MEMORANDUM FOR HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES 

FROM: LISA M. LOSS 

Director, Suitability and Credentialing Executive Agent Programs 

SUBJECT: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Credentialing Standards 

Procedures for Issuing Personnel Identity Verification Cards under 

HSPD-12 and New Requirements for Suspension or Revocation of 

Eligibility for PIV Credentials 

On December 15, 2020, the OPM Acting Director, in his capacity as the Credentialing Executive 

Agent, issued Credentialing Standards Procedures for Issuing Personnel Identity Verification 

Cards under HSPD-12 and New Requirement for Suspension or Revocation of Eligibility for 

Personal Identity Verification Credentials (Credentialing Procedures). The document provides 

government-wide credentialing standards procedures to be implemented by all Executive Branch 

Departments and Agencies (D/As) in issuing, suspending, or revoking eligibility for PIV1

credentials. 

The Credentialing Procedures policy includes:

• Clarification of population applicability and short-term employment, to include the 

definition of seasonal employees. 

• Detailed standards and procedures for suspending PIV eligibility not covered in previous 

guidance, to include appeals. 

• Emphasizes that the grounds for finding an individual ineligible for a PIV card may also 

constitute grounds to pursue an adverse action (such as removal action) to promote the 

efficiency of the service, or to terminate an appointee who has not yet accrued adverse 

action rights.

The Credentialing Procedures memorandum emphasizes that the governmentwide credentialing 

standards, Final Credentialing Standards for Issuing Personal Identity Verification Cards under 

HSPD-12 issued by OPM in July 2008 (2008 Final Credentialing Standards) and the 

Performance Accountability Council (PAC) Memorandum to Heads of Executive Departments 

and Agencies, Guidance on Executive Branch-Wide Requirements for Issuing Personal Identify 

Verification (PIV) Credentials and Suspension Mechanism2, of March 2, 2016 remain as the 

1 Although referred as PIV in this document the policy and this implementation guidance apply to eligibility 

adjudication of any PIV card issued to meet HSPD-12 standards such as CAC, LincPass, etc. 

2 This PAC memorandum clarifies that Departments and Agencies will apply both the basic and supplemental 

credentialing standards specified in the 2008 Final Credentialing Standards to all personnel who require a PIV, but 

who are not otherwise subject to a suitability determination or a determination of eligibility for access to classified 

information or assignment to a sensitive national security position to include Federal employees and contractors. 
FAQs for Credentialing Procedures Memorandum Page 2 

adjudicative standards for eligibility determinations for Personal Identity Verification (PIV) 

cards issued in compliance with the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12, Policy for a 

Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors. All Executive Branch 

D/As must follow these adjudicative standards for making decisions regarding eligibility of 

individuals for PIV card for logical or physical access to federally controlled facilities and/or 

information systems. 

As directed in the Credentialing Procedures memorandum, heads of Executive Branch D/As 

must ensure the appropriate entities within their organization, including personnel from the 

offices of Chief of Security, Human Resources, Employee Relations, Credentialing, General 

Counsel, Insider Threat, and component organizations that manage physical access and ICAM 

systems collaborate in communicating and implementing these Credentialing Procedures. 

D/As must immediately implement these procedures. D/As are expected to make any necessary 

updates to their information systems within 180 days of the December 15, 2020 Credentialing 

Procedures memorandum. 

Attached are answers to some anticipated Frequently Asked Questions to assist you in

successfully implementing the Credentialing Procedures guidance. In particular, we call your 

attention FAQ No. 13, which reminds agencies of their obligation to report HSPD-12 fields into 

CVS. 

My point of contact for any questions is Dorianna Rice, Credentialing Program Manager, who 

may be reached at Dorianna.Rice@opm.gov or CredEA@opm.gov.

