePACS or planned to be added to ensure
budget numbers are captured for software licensing for the following fiscal
year. USDA agencies must submit change requests through their agency
Change Control Board (CCB) member. A telephone call to the ePACS Help
Desk at 888-212-9309 can provide Agency POC information and answer any
other questions that may arise.

d.

Review and comply with the GSA Approved Products List when ordering
PACS hardware/software or services (implementers).

e.

PACS that are chosen must meet not only HSPD-12 compliance and
interoperability requirements but also ePACS requirements.

f.

Agency’s must submit an IT Acquisition Approval Request (AAR) to OSS for
approval for all PACS components before purchase and install.

g.

Agencies may fall under the OSS AAR for ePACS if they provide an
equipment list and scope of work for review and approval to OSS.

h.

All compliant PACS must undergo the Certification and Accreditation (C&A)
process with System Test & Evaluation (ST&E) if they are not integrated into
the ePACS. Contact the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO)
Cyber Security Office for C&A requirements and deadlines.

LOGICAL ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS (LACS)
In compliance with PIV-II, agencies should evaluate existing LACS during FY
2007 as follows:

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a.

January 14, 2009

Continued Use of Existing LACS
Existing LACS do not support the use of PIV-II-compliant credentials at an
enterprise level. Agencies must continue to integrate applications requiring
authentication with the USDA eAuthentication service, and continue to use
the existing credential assurance levels as defined in DR 3610-001, “USDA
eAuthentication Service.”

b.

Upgrading Existing LACS
Agencies may have to replace existing computer equipment as the technology
reaches the end of its lifecycle. Per DR 3600-000,”USDA Information and
Technology Transformation,” all proposed USDA information management
and technology investments must be evaluated to ensure they align with
USDA business goals, objectives of the USDA eGovernment mission, and
integrate with and not duplicate USDA and government-wide initiatives.
Therefore, all upgrades to existing LACS must be approved by the USDA
Chief Information Officer (CIO) to ensure the products will be compatible
with the USDA’s credential issuance and management system. USDA plans
to implement a FIPS 201-1-compliant enterprise-wide LACS infrastructure by
October 27, 2009. Agencies should check the status of emerging USDA
standards for peripheral devices, keyboards, card readers, etc. before making
purchases.

c.

Purchase of New LACS
By October 2008, PIV-II-compliant credentials containing a contact chip and
digital certificate will be issued. Agencies will make risk-based decisions on
what level of assurance they will require for access to their information
systems. Based on these assurance level decisions, the purchase of card
readers and biometric readers may be required. Per DR 3600-000, “USDA
Information and Technology Transformation,” all proposed USDA
information management and technology investments must be evaluated to
ensure they align with USDA business goals, objectives of the USDA
eGovernment mission, and integrate with and not duplicate USDA and
government-wide initiatives. Therefore, all new LACS purchases must be
approved by the CIO. All purchases approved by the CIO must be of products
included on the GSA schedule of FIPS 201-1-compliant products and vendors.
Products on the GSA schedule have gone through the necessary testing to
ensure compliance with the technical and interoperability requirements of
PIV-II.

6.

LINCPASS BADGE HOLDER
The LincPass must be stored at all times in the approved badge holder, the Logic
First Skim-Shield Rigid-2, model LGF001. The approved badge holder is available

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for purchase by agencies via a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA AG-3142-B0011). All LincPass badge holders must be ordered using this BPA.
7.

LINCPASS DISPLAY
The LincPass should be stored in the approved badge holder and fastened to either
an item of clothing or an approved chain or lanyard worn around the neck. The
LincPass should be worn above the waist in such a manner that the ID photograph
is clearly visible from the front at all times. In cases where a person works in a
hazardous environment where it would be unsafe to wear the LincPass in the
manner outlined, it is permissible to place the LincPass in a pocket. Once the
person leaves the hazardous work area, it must be properly worn and displayed
again. Agencies must define the work areas in which it would be unsafe to wear the
LincPass as outlined in this section.

