A PIV-I card is a credit card-sized identity card that meets the US Government's PIV (Personal Identity Verification) specifications. The PIV-I initiative allows non-federal organizations to issue high security employee credentials that meet the stringent standards established by the U.S. government to increase the security of its systems and facilities.
The PIV-I cards meet the technical and issuing security standards set by the government. "PIV-I" is the acronym for Personal Identity Verification - Interoperable.
Q:
Who needs a PIV-I card?
A:
A PIV-I card will be required by all Federal government contractor employees who require access to U.S. government facilities, networks or information systems. Indeed, a memorandum issued by the Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget on February 3, 2011 requires the continued implementation of PIV credentials for Government and contractor employees started by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD 12).
Q:
Why should I get a PIV-I card from HID Global?
A:
HID PIV-I Service provides a complete, simple, and convenient, solution for organizations to obtain PIV-I cards for their employees who require access to U.S. government facilities, networks and information systems. Our cards are PIV-Interoperable and fully trusted by the Federal government. We are certified by CertiPath and managed through ActivIdentity, the leading provider of PIV issuance and verification software to the U.S. government. As a Genuine HID™ solution customers can rest assured they are partnering with the most trusted source for secure identity solutions.
Q:
What is the difference between a PIV-I card and a PIV card?
A:
PIV cards are issued to Federal employees whereas PIV-I cards are intended for Federal government contractors. A PIV-I card meets the PIV technical specifications of NIST SP800-73 and is issued in a manner that may be trusted by Federal Government Relying Parties, but does not meet all of the requirements of the Federal PIV standards (FIPS 201).
Q:
Do I need a PIV-I card if I already have a PIV card?
A:
No, holders of a valid PIV card can use this card to obtain access to Federal systems and facilities. PIV cards are intended for Federal employees whereas PIV-I cards are intended for contractors to the Federal government.
Q:
What is a PIV-I card used for?
A:
In general a PIV-I card may be used to access both physical and logical resources. For many contractors the main use of their PIV-I card will be to obtain access to federal government facilities.
Q:
Where can I get a PIV-I card?
A:
As directed by the HSPD 12 directive, PIV cards can only be issued by providers whose reliability has been established by an official accreditation process. HID Global is one of a few select vendors who have been accredited to issue PIV-I credentials. To get started to obtain your PIV-I card go to: Get Started
Q:
What is the information I will need to provide to sign up my company for the PIV-I Service?
A:
The information you need before you sign up with the HID PIV-I Service is:
1) Your company's officer contact information (CEO, CFO, COO, or President). This is a person who can financially commit the company and legally sign for the company.
a) Full name, title, work address and contact info (telephone and email address.
2) Your company information.
a) Company Legal Name (e.g. ACME Incorporated).
b) Company Name to be printed on the card (e.g. ACME).
c) Company address and contact info (telephone and website address).
d) Company's DUNS number, CAGE code or Business Tax ID (one of the three).
3) The company representative. This person (can be you) is responsible for purchasing all company PIV-I cards (at least the number of cards your company will require in the next 90 days) and the starter kit (smart card reader and client software). This person is also responsible for sponsoring/adding new employees and deleting expired employee cards.
a) Full name, title, work address and contact info (telephone
and email address).
b) Employee ID number.
4) Payment options. Company credit card (VISA®, MasterCard®, AMEX®)or Purchase Order (PO).
You will be provided with detailed pricing information for a PIV-I card, valid for three years, as part of the registration process. Alternatively, please contact us at piviservice@hidglobal.com or call us toll-free at 1-855-HID-PIVI (1-855-443-7484) to discuss specific pricing for your organization. That price covers everything you need to obtain your PIV-I card including registration, enrollment, verifying your identity, and activating your PIV-I card. Also included with your card is access to our support line available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
Q:
Are there discounts or subsidies from the U.S. Government?
A:
There are not currently any discounts or subsidies from the U.S. Government. If the Government introduces such a program we will post this on our website.
Q:
What do I need to do to use my PIV-I card?
A:
The agency or specific facility involved will provide you with directions on what you need to do to use your card to obtain the access you require. In general, when using a PIV-I card to access facilities, you will present the card to readers mounted near the access points.