Attachments: 

Frequently Asked Questions 
FAQs for Credentialing Procedures Memorandum Page 3 

Frequently Asked Questions 

for Credentialing Standards Procedures for Issuing Personnel Identity Verification Cards 

under HSPD-12 and New Requirements for Suspension or Revocation of Eligibility for PIV 

Credentials 

1. How does the guidance in the Credentialing Procedures memorandum differ from 

other OPM PIV eligibility guidance? 

The Credentialing Standards Procedures for Issuing Personal Identity Verification Cards 

under HSPD-12 and New Requirement for Suspension or Revocation of Eligibility for 

Personal Identity Verification Credentials issues guidance not previously in effect regarding 

PIV eligibility suspension and provides clarity to other previously issued guidance 

specifically as follows:

• Provides detailed standards and procedures for suspending PIV eligibility. 

• Redefines applicability per E.O. 13467, as amended.

• Emphasizes that the grounds for finding a person ineligible for a PIV card may also 

constitute grounds to pursue an adverse action (such as removal action) to promote the 

efficiency of the service, or to terminate an appointee who has not yet accrued adverse 

action rights. 

• Without changing the basic intent, provides greater detail and clarity regarding: 

o the circumstances in which an agency will use the procedures, and how 

credentialing vetting will align with other personnel vetting programs 

o the interim and final credentialing process 

o the credentialing process for Non-United States Nationals 

o credentialing reciprocity 

o unfavorable PIV determinations 

o appeals 

2. How are the existing credentialing guidelines affected by the Credentialing Procedures 

memorandum? 

This Credentialing Procedures document expands on a number of processes mentioned in the 

prior OPM credentialing memorandum, such as the appeals process and applicability, and 

introduces procedures for PIV eligibility suspension. It also clarifies that the OPM Final 

Credentialing Standards for Issuing Personal Identity Verification Cards under HSPD-12

memorandum issued July 31, 2008 (the 2008 Final Credentialing Standards), and the 2016 

Performance Accountability Council Memorandum Guidance on Executive Branch-Wide 

Requirements for Issuing Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Credentials and Suspension 

Mechanism continue to be utilized as the adjudicative standards for PIV eligibility 

determination. The 2016 PAC memorandum clarified that Departments and Agencies will 

apply both the basic and supplemental credentialing standards specified in the 2008 Final 

Credentialing Standards to all personnel who require a PIV, but who are not otherwise 

subject to a suitability determination or a determination of eligibility for access to classified 

information or assignment to a sensitive national security position. Agencies already 

following requirements outlined in the 2008 Final Credentialing Standards and 2016 PAC 

memorandum and reporting eligibility to CVS should experience minimal impact to their 

current processes. 
FAQs for Credentialing Procedures Memorandum Page 4 

3. Who does this Credentialing Procedures memorandum apply to? 

The memorandum guidance applies to vetting of all covered individuals including a person 

who performs, or who seeks to perform, work for or on behalf of the executive branch (e.g. 

Federal employee, military member, or contractor), or otherwise interacts with the executive 

branch (e.g. non-appropriated fund employees, as well as agency unique categories of 

individuals such as guest researchers, volunteers, intermittent or seasonal employees unless 

they are short-term) such that the individual must undergo vetting, (but does not include the 

President, Vice President and duly elected State or territory governors) AND who requires 

logical and physical access (other than occasional or intermittent access to federally 

controlled facilities or information systems for said purposes.) (E.O. 13467 Sec 1.3(h) and 

(m)). 

4. How are “occasional or intermittent” and “short term” employments defined in the 

Credentialing Procedures memorandum? 

For the purpose of the credentialing guidance, short term employment is employment of less 

than six (6) continuous months. Intermittent employees with affiliation that extends beyond 

6 continuous months are not considered short term employees. Similarly, seasonal 

employees, i.e. employees on permanent appointments who work a seasonal schedule of six 

months or more on a recurring basis are not considered short term. Per 5 CFR 340.401(a), 

Seasonal Employment means annually recurring periods of work of less than 12 months each 

year. Seasonal employees are permanent employees who are placed in nonduty/nonpay status 

and recalled to duty in accordance with preestablished conditions of employment. Therefore, 

these Credentialing Procedures apply to seasonal employees. 