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CHAPTER 4
TRAINING

Training for HSPD-12 roles (Role Administrators, Sponsors, Registrars, Adjudicators,
and Issuer/Activators) will be required. Specific information regarding training will be
provided in Appendix F of this document. Appendix G will contain training information
for non-PACS facilities.
USAccess provides training modules for HSPD-12 Role Holders. All Role
Administrators, Sponsors, Registrars, Adjudicators, Activators, and Security Officers
must take training and be certified to perform their duties. These training modules will be
in AgLearn and the courses will be incorporated into the appointed role holder’s learning
plan.
There are 6 training modules with a certification test at the end of each module.
WBT Working Title

Est. Duration Description

GSA PIV Sponsor Training 40 minutes

Includes audio, screen shots and SWF
movies of the application.

GSA PIV Registrar Training 60 minutes

Includes audio, screen shots, SWF movies,
and video

GSA PIV Adjudicator

Audio, screen shots, SWF movie

30 minutes

GSA PIV Activator Training 30 minutes

Includes audio, screenshots, SWF movies,
maybe some video

GSA PIV Security Office
Training

Includes audio, screen shots,, SWF movies

40 minutes

GSA PIV Role Administrator 20 to 30
Training
minutes

Includes, audio, screen shots, SWF movies

Training results will be recorded on AgLearn, in which the Role Administrator and
Agency Role Administrator will have access for training management.

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Appendix A

APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS

a.

Access control. The process of granting or denying requests to access physical
facilities or areas, or to logical systems (e.g., computer networks or software
applications). See also “logical access control system” and “physical access control
system.”

b.

Accompanied access. A person that is accessing the facility and/or information
system under escort and/or continuous monitoring by a USDA official (PIV ID
credential holder).

c.

AD-1197. Request for USDA Identification (ID) Badge (PIV) Request Form.

d.

e. Authentication. The process of establishing an individual’s identity and
determining whether individual Federal employees or contractors are who they say
they are.

f.

Authorization. Process of giving individuals access to specific areas or systems
based on their authentication.

g.

Biometric. A measurable physical characteristic used to recognize the identity of an
individual. Examples include fingerprints, and facial images. A biometric system
uses biometric data for authentication purposes.

h.

Contractor. An individual under contract to USDA (for the purpose of HSPD-12
implementation).

i.

Employee. Federal employees as defined by title 5 U.S.C §2105 “Employee,”
within USDA; or individuals employed by, detailed to or assigned to USDA.

j.

e-QIP. The Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing is an Office of
Personnel Management (OPM) system that allows for the secure transmission of
security questionnaires between government agencies and OPM.

k.

e-QIP Tracking Number. Number assigned by e-QIP to each SF-85, 85P, and SF86. This tracking number must be written on the fingerprint card when it is
submitted to OPM in order to bind the fingerprint card to the proper Applicant.

l.

Executive Order 10450. Security Requirements for Government Employees.

m.

FBI. Federal Bureau of Investigation.

n.

FBI Fingerprint Check. FBI National Criminal History Check. This check is an
integral part of the NACI, and is the minimum requirement for PIV ID credential

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Appendix A

January 14, 2009

issuance.
o.

FD-258. Fingerprint Chart used to conduct contractor FBI fingerprint checks.

p.

Federal Facility or Information System Access. Authorization granted to an
individual to physically enter federally controlled facilities, and/or electronically
(logically) access federally controlled information systems for approved purposes.

q.

Identity Management System. One or more systems or applications that manage the
identity verification, validation and issuance process. The IDMS software is used
by PIV Registrars to enroll Applicants.

r.

Identity-proofing. The process of providing sufficient information (e.g., driver’s
license, proof of current address, etc.) to a registration authority, or the process of
verifying an individual’s information that he or she is that individual and no other.

s.

LincPass. USDA has named their common ID card the LincPass, as it is designed
to link a person’s identity to an identification card and the card to a person’s ability
to access Federal buildings and computer systems. The spelling of LincPass is a
tribute to President Abraham Lincoln, who created the People’s Department (now
USDA) in 1862.

t.

Logical Access Control System (LACS). Protection mechanisms that limit a user’s
access to information and restrict their forms of access on the system to only what is
appropriate for them. These systems may be built in to an operating system,
application, or an added system.

u.

Mission Critical Facility (MCF). A building or group of buildings in one
geographical area, so vital to the United States and/or USDA that the incapacity or
destruction would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic
security, national public health or safety, USDA mission accomplishment during
exigent circumstances, or any combination thereof.

v.

