Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) establishes policy for a common identification standard for Federal employees and contractors and subsequently directed the Government-wide use of personal identity identification (PIV) cards.
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS/MAJOR CHANGES: This revised Directive updates Department-wide policies, roles, requirements, and responsibilities for using HSPD- 12 PIV cards to access Federally controlled and VA facilities and information systems.
This policy provides details for HSPD-12 PIV credentialing for GSA employees and contractor employees, as well as requirements regarding background investigations for contractor employees.
Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12, or HSPD-12, Credentialing Adjudications seek to ensure that personnel who receive HSPD-12 personal identity verification, or PIV, credentials are not known or suspected terrorists and do not provide an avenue for terrorism.
Physical PIV (personal identity verification) cards or CACs (common access cards) are secure options for federal government employees and military personnel. These cards, with encrypted chip technology, are resistant to phishing and difficult to hack if stolen.
Your PIV card is compliant with the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 and the Federal Information Processing Standards and provides a secure and reliable form of government identification.
The Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card is an identification card issued by a federal agency that contains a computer chip, which allows it to receive, store, recall, and send information in a secure method.
Close to five million PIV Cards today provide multifactor authentication to federal IT resources and facilities.
Once the applicant is sponsored in the U.S. Access system, an email will be sent to the individual, instructing them to complete enrollment to receive their credential. This is commonly referred to as a “PIV card”.