Answers to Assocoates & Collaborators Frequently Asked Questions

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Do I have to undergo the background investigation and be fingerprinted to be nominated/awarded an academic appointment?

Yes. All academic and volunteer positions at the Smithsonian are now characterized as Non-Critical Sensitive. Placement in an academic appointment requires successful adjudication of a pre-appointment background check.

PROCESS: Please allow at least 4 weeks for this process to complete BEFORE the nomination deadline. All individuals, U.S. citizens and Internationals, nominated for an academic appointment must undergo a pre-appointment background investigation before an appointment can be confirmed.

Nominees are required to complete an OF 306 Declaration for Federal Employment, a standard form issued by the Office of Personnel Management. The OF 306 is available at the OPM web site as an on-line fill-in form at: http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/of0306.pdf.

Nominees are also required to complete an SF 87 Fingerprint Chart (fingerprint card). The SF 87 will be mailed directly by the Smithsonian to individuals nominated for an academic appointment. The SF 87 is not available electronically and cannot be sent via e-mail.

Non-local (to DC/NY) nominees must take the SF 87 to their local law enforcement agency or courthouse to obtain fingerprints. A minimal fee is usually involved. The nominee must then mail the completed OF 306 and SF 87 to the Office of Protection Services.

GENERAL MAIL: Please send your response via the US Postal Service to:

Smithsonian Institution
Office of Protection Services
Personnel Security Division
P.O. Box 23793
Washington, DC 20026-3793

We recommend that, minimally, you select First Class mail for timely delivery. To help ensure quicker service we suggest USPS Priority Mail and advise that you request Delivery Confirmation to track and confirm delivery of your response.

EXPRESS MAIL: Should you wish to use a delivery service (FedEx, UPS, etc.), address your response to:

Smithsonian Institution
Office of Protection Services
Personnel Security Division
Capital Gallery Building
600 Maryland Avenue SW, Suite 4160
Washington, DC 20024

If the nominee is within commuting distance to Washington, DC, they may hand-deliver the completed OF 306 and be fingerprinted on-site at no cost. In addition, nominees having difficulty obtaining the proper fingerprints at their home location may request a deferment to be fingerprinted at the Smithsonian upon their arrival to DC.

The Smithsonian Office of Protection Services is located at 600 Maryland Avenue, SW, Suite 4036. Office Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

If you have questions regarding the process, or the status of your submitted documents, please contact: ops.pso@si.edu.

The Smithsonian Office of Protection Services (OPS) contracts the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to conduct all investigations. Based upon the investigation results, OPS determines the nominee's suitability for a position at the Smithsonian. The turnaround time for investigation results is about 10 days from the time information is received by OPS from the nominee.

OPS will notify the NMNH Head of Acaedmic Services when an investigation is closed. They will then contact the nominee to extend a formal offer, and provide further detail.

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I have recently completed a background investigation with another Federal agency and been fingerprinted. Do I require another pre-appointment background investigation at the Smithsonian?

Yes. The Smithsonian must conduct pre-appointment background screenings for all tentative selectees whose positions are categorized as "critical sensitive" or "non-critical sensitive," even if the candidates come from another federal agency.

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Can I accept paid, short-term contract work?

Yes, but in most cases you will need to suspend your academic appointment until the contract closes.

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I'd like to meet other researchers at the Smithsonian. What opportunities and social events are offered by the Museum?

There are a variety of formal and informal gatherings through which researchers can meet each other as well as staff, visitors and guests. Many of the research departments as well as other units at Natural History host special seminars and other gatherings. Generally posted in the staff elevators, you will find flyers announcing these events. Unless otherwise noted, most of these are free and open to you to attend.

A few of the regularly scheduled opportunities and events include:

Tuesdays Systematics Discussion Group - every Tuesday from noon to 1:00 p.m. in the ARC. Discussion paper posted on the NMNH intranet - systematic page.

Senate of Scientists Dinner Forum - the Senate of Scientists sponsors an annual dinner and lecture series featuring prominent scientists.

Botanical Society of Washington - meetings are generally held monthly, at 7:00 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month, except July and August, in the NHB Cathy Kerby Room.

Entomological Society of Washington

Paleontological Society of Washington - meetings generally begin at 7:30 p.m. In the NHB Cooper Room. Meet at the Constitution Avenue lobby at 5:30 p.m. to join us for dinner.

POETS - an informal gathering every Friday, late afternoon (5:30 p.m.) in the Waldo Schmitt Room.

Smithsonian Calendar: Posted on the public Smithsonian web site, here you will find a listing of activities and events happening throughout the Smithsonian.

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I'd like to give a seminar to the Museum community about my research. How do I go about arranging this?

Associates and Collaborators are encouraged to share their research activities with the Natural History community by giving a seminar and/or making available their research poster presentation(s).

Each research department has a seminar coordinator. Contact this individual to discuss possibilities. Your sponsor will know who your unit's seminar coordinator is.

In addition to departments, many local biological societies, clubs and organizations hold their meetings either at or near NMNH. Consider offering to speak to one of these.

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Can I park at the Museum?

Parking at the Natural History building is by permit only. There is no public parking facility at the Smithsonian on the National Mall; on-street parking is limited and posted times are enforced. There are commercial parking lots and garages located within several blocks of the museums. There is also a limited number of parking spaces for vehicles with the appropriate license plate or permit for visitors with disabilities.

Parking is allowed on a space-available basis after 3:00 p.m. Such parking is not subject to the daily fee.

Parking is free to SI Research Associates and Collaborators on weekends and holidays at all SI controlled facilities, NMNH, NMAH, SISC & NASM.

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I'll be bringing specimens with me to the Museum. How do I get them into the building?