Short term employees on temporary appointments of less than six months thus should not be 

included in the definition of “seasonal” (even if hired, for the summer, for example). 

 

5. How has the policy on non-United States Nationals changed? What is the process? 

There is no change to the policy intent. The information is simply displayed in charts vice a 

text document, for clarity. The references to NACI investigations; however, were replaced 

with Tier 1, as stipulated in the Federal Investigative Standards. 

The Credentialing Procedures acknowledges that it may not be possible to conduct an 

equivalent Tier 1 investigation overseas, therefore an alternative facility access identity card 

(not a PIV Card) may be issued at the discretion of the overseas agency official, as 

appropriate, based on a risk determination/position designation level. The document explains 

the following options for D/As to process individuals under this category: 

Non-United States Nationals located at U.S. based locations: 

• When the individual has been in the US for 3 years or more, agencies will 

a. Verify employment authorization of new Federal employee 

b. Request a Tier 1 investigation. 

• When the individual has been in the United States for less than 3 years, agencies may not 

request an investigation, instead, they may: 

a. Issue an alternative PIV for facility access based on: 

i. Verification of employment authorization 

ii. FBI fingerprint based criminal history check 
FAQs for Credentialing Procedures Memorandum Page 5 

iii. FBI name check search 

iv. Terrorist Screening database check 

v. SAVE check 

Non-United States Nationals located at foreign locations: 

• If investigation that is equivalent to a Tier 1 investigation cannot be performed an 

alternative facility access identity card 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. 

6. Do I use this Credentialing Procedures memorandum to determine PIV-I eligibility? 

As noted in the Credentialing Procedures memorandum, an alternative identity credential such as 

the Personal Identity Verification Interoperability or PIV-I is an identity credential that does not 

meet the standards outlined in these procedures and is visually and electronically distinguishable 

from PIV credentials. The Credentialing Procedures memorandum is purposely silent on 

adjudicative guidelines for PIV-Interoperable (PIV-I) cards eligibility decisions. D/As are 

responsible for making their own risk determinations in the decision to accept and issue a PIV-I. 

As PIV-I do not assert any level of individual trustworthiness since there is no standardized 

vetting process, there is no obligation for D/As to reciprocally accept them. Because of these 

limitations of the PIV-I, D/As should consider the benefits of PIV eligibility determination for 

intermittent employees whose affiliation is repeatedly terminated and reinstated, and for any 

employees who are expected to serve intermittently over multiple years. Agencies must ensure 

that the PIV-I process is not used to circumvent the PIV eligibility and issuance process. 

7. Do I use the Credentialing Procedures memorandum to determine Derived PIV 

eligibility? 

As noted in FIPS 201-2, a derived PIV leverages the PIV identity proofing and vetting results of 

a current and valid PIV card; therefore, there is no separate vetting requirements for Derived 

PIV. An individual must already be eligible for a PIV credential and have possession of such 

credential before being eligible for a Derived PIV. 

8. How long do Department and Agencies have to implement this policy? 

D/As must immediately implement these Credentialing Procedures. D/A are expected to make 

any necessary updates to their information systems within 180 days of the December 15, 2020 

Credentialing Procedures memorandum. D/As already following requirements issued in the 

2008 Final Credentialing Standards Memorandum, 2016 PAC Memorandum and reporting 

eligibility to CVS as required should experience minimal impact to their processes. The majority 

of requirements for credentialing eligibility remain unchanged since this document provides 

greater detail to existing guidance. 

9. What are the first steps Departments and Agencies need to take? 

OPM recommends D/As the following steps in preparing to implement these procedures. 

1. Consult with your procurement office to ensure any contracts requiring modification are 

expeditiously updated. 