Q:
How do I find out about enrollment centers near me?
A:
To find out about enrollment centers near you, please click here to use our locator guide or feel free to call us toll-free at 1-855-HID-PIVI (1-855-443-7484).
Q:
What happens if I lose my PIV-I card?
A:
For lost or damaged cards you should immediately notify your company representative responsible for PIV-I cards.
Q:
What do I do if my PIV-I card expires?
A:
PIV-I cards are valid for three (3) years, at which point they expire and can no longer be used for obtaining access. Our notification system will contact you via email before your card expires to remind you to renew and instruct you on the renewal process.
Q:
Where do I send PIV-I cards for employees who no longer work for the company?
A:
The PIV-I cards, from employees leaving a Federal contractor, need to be collected and provided to the company representative responsible for PIV-I cards. Each company representative will have the latest information on where PIV-I cards need to be returned to.
Q:
Do I need a DUNS number, CAGE code or Tax ID number?
A:
Yes, you do need a DUNS number, CAGE code or Tax ID number, one of which will be required as an identifier during the registration process to obtain PIV-I cards.If needed, you can look up your CAGE code or DUNS number at: http://www.dlis.dla.mil/BINCS/begin_search.aspx.
Q:
What is a CAGE code?
A:
The Commercial And Government Entity Code, or CAGE Code, is a unique identifier assigned to suppliers to various government or defense agencies. Within the US, any organization wishing to be a supplier to the US DoD is issued a CAGE Code by Defense Logistics Information Service (DLIS), the organization serving as the US National Codification Bureau (NCB). An entity issued a CAGE code must reapply annually to renew it.If needed, you can look up your CAGE code at: http://www.dlis.dla.mil/BINCS/begin_search.aspx.
Q:
What certificates and keys are presented on a PIV-I card issued by the HID PIV-I Service?
A:
A PIV-I card issued by the HID PIV-I Service contains four digital certificates/keys: PIV Authentication, Card Authentication, Digital Signature and Key Management using RSA 2048 bits and SHA256 cipher suites.
Q:
Where can I download the HID PIV-I Service PKI Certificate Policy?
PIV-I cards are valid for three (3) years, as required by U.S. Government standards. After 3 years, the digital credentials contained on the card expire and will no longer be accepted at the places you use the card. Our notification system will contact you via email before your card expires to remind you to renew.
Q:
Two companies, HID Global and ActivIdentity, are mentioned in relation to the HID PIV-I Service offering, how do they relate?
A:
HID Global is the trusted source for secure identity solutions for millions of customers around the world, and the company that launched the HID PIV-I Service on August 29th, 2011. ActivIdentity has been a leading provider of PIV issuance and verification software to the U.S. Federal government for over 10 years, and was acquired by HID Global in December 2010.
The HID PIV-I Service offering will be managed through ActivIdentity, now a part of HID Global, which is why the ActivIdentity brand will co-exist with the HID Global brand in certain aspects of the HID PIV-I Service, such as contracts or online certifications.
Q:
Where can I verify that PIV-I cards issued by the HID PIV-I Service are approved for use within the Department of Defense?
A:
The certified HID PIV-I Service offering will be managed through ActivIdentity, a recently purchased HID Global company and a leading provider of PIV issuance and verification software to the U.S. Federal government for over 10 years. You can find the ActivIdentity Non-Federal Issuer (NFI) PKI listed on the DoD's "External and Federal PKI Interoperability" page at http://iase.disa.mil/pki-pke/interoperability/index.html.
You will find the ActivIdentity NFI PKI listed there as a Category II (Non-Federal Agency PKIs cross certified with the Federal Bridge Certification Authority) PKI approved for use within the DoD up to and including the PIV-I assurance level.
Q:
How do I configure my computer to access the JPAS website using the HID PIV-I card?
A:
To access the JPAS website using the HID PIV-I card, you will need a smart card reader, middleware and HID PIV-I Service CA certificates installed on your computer. If you already have a smart card reader and middleware, then you can download the installer (Microsoft® Windows® environment support only) to install the HID PIV-I Service CA certificates on your computer. Otherwise, contact your company representative to purchase a starter kit follow by downloading the Starter Kit Software from the Onboarding System.