National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI). The basic and minimum
investigation required of all new Federal employees and contractors consisting of
searches of the OPM Security/Suitability Investigations Index (SII), the Defense
Clearance and Investigations Index (DCII), the FBI Identification Division’s name
and fingerprint files, and other files or indices when necessary. A NACI also
includes written inquiries and searches of records covering specific areas of an
individual’s background during the past five years (inquiries sent to current and past
employers, schools attended, references, and local law enforcement authorities).

w.

National Capital Region (NCR). Pursuant to the National Capital Planning Act of
1952 (Title 40, U.S.C., Sec. 71) the Act defined the NCR as the District of
Columbia; Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties of Maryland; Arlington,
Fairfax, Loudon, and Prince William Counties of Virginia; and all cities now or
here after existing in Maryland or Virginia within the geographic area bounded by

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Appendix A

the outer boundaries of the combined area of said counties.
x.

OF-306. Declaration for Federal Employment.

y.

Physical Access Control System (PACS). Protection mechanisms that limit a user’s
access to physical facilities or areas to only what is appropriate for them. These
systems typically involve a combination of hardware and software (e.g., a card
reader), and may involve human control (e.g., a security guard).

z.

PIV-II Compliant Credential. An identity card (“smart card”) also known as
LincPass issued to an individual that contains stored identity credentials so that the
claimed identity of the cardholder can be verified against the stored credentials by
another person or by an automated process.

aa.

LincPass Distribution Risk Assessment. The determination of a person’s legitimate
need for physical/logical access using a PIV ID credential as outlined in HSPD-12
to USDA facilities/information systems, and the requirement to view sensitive
information.

bb.

Provisional Badge. A LincPass issued on the basis of a favorable adjudication of
the fingerprint check only. The LincPass has full PIV-II capabilities but the status
of the credential is not changed from provisional to permanent unless and until the
full background investigation is favorably adjudicated.

cc.

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). A service that provides cryptographic keys needed
to perform digital signature-based identity verification, and to protect
communications and storage of sensitive data.

dd.

Standard Form (SF)-85. Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions.

ee.

Standard Form (SF)-85P. Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions.

ff.

Standard Form (SF)-86. Questionnaire for National Security Positions.

gg.

Standard Form (SF)-87. Fingerprint Chart used to conduct FBI fingerprint checks
for federal appointees and employees and Applicants for federal employment.

hh.

Security Office Identifier (SOI). Four-digit number assigned by the U.S. Office of
Personnel Management (OPM) to identify the proper federal agency officials to
receive reports of investigation, data, or information from OPM.

ii.

Site Badge. A badge issued locally by the facility to persons that do not need a
LincPass but need access to the facility or information system to conduct temporary
work.

jj.

Submitting Office Number (SON). Four-digit number assigned by the U.S. Office
of Personnel Management (OPM) to offices authorized to submit NACI requests.

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Appendix A

January 14, 2009

kk.

Temporary Employee: Temporary, Term, Student, or intern paid or obtaining some
sort of benefit directly from USDA.

ll.

Visitor Badge. This type of card can be either a plastic card turned in after the visit
and sequentially numbered, or a paper tag that can be worn and disposed of upon
completion of the visit. These badges will have the expiration date clearly visible.
The maximum issuance for this type of badge is 24 hours.

mm. Routine access. A person that is accessing the facility and/or information system
without an escort and/or continuous monitoring by a USDA official. The agency’s
determination should be based upon the support to successfully complete USDA’s
mission critical functions/missions. This type of access requires a mandatory PIV
ID credential to be issued.
nn.

Visitor. Individual authorized to be in a controlled facility on a short-term and
limited or controlled basis.

oo.

Volunteer. A non-paid individual working under supervision of USDA.

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Appendix B

APPENDIX B
ABBREVIATIONS

BI
CMS
FIPS
FBI Fingerprint Check
FISMA
HSPD-12
IDMS
LACS
MCF
NAC
NACI
NCR
NIST
OCIO
OIG
OMB
OPF
OPM
OPM/NS BI
OSS
PACS
PDSD
PIN
PIV
PIV-I
PIV-II
PKI
POC
SII
SOI
SON
SP
USDA

Background Investigation
Card Management System
Federal Information Processing Standard
FBI National Criminal History Fingerprint Check
Federal Information Security Management Act
Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12
Identity Management System
Logical Access Control System
Mission Critical Facility
National Agency Check
National Agency Check with Inquiries
National Capital Region
National Institutes of Standards and Technology
Office of the Chief Information Officer
Office of Inspector General
Office of Management and Budget
Official Personnel Folder
Office of Personnel Management
Office of Personnel Management or National Security
Community Background Investigation
Office of Security Services
Physical Access Control System
Personnel and Document Security Division
Personal Identification Number
Personal Identity Verification
Personal Identity Verification, Part I
Personal Identity Verification, Part II
Public Key Infrastructure
Point of Contact
Security/Suitability Investigations Index
Security Office Identifier
Submitting Office Number
Special Publication
United States Department of Agriculture

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Appendix C

APPENDIX C

PIV-II STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
a.

