General Services Administration Heads of Services and Staff Offices’ and Requesting Officials’ Roles and Responsibilities to Implement Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12

Purpose

This Order defines the roles and responsibilities of Heads of Services and Staff Offices (HSSO) and Requesting Officials (RO), who may be the Contracting Officers (CO) or a designated Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), to implement Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12: Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors (August 27, 2004) (HSPD-12) background investigations and credentialing at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). In addition, it supports the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) policy “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.”

Background

1. HSPD-12 requires Federal agencies to issue a secure and reliable standardized form of identification that:  (a) is issued based on sound criteria for verifying an individual employee’s identity; (b) is strongly resistant to identity fraud, tampering, counterfeiting, and exploitation; (c) can be rapidly authenticated electronically; and (d) is issued only by providers whose reliability has been established by an official accreditation process to its employees and contractors (including contractor employees).  Departments and agencies are further directed to require the use of identification by Federal employees and contractors that meet the standard in gaining physical access to Federally-controlled facilities and logical access to Federally-controlled information systems.
2. On May 21, 2019, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued Memorandum M-19-17, “Enabling Mission Delivery through Improved Identity, Credential, and Access Management” requiring each Federal agency to issue a policy requiring the use of Personal Identity Verification credentials as the common means of authentication for access to Federal facilities, networks, and information systems and align with Federal Identity, Credential, and Access Management (FICAM).  To comply with HSPD-12, GSA issued GSA Order ADM 2181.1A, “Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 Personal Identity Verification and Credentialing Policy, and Background Investigations for Contractor Employees” dated March 27, 2024, which provides policies and procedures for issuing and maintaining a Personal Identity Verification credential (commonly known as the GSA Access Card).     

Scope and Applicability

This Order applies to:

1. All GSA Requesting Officials. This Order supplements GSA Order ADM 2181.1A, Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 Personal Identity Verification and Credentialing Policy, and Background Investigations for Contractor Employees. 
2. The Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA), but only to the extent that CBCA determines it is consistent with CBCA’s independent authority under the Contract Disputes Act and it does not conflict with other CBCA policies or CBCA’s mission.
3. The Office of Inspector General (OIG), but only to the extent that OIG determines it is consistent with OIG’s independent authority under the Inspector General Act and it does not conflict with other OIG policies or OIG’s mission.
4. Cancellation. This Order supersedes GSA Order ADM 5400.2, “General Services Administration Heads of Services and Staff Offices’ and Requesting Officials’ Roles and Responsibilities to Implement Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12,” dated September 30, 2016.

Summary of Changes

1. Added responsibilities for ROs, requiring them to follow all HSPD-12 requirements in the General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) and General Services Administration Acquisition Manual (GSAM), as well as complete the necessary documents when a contractor employee’s GSA Access Card is lost, stolen or uncollectible.
2. Updated scope and applicability paragraph for clarity.
3. Updated to reflect new GSA policies.
4. Updated contact reference due to changes in organizational structure.