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440.1 - Identification Cards

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Date: 07/07/2015

OPR: Office of Administration/Office of Management Services

Instruction: Supersedes Chapter 440.1 – Identification Cards, dated September 16, 1996.                     

1.  Purpose.  This chapter incorporates the regulations regarding the issuance and control of personnel identification cards. 

2.  Scope.  This chapter applies to USGS employees, contractor personnel, and others (also known as affiliates, a term that includes but is not limited to guest researchers, cooperators, volunteers, tribal users, and intermittent, temporary, and seasonal employees) who require access to USGS facilities for any period of time.  This chapter does not preclude or otherwise limit the use of the DOI Access Card for the purpose of authorized logical access to a Federal-controlled information technology system. 

3.  Authorities.

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

B.  National Institute of Standards and Technology Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 201-1, Personal Identity Verification of Federal Employees and Contractors.

C.  Department of the Interior (DOI) Personnel Bulletin 09-06, Policy for the Issuance and Management of DOI Access Cards.

4.  Policy.  USGS employees, contractor personnel, and all others must use authorized identification cards where access to USGS facilities is controlled.  Identification cards must be worn and visible at all times when in Government-controlled facilities or on Government-controlled property.   

5.  Authorized Forms of Identification.  The following are the only authorized USGS forms of identification:

A.  DOI Access Card.  The DOI Access Card is the authorized DOI identification credential; it meets all Federal interoperability requirements and provides long-term (180 days or more) employee, contractor, and affiliate access to USGS facilities.  Issuance of the DOI Access Card requires screening of new employees and other prospective cardholders, including adjudicated fingerprint checks and initiation of the background investigations.  The DOI Access Card contains an embedded, encrypted computer chip that must be updated every 3 years.  Updates on this cycle ensure that the card contains the latest authentication, digital signature, and encryption keys.  The DOI Access Card expires altogether after 5 years and must be replaced.

B.  USGS Temporary Access Badge.  The USGS Temporary Access Badge (TAB) serves primarily as an employment or affiliation credential for individuals who require temporary (less than 180 days) physical access to specified USGS facilities.  The TAB is issued as an optional form of identification and must comply with the requirements of DOI Office of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Management memorandum titled "HSPD-12 Temporary Physical Access Badge Guidance." 

C.  Visitor Badges.  Visitor Badges are required for visitor access to facilities that have been designated as Facility Security Level III or above in accordance with Department of Homeland Security Interagency Security Committee standards.  They are optional for other USGS facilities.

6.  Responsibilities.

A.  Associate Director for Administration.  The Associate Director for Administration exercises executive oversight of the USGS identification card program.

B.  Chief, Office of Management Services.  The Chief, Office of Management Services, is responsible for:

(1)  Managing the USGS identification card program, issuing associated USGS procedures, monitoring card usage, and establishing controls on the issuance and disposition of authorized USGS identification cards. 

(2)  Instituting processes supporting USGS identification card issuance, reissuance, custody, certificates, renewal, and disposition to assure compliance with applicable DOI Access Card and DOI law enforcement, physical protection, and facility security requirements. 

(3)  Coordinating the hosting and operation of mobile and fixed USAccess enrollment and activation stations, light activation stations, and light credentialing stations.

(4)  Designating sponsors and adjudicators for the DOI Access Card issuance process for contractor personnel and affiliates, and overseeing implementation of required sponsor and adjudicator card-issuance actions. 

C.  Chief, Office of Human Resources.  The Chief, Office of Human Resources, is responsible for designating sponsors and adjudicators for the DOI Access Card issuance process for USGS employees and overseeing implementation of required sponsor and adjudicator card-issuance actions.

D.  USGS Emergency Management Coordinator.  The USGS Emergency Management Coordinator is responsible for approving and maintaining Emergency Response Official (ERO) designations to ensure that DOI Access Cards are imprinted with the DOI-prescribed ERO marking.  The Security Office maintains the protocol for modifying card when the cardholder's position or responsibilities change.

E.  Science Center Directors.  Science Center Directors are responsible for reviewing physical security requirements at installations, buildings, and other facilities under their purview, determining the need for Temporary Access and Visitor Badges in consultation with the USGS Security Officer, and implementing appropriate badging measures in accordance with 1.5.B. and 1.5.C.   

F.  Card Management Sponsor.   Designated in writing by the responsible Cost Center Manager, the Card Management Sponsor is responsible for the management of DOI Access Cards issued to employees at the respective science center, field office, or other activity, as follows:  card terminations; reissuance of lost, stolen, damaged, expiring, and expired cards; and card destruction. 

G.  Supervisors.  Supervisors are responsible for:

(1)  Ensuring that their employees and sponsored affiliates complete the required application and enrollment actions for the DOI Access Card or USGS TAB, as applicable, and otherwise comply with the provisions of this chapter and established procedures and processes. 

(2)  Ensuring that Contracting Officer Representatives under their purview require contractor personnel to complete the required application and enrollment actions for the DOI Access Card or USGS TAB, as applicable, and otherwise comply with the provisions of this chapter and established procedures and processes. 

(3) Notifying the Security Office and USGS Emergency Management Coordinator when a cardholder’s position or responsibilities change that may affect the DOI-prescribed ERO marking.

H.  DOI Access Card Holders.  DOI Access Card holders are responsible for:

(1)  Activating their DOI Access Card in a timely manner and creating and maintaining the required 6-8 digit numeric Personal Identification Number.

(2)  Securing the DOI Access Card in a FIPS 201-1-approved, shielded badge holder (Electromagnetically Opaque Sleeve) provided by their local office.

(3)  Completing certificate updates in a timely manner (every 3 years but earlier if any data elements on the card change).

(4)  Immediately reporting a lost or stolen card to their Card Management Sponsor, who is responsible for terminating the card within 18 hours of notification.

(5)  Surrendering their DOI Access Card and badge holder to their Card Management Sponsor upon termination of employment, contract, or other affiliation with the USGS.

(6)  Ensuring required re-enrollments occur in a timely manner (typically, every 10-12 years but earlier if there is a break in service, a name change, or a failure to update certificates within the prescribed timeframe).

 

/s/ Jose R. Aragon                                                                  July 7, 2015

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Jose R. Aragon                                                                            Date

Associate Director for Administration