Sponsorship
(1)

(2)

Employee Process
(a)

For part time employees, Sponsor uses the Risk
Assessment to determine whether the applicant requires a
LincPass and checks the appropriate box.

(b)

The Sponsor enters the required information for the
Employee (also referred to as an Applicant) into
EmpowHR or Payroll Personnel (P/P).

(c)

The Sponsor initiates a background investigation and enters
Applicant in a USDA accepted background investigation
process (or initiates background investigation paperwork if
a USDA accepted background investigation process is not
available).

(d)

Applicant enters background information in a USDA
accepted background investigation process for investigation
(or fills out paperwork).

Contractor Process
(a)

COTR uses the Risk Assessment to determine whether the
Applicant requires a LincPass and checks the appropriate
box.

(b)

The Sponsor enters the required information for the
Contractor (also referred to as an Applicant) into NEIS.

(c)

The Sponsor initiates a background investigation and enters
Applicant in a USDA accepted background investigation
process (or initiates background investigation paperwork if
a USDA accepted background investigation process is not
available).

(d)

Applicant enters background information in a USDA
accepted background investigation process for investigation
(or fills out paperwork).

C-1

b.

c.

d.

Enrollment
(1)

The Applicant is sponsored and put into the appropriate
(EmpowHR, NEIS or USAccess) system.

(2)

The Applicant will be notified by e-mail to schedule an
appointment to enroll.

(3)

The Applicant schedules an appointment time and location in a
web based application.

(4)

Upon the arrival of the Applicant to the enrollment station, the
Registrar locates and opens the Applicant’s information, and
verifies the information with the Applicant.

(5)

The Registrar validates and scans the Applicant’s two identity
source (I-9) documents.

(6)

The Registrar obtains Applicant’s fingerprints and photo, and
verifies that the Applicant’s fingerprints can be matched to the
scanned images that will be used to create the biometric template.

(7)

The Registrar verifies all information is correct and complete.

(8)

The Applicant signs the enrollment application electronically using
personal PIN, PIV credential and fingerprint.

(9)

The Registrar completes Applicant’s enrollment file and sends to
OPM.

Adjudication
(1)

The Adjudicator receives manual or electronic report on
background check.

(2)

Confirms NACI or FBI fingerprint checks, adjudicates background
investigation results.

(3)

Enters results in EmpowHR or USAccess.

Card Production
(1)

Credential is printed at card production facility.

(2)

Credential is shipped to the designated shipping address.

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Appendix C

(3)

e.

Finalization instructions to activate credential are emailed to the
Applicant.

Credential Activation and Finalization
Most activation stations will be unattended, meaning that Applicants will
use the system without assistance to activate their credentials. In the event
that there is an issue causing the unattended activation to fail, the
Issuer/Activator will assist the Applicant in completing the activation, or
collect the credential, note the issue in the system, and flag the record for
issue resolution.
(1)

Issuer/Activator verifies identity of Applicant.

(2)

The Issuer/Activator retrieves the credential from the storage safe.

(3)

Issuer/Activator compares the picture on the credential with the
Applicant and provides the credential to the Applicant if they
match.

(4)

If the Applicant biometric sample matches the biometric read from
the credential, the Applicant is authenticated to be the owner of the
credential.

(5)

The Applicant uses the credential number and system generated
PIN (provided to Applicant in an e-mail) to log on to the activation
web application.

(6)

The Applicant provides the primary fingerprint using the biometric
card reader for a 1:1 match in the IDMS database. A successful
match will result in the credential being unlocked.

(7)

The Endorsement screen appears requiring the Applicant’s
acknowledgement of agreement to terms and conditions for receipt
of the credential

(8)

The Applicant sets his/her new PIN which will be 6 to 8 digits in
length.