2. Ensure that all agency adjudicative personnel have the Credentialing Procedures 

document, the 2008 Final Credentialing Standards and the 2016 PAC Memorandum for 

use in PIV eligibility determinations and that your adjudicative procedures are consistent 

with the guidelines and procedures established by these documents. 
FAQs for Credentialing Procedures Memorandum Page 6 

3. Meet with your personnel security, adjudicative, physical security and human resource 

professionals to ensure your agency has the proper communications channels established 

and has the necessary process connections to ensure the eligibility suspension 

requirements are met, such as means to notify suspension to access point in your facilities 

and technology to report eligibility decisions to CVS or its successor. 

4. Identify the agency’s final decision maker for suspension of PIV eligibility 

determinations and establish procedures to promptly notify the person when applicable. 

10. I am an agency Senior Executive (with responsibilities for Human Resources and/or 

Personnel, Physical, Information or IT security). What do I need to do?

OPM recommends the following implementation steps: 

1. Review your agency processes for adjudicating Interim and Final PIV eligibility to ensure 

existing processes are in compliance with the Credentialing Procedures outlined in the 

Credentialing Procedures memorandum.

2. Coordinate with your counterparts in human resources, security, counterintelligence, 

chief information office and insider threat programs to ensure that PIV eligibility 

suspension procedures are included in threat response planning and to ensure that the 

necessary communications and processes are in place to satisfy the standards and 

procedures for suspending PIV’s. 

3. Ensure that the program managers supporting these processes have the guidance 

necessary to successfully implement new requirements. 

4. Implement changes and adjustments to agency procedures and policies as necessary to 

satisfy credentialing eligibility requirements. 

11. I am an adjudicator. What do I need to know? 

OPM recommends adjudicators consider the following information: 

1. The Credentialing Procedures memorandum reminds us that PIV eligibility 

determinations are inherently governmental functions. Interim and Final PIV eligibility 

determinations will only be made by executive branch federal employees, or automated 

adjudication systems sanctioned by the Executive Agents. 

2. The adjudicative guidelines from the 2008 Final Credentialing Standards and the 2016 

PAC memorandum will apply credentialing criteria in the following cases: 

a. Individuals who require an interim PIV determination to begin work requiring 

physical access to federally controlled facilities and logical access to federally 

controlled information systems prior to a final suitability or national security 

determination. 

b. Individuals who will require physical access to federally controlled facilities and 

logical access to federally controlled information systems for 6 months or more, 

AND who will not be vetted concurrently using 5 CFR 731 suitability 

adjudicative criteria for suitability or fitness determinations or EO 12968 national 

security criteria for determinations regarding access to classified information or 

assignment to a sensitive position. 

c. Individuals unfavorably adjudicated using 5 CFR 731 suitability adjudicative 

criteria for suitability or fitness determinations and/or EO 12968 national security 
FAQs for Credentialing Procedures Memorandum Page 7 

criteria for determinations regarding access to classified information or 

assignment to a sensitive position by the employing or sponsoring agency, must 

undergo a PIV eligibility determination if the agency is not terminating the 

employee due to the unfavorable information that makes the individual unsuitable 

or ineligible to occupy a national security position. 

12. How does the guidance anticipate the eligibility suspension process will work?

We recognize that there is a difference between suspension of PIV card eligibility and physically 

suspending the technical functionalities for the card. Per the Credentialing Procedures 

memorandum, if imminent risk is identified, D/As must establish means to communicate the 

eligibility suspension to their physical access points and IT systems owners. The technology is 

advancing to the point that there are means to hold the card certificates without having to re-issue 

a new card. OPM recommends your agency consult with your PIV card issuer and your OCIO to 

identify the best suspension mechanism for your agency based on your provider. 

The following describes how the PIV eligibility suspension process should work. 

