DCS User Guide for Security Administrators, 2022-01-18 1 

 Data Collection System (DCS)

User Guide for Security 

Administrators
DCS User Guide for Security Administrators, 2022-01-18 2 

Contents

Role of the Data Collection System (DCS) Security Administrator............................................................ 3

Types of Roles ................................................................................................................................................... 3

Obtain an USDA eAuthentication (eAuth) Account..................................................................................... 3

Obtaining Access to DCS ................................................................................................................................ 4

Logging on to DCS........................................................................................................................................... 5

Adding a New User .......................................................................................................................................... 6

Editing a User Profile ...................................................................................................................................... 9

Deactivating a User ........................................................................................................................................ 12

DCS Points of Contact: .................................................................................................................................. 15

USDA eAuthentication (eAuth) ................................................................................................................ 15

Rural Development (RD) Help Desk ........................................................................................................ 15

Points of Contact (Content) for Electric Borrowers: .............................................................................. 15

Points of Contact (Content) for Telecommunications Borrowers: ........................................................ 15
DCS User Guide for Security Administrators, 2022-01-18 3 

Role of the Data Collection System (DCS) Security Administrator

• The Security Administrator will be responsible for granting access to other 

employees to allow them to be users or readers in the DCS.

• The Security Administrator will be responsible for updating selected profile 

fields for other employees in the DCS.

• The Security Administrator will be responsible for removing access for other 

employees who should no longer have access to the DCS.

Types of Roles

• A User role is allowed to update data in the DCS. 

• A Reader role is allowed to only read or view, not update, data in the DCS.

Obtain an USDA eAuthentication (eAuth) Account

To access the DCS, you will need to obtain an USDA Verified (formerly called Level 2) 

eAuthentication (eAuth) account. 

• Reference the USDA eAuthentication (eAuth) section below for information on 

eAuth accounts. 
DCS User Guide for Security Administrators, 2022-01-18 4 

Obtaining Access to DCS

To obtain access to the DCS, your Organization must identify you as the Security

Administrator for the organization. This is done by:

Step 1: The Board of Directors must approve a resolution identifying the Certifier and 

the Security Administrator for the Organization.

Step 2: Completing a Form 674, “Certificate of Authority to Submit or Grant Access to 

Data” identifying the Certifier and Security Administrator for the Organization, as named 

in the Board Resolution.

• Form 674 – Certificate of Authority to Submit or Grant Access to Data (revised 

03/06).

• RUS Forms – Instructions for Form 674 and Board Resolution to be used with Form

674.

Step 3: Borrowers should then email their completed Form 674 and Board Resolution to 

their General Field Representative (GFR).
DCS User Guide for Security Administrators, 2022-01-18 5 

Logging on to DCS

To access the DCS go to: https://dcs.sc.egov.usda.gov and login with your Verified eAuth 

Account. 

The DCS welcome screen is displayed.
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Adding a New User

To add users and readers to the DCS, click on the ADMIN link on the top navigation 

menu. 

Click the Add link under User Profiles on the left navigation menu. 

Two drop downs will appear to allow you to select the Borrower organization by Borrower 

Designation or Borrower Name.
DCS User Guide for Security Administrators, 2022-01-18 7 

Once you have selected the Borrower, the User ID field will appear. Enter the eAuth 

Account for the user or reader that you are requesting access for in the DCS.

Click the [Add] button. The system will check to see that the eAuth account exists.
DCS User Guide for Security Administrators, 2022-01-18 8 

Enter information related to the individual. At a minimum, you will need to enter their

phone number and e-mail address. You will also need to check the appropriate role

that the user should have in the DCS, “user” or “reader”. 

• A User role is allowed to update data in the DCS. 

• A Reader role is allowed to only read or view, not update, data in the DCS.

Click the [Save] button. The user should now be able to login and access the DCS.
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Editing a User Profile

To edit a user’s profile in the DCS, click on the ADMIN link on the top navigation

menu. 

Click the Edit link under User Profiles on the left navigation menu.

Two drop downs will appear to allow you to select the Borrower organization by 

Borrower Designation or Borrower Name.

Once you have selected the Borrower, the Last Name field will appear.
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[Search] by Last Name will allow you to find the user by their last name.

Using the [Search] button without entering a Last Name returns all users that have

access for the selected borrower.

Click on the Name to display the user’s profile.
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The First, Middle and Last names of the user are not editable. 

The Salutation, Suffix, Title, Phone Number, Phone Extension, Email Address, Active 

check box and Role(s) may be edited.

Click the [Save] button to save any edits. 
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Deactivating a User

To remove a user’s access to the DCS, click on the ADMIN link on the top navigation

menu. Please Note: Deactivating a user does not delete the user’s account from the 

DCS, the user’s account is just made inactive. 

Click the Edit link under User Profiles on the left navigation menu. 

Two drop downs will appear to allow you to select the Borrower organization by 

Borrower Designation or Borrower Name.

Once you have selected the Borrower, the Last Name field will appear.
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[Search] by Last Name will allow you to find the user by their last name.

Using the [Search] button without entering a Last Name returns all users that have

access for the selected borrower.

Click on the Name to display the user’s profile.
DCS User Guide for Security Administrators, 2022-01-18 14 

To remove the user’s access to the DCS, uncheck the Active box and click the [Save] 

button. The user will no longer be able to access the DCS. 
DCS User Guide for Security Administrators, 2022-01-18 15 

DCS Points of Contact:

USDA eAuthentication (eAuth)

USDA (eAuth) is the system used by USDA agencies to enable entities to obtain accounts 

that will grant them access to USDA Web applications and services through the Internet.

Follow the instructions on the USDA eAuth website: https://www.eauth.usda.gov/home on 

creating or updating an existing account to verified or on managing eAuth accounts.

eAuth Contact Us URL: https://www.eauth.usda.gov/eauth/b/usda/contactus

Rural Development (RD) Help Desk

The RD Help Desk provides technical functionality assistance for the DCS.

Email: RD.HD@USDA.GOV

Phone: 1-800-457-3642, option 2 (USDA Applications); then option 2 (Rural Development)

Points of Contact (Content) for Electric Borrowers:

For questions concerning the filing of Distribution and Power Supply Financial and 

Operating Reports,or clarification of the data required for each field, please contact one of

the following:

Financial data and general filing questions:

• Mark Moore: William.Moore@usda.gov

Plant changes, Additions to the List of Utilities and Energy Efficiency:

• Michael Hugh: Michael.Hugh@usda.gov

Points of Contact (Content) for Telecommunications Borrowers:

For questions concerning the filing of the Operating Report for Telecommunications

Borrowers, or clarification of the data required for each field, please contact:

• Daniel Blumenthal: Daniel.Blumenthal@usda.gov