(9)

The system encodes the credential with the digital certificates and
will display “Successfully Encoded Smart Card” status when
finished. The system tests the newly activated LincPass by
prompting the Applicant to enter his/her PIN and biometric prints.

(10)

The system will prompt the Applicant to remove the LincPass from
the Smart Card Reader.

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DM 4602-002
Appendix D

APPENDIX D
FIGURE D-1
LINCPASS DISTRIBUTION RISK ASSESSMENT

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Appendix D

January 14, 2009

EXPLANATION OF CREDENTIAL/BADGE TYPES

a.

LincPass. A credential that is issued to Applicants who require level 2 or
greater internal eAuthentication account (Internal eAuthentication
Accounts provided to all individuals who require accounts in USDA
LACS and/or PACS servers), USDA e-mail, or other protected IT
resource; 2) who need access to sensitive information (definition for
sensitive information is found in DR 3440-002 and Privacy Act documents
information); 3) or an Applicant who requires unescorted access in
mission critical or National Capital Region (NCR) access areas or as
determined by an agency’s local risk assessment.
A LincPass can be issued after an Applicant’s fingerprints have been
submitted and favorable results returned. The credential’s expiration date
is set for six months while the Applicant’s background investigation is
being conducted. Once the background investigation is successfully
completed then the expiration on the credential will be set according to
Chapter 2, Section 5, Expiration Date Requirements.

b.

Site Badge. A badge issued locally by the facility to persons who do not
require a LincPass but need unaccompanied access to the facility or
information system to conduct temporary work. EXAMPLES: Service
company employee, such as cafeteria staff, credit union staff, nurse,
building management staff, maintenance engineer, day care provider,
courier, or repair personnel; or an individual who has officially retired
from USDA and receiving retirement benefits.
A site badge can also be issued to an employee or non-employee during
the interim period between starting work with USDA and receiving a
LincPass.

c.

Visitor badge. This type of badge can be either a plastic card turned in
after the visit and sequentially numbered, or a paper tag that can be worn
and disposed of upon completion of the visit. A paper or plastic badge
has the expiration date clearly visible. The maximum issuance for this
type of badge is 24 hours, and requires continuous escort. EXAMPLES:
a consultant attending a meeting; a LincPass cardholder who does not
have their credential with them at the time.

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Appendix E

APPENDIX E
PIV-II CREDENTIAL TOPOLOGY AND EXAMPLES OF TEMPORARY BADGES
1.

FRONT REQUIREMENTS OF PIV-II CREDENTIAL
a. Zone 1 - Photograph. The photograph shall be placed in the upper left
corner and be a full frontal pose from top of the head to shoulder. A
minimum of 300 dots per inch (dpi) resolution shall be used. The
background will follow recommendations set forth in SP 800-76.
b. Zone 2 - Name. The full name shall be printed directly under the
photograph in capital letters.
c. Zone 3 - Not used at this time.
d. Zone 4 - Agency Specific Text. This area is available for optional use by
agencies.
e. Zone 5 - Rank. This area is available for optional use.
f. Zone 6 - PDF417 Bar Code. Not used at this time.
g. Zone 7 - Circuit Chip. This chip will encode the biometric and other data
linked to the credential.
h. Zone 8 - USDA Affiliation. A USDA affiliation shall be printed on the
credential. Some examples of affiliation are: Employee, Contractor, etc.
i. Zone 9 - Header. "United States Government" is default for initial rollout.
Agencies may add their own values as long as it is less than the 24
character max.
j. Zone 10 - Organizational Affiliation. Not used at this time.
k. Zone 11 - USDA logo. The USDA logo measuring 1”x ¾” will be printed
in this area.
l. Zone 12 - Footer. The footer is the location where the affiliation of
Emergency Response Official will be annotated with a red band. All Law
Enforcement and Security personnel will have this annotation.
m. Zone 13 - Issue Date. Not used at this time.
n. Zone 14 - Expiration Date. The credential expiration date shall be printed
in YYYYMMMDD format.