1. The agency becomes aware of credible adverse information that indicates a person may 

pose an unacceptable risk (to persons, property, and information under Federal control). 

2. The agency’s decision maker (or designee) for these matters assesses if the risk is 

imminent (consulting with the OPM guidance). 

3. The agency’s decision maker takes action to prevent the individual from accessing the 

facility and information systems. 

a. If imminent risk exists – 

i. Immediate action to retrieve the PIV credential from the credential holder (if 

circumstances allow) and suspend the technical features of the credential. 

ii. Immediate suspension of the individual’s access to facilities and information 

systems until the issue is resolved. 

b. If risk is not determined to be imminenti. Determine if the PIV credential and associated technical features enabling 

access should be suspended, or if the individual should retain access until the 

matter is resolved. 

ii. When possible and advisable, review all information including the 

credential holder’s explanation for making a decision to suspend – erring on

the side of caution and safety. 

c. Always suspend the credential when there is an imminent risk or danger. 

4. Report the PIV credential eligibility and associated credential tokens as “revoked or 

suspended” in any and all access systems or databases in which it appears, including 

CVS. 

5. Alert your physical access entry points of the suspension. 
FAQs for Credentialing Procedures Memorandum Page 8 

6. Consider the concerning information and notify law enforcement as appropriate; notify 

agency counterintelligence and/or national security adjudication entities as appropriate. 

7. Investigate the concerning information as necessary to develop adjudicative relevant 

details. 

a. For Federal employees, who will be unable to perform work while the PIV is 

suspended, consult with agency Human Resource staff and/or general counsel 

before taking action to place the individual on a paid non-duty status per the 

Administrative Leave Act of 2016. 

b. For contract employees, notify the contracting company of the suspension 

following appropriate internal agency channels. 

8. Adjudicate the information gathered using the 2008 Final Credentialing Standards and 

the 2016 PAC Memorandum and make a decision to either reinstate the employee and 

remove the suspension, OR to proceed with the unfavorable determinations process. 

13. My agency has not been reporting PIV eligibility decisions to CVS. What do we have to 

do to be compliant now? 

In April 2008, NBIB (now DCSA) issued guidance on how to report PIV eligibility 

determinations in an HSPD-12 Job Aid (Fields Added for HSPD-12 Reporting). In 2018, NBIB 

and Suitability Executive Agent Programs issued Joint Federal Investigations Notice and 

Suitability and Credentialing Executive Agent Notice, New and Existing Capabilities of the 

Central Verification System. The notice announced new reporting fields in anticipation of the 

Credentialing Procedures guidance and the availability of a CVS Flat File Format Version 03 

information document containing all data and IT specifications for reporting HSPD-12 

information. At the time of the 2018 joint notice, reporting of the additional fields was not 

mandatory; agencies were advised they were not required to so in advance of the policy issuance. 

With the issuance of the December 15 Credentialing Procedures memorandum, D/As should 

prepare for mandatory reporting of the additional fields by June 2021. Both notices are located 

in the public library of the NP2 Portal in the “CVS – Central Verification System/CVS Job Aids” 

folder. Please refer to these documents to determine how your agency can begin reporting PIV 

eligibility determinations if it has not already done so. If you have any questions about the 

process, please contact DCSA’s System Liaisons Central Verification System Team at 724-794-

5612, extension 4600 or CCSCVS@nbib.gov.

14. Will this guidance be impacted by other Trusted Workforce 2.0 initiatives? 

The current undertaking by the Security Executive Agent and the Suitability and Credentialing 

Executive Agent to transform the personnel security vetting process, known as Trusted 

Workforce 2.0, anticipates the issuance of aligned adjudicative standards, to the extent 

practicable. The credentialing adjudicative standards as issued by OPM in 2008 and modified by 

the 2016 PAC memo will remain in place unless and until superseded. Otherwise, the 

procedures as directed in this guidance, such as those regarding suspensions and appeals, are not 

expected to change.