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Appendix E

January 14, 2009

o. Zone 15 - Color Name Bar. Color coding for employee and other USDA
affiliations.
p. Zone 16 - Photo Border. Not used at this time.
q. Zone 17 - Agency Specific Text Area. Not used at this time.
r. Zone 18 - Affiliation Color Code. identifies the color displayed in the
color band (e.g., B for Blue, G for Green).
s. Zone 19 - Expiration Date
t. Zone 20 - Organizational Affiliation Abbreviation. Not used at this time

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Appendix E

FIGURE E-1
FRONT OF PIV-II CREDENTIAL

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Appendix E

January 14, 2009

FIGURE E-3
BACK OF PIV-II CREDENTIAL

2.

CREDENTIAL BACK PRINTABLE AREAS AND REQUIRED DATA
a.
only)
b.
c.
d.

Zone 1. Agency credential serial number (LincPass
Zone 2. Issuer Identification number (LincPass only)
Zone 4. Return Instructions if Found
Zone 7. Standard section 499, Title 18 language

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DM 4620-002
Appendix E

FIGURE E-4
EXAMPLE OF LINCPASS

3.

USDA LINCPASS COLOR CODING
a.

Coding for Federal Employee: White. An individual employed by,
detailed to or assigned to USDA under the authority of Title 5 U.S.C
§2105 “Employee”, and receives government funding for services
rendered.

b.

Coding for USDA Affiliation—Contractors: Green. An individual under
contract (i.e. prime or sub) to USDA, requiring routine unaccompanied
access to USDA controlled facilities and/or USDA controlled information
systems.

c.

Coding for USDA Affiliation—Foreign National: Blue. An individual
who is employed by, detailed to, or assigned to USDA but who is not a
citizen or permanent resident alien of the U.S. The foreign national color
coding takes precedence over the government employee or contractor
color designation.

d.

Coding for USDA Affiliation—Federal Emergency Response Official. A
Federal Emergency Response Official will be annotated with a red band in
the footer. All Law Enforcement and Security personnel will have this
annotation.

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Appendix E

January 14, 2009

FIGURE E-5
EXAMPLE OF USDA SITE BADGE

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Appendix E

FIGURE E-6
EXAMPLE 1—VISITOR BADGE

FIGURE E-7
E-7

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Appendix E

January 14, 2009

EXAMPLE 2—VISITOR BADGE

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Appendix F

APPENDIX F
TRAINING FOR PIV-II

References to training type and availability will be included in this appendix on a date to
be determined.

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Appendix G

APPENDIX G
TRAINING FOR NON-PACS FACILITIES

References to training type and availability will be included in this appendix on a date to
be determined

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Appendix H

APPENDIX H
ePACS TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

The ePACS Technical Requirements will be included in this appendix on a date to be
determined

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DM 4620-002
Appendix I

APPENDIX I
FIGURE I-1
FORM AD-1197 may be downloaded from the OCIO web page:
http://www.ocio.usda.gov/forms/doc/AD-1197fill.pdf

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January 14, 2009

DM 4620-002
Appendix J

APPENDIX J
AMMENDMENTS
1. JULY 31, 2008 AMMENDMENT
a. Chapter 1, Section 1h - Added additional source of OPM memorandum dated December
17, 2007
b. Chapter 1, Section 4 – modified 2nd paragraph to remove ambiguity in regards to who
requires a LincPass and added language regarding retirees
c. Chapter 1, Section 5 – Added “Credentialing Standards” section per December 17, 2007
OPM memo
d. Chapter 1, Section 6 – Added “Reciprocity of Credentialing Determinations” section per
December 17, 2008 OPM memo
e. Chapter 2, Section 3
(1)
Added part d stating agencies have the flexibility to use the enrollment
station for fingerprinting or to keep using current process
(2)
Added additional verbiage to part e per OPM memo stating interim
credentials may be issued
(3)
Added part g per OPM memo regarding background investigations for nonUS citizens
f. Chapter 2, Section 7 – added 5 year expiration date notice to Chapter 2, Section 7b
g. Chapter 3, Section 2 – add “full time” to applicability statement
h. Chapter 3, Section 3a(2) – added statement about who a contractor employee’s sponsor
may be
i. Chapter 3, Section 3a(2)(h) – added statement about sending credentials to a Security
Officer
j. Chapter 3, Section 4 – added statement that enrollment station fingerprinting usage is
optional
k. Chapter 3, Section 5 – added statement about a contractor employee’s ability to perform
Adjudicator functions
l. Chapter 3, Section 8(j) – Added section about sending credentials to alternate locations
m. Appendix J – Added new appendix to serve as change log

J-1