As you could guess, you'll need to check first before traveling here to ensure appropriate steps are taken care of.

Researchers seeking to bring comparative materials into the research collections must notify the Collections Management Staff prior to their arrival. Most units have sterile entry requirements, mandating that specimens first be treated according to the policies of the unit. Each unit has slightly different processes including required documentation. In some cases protocol treatments yield the specimens unavailable for several days/weeks while undergoing treatment. Please plan accordingly.

The Museum Support Center also maintains strict inventory control over specimen movement in and out of the building through its shipping office. Visitors planning to bring comparative material into the MSC facility must notify Collections Management Staff prior to their arrival. A list of specimens being brought into the building must be presented, along with the specimens, to the shipping officer.

If you're bringing in specimens not managed by your assigned unit you will need to check the policies covering the associated specimens (e.g. if your fellowship is with the Department of Entomology but you're also bringing in plant specimens associated with your insects you will need to check with the Botany collections Manager).

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Can I apply for external funding under the auspices of the Smithsonian?

Yes. However, there are several restrictions and terms to consider as well as offices to coordinate with. Associates and Collaborators may submit proposals for external grants and contracts under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution (SI) but must follow procedures for proposal submission as described in Smithsonian Directive 321, "Review and Submission of Proposals for Sponsored Projects, which can be found at http://prism.si.edu/opmb/pdf/SD321.pdf. As part of this procedure, all proposals must be reviewed and approved by the staff sponsor, the department chair, the Associate Director for Research and Collections, and the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) prior to submission.

Associates and Collaborators interested in submitting proposals to external funding sources are encouraged to contact OSP as soon as possibl. Among other things, OSP can assist with budget preparation and provide answers regarding SI and sponsor policies.

Smithsonian's Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) oversees all external funding proposals as well as awards received. Not only can they assist you in identifying potential funding resources, you must coordinate your submissions through them.

Smithsonian Institution
Office of Sponsored Projects
P.O. Box 37012, MRC 1205
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

Phone: (202) 633-7110
Fax: (202) 633-7119
E-mail: OSPMAIL@SI.EDU

FedEx Address:

Smithsonian Institution
Office of Sponsored Projects
2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 352
Suite 9200, MRC 903
Arlington, VA 22202

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Can I submit a proposal to the National Science Foundation through the Smithsonian?

There has been great confusion about submitting proposals to the National Science Foundation from members in the Smithsonian community. Research Associates and Collaborators (as well as trust employees, fellows, adjunct scientists, and other honorary appointments) may submit proposals to NSF without special restrictions.

Federal employees may submit proposals as Co-Principal Investigators (Co-PIs) by collaborating with other organizations that can serve as the lead applicant. In these cases, the Smithsonian would receive a subaward.

Federal employees may also submit proposals as PIs if their proposals meet one of the following 3 conditions:

(1) Special Projects that can make unique contributions to the needs of researchers elsewhere or to other specific NSF objectives
(2) National and International Programs for which NSF bears special responsibility
(3) International travel in order to ensure appropriate representation or availability of a particular expertise at an international conference

Always consult the NSF Program Officer prior to preparing a proposal.

Note that all proposals must be reviewed by your staff sponsor, the Department Chair, the Associate Director for Research and Collections (or Associate Director of Public Programs, as applicable), and the Office of Sponsored Projects prior to submission. For more information about the proposal submission process, visit the OSP intranet website at http://prism.si.edu/osp/index.htm or review Smithsonian Directive 321, "Review and Submission of Proposals for Sponsored Projects," at http://prism.si.edu/opmb/pdf/SD321.pdf.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact OSP. Staff in the departments of Mineral Sciences and Paleobiology may contact Violet Bruce at 202.275.0670 or violet@si.edu. Staff in all other NMNH departments may contact Benjamin Nevius at 202.275.0692 or neviusb@si.edu

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Can I bring in guests into the collections and show them around the rest of the Museum?

As most researchers understand, to protect the collections and allow our staff to conduct their work, access to non-public areas must be limited and carefully monitored.

Entering any non-public space requires that appropriate Smithsonian credentials be displayed at all times. With approval from their staff sponsor, Research Associates and Collaborators with a Smithsonian photo ID may secure from the Security Office a one day, temporary badge for their guests. Research Associates and Collaborators may NOT bring guests to other non-public spaces, without prior consultation with, and approval by, their staff sponsor - AND - consent of the area collections manager for each location planned to visit.

Even with consent to visit collections areas, Research Associates and Collaborators may NOT, for any reason, enter collection areas or look at specimens without a designated staff member from that department present.

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I lost my Smithsonian ID badge. What do I do?

First, contact Security to have your badge and proximity card deactivated. Next, invest a lot of effort in trying to find it including checking with the Security office to see if someone found it and turned it in. However, if after about a week you have no success, or know for certain that it will not be recovered you will need to work through your staff sponsor and designated Department to:

1. Record your badge as "LOST"
2. Cancel your badge and access
3. Secure a replacement authorization form
4. Pay a lost/reissue fee
5. Reactivate your new badge
6. Report/record your new badge numbers

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My Smithsonian ID badge was confiscate by a security officer. What do I do?

You should immediately report to your staff sponsor so as to identify and attempt to resolve the situation.

The credentials issued to you as a Research Associate/Collaborator, including your photo ID and access card, are not yours but remain the property of the Smithsonian. There are certain terms and conditions for their use. If at any time a Smithsonian security office determines that your credentials are being used inappropriately they will confiscate your credentials and your access to facilities will be denied.

When your badge is confiscated, it's usually because it was being used inappropriately so you may, or may not, be able to reconcile the situation, depending upon the nature. In addition to flagrant acts of misconduct, examples of inappropriate use include having guests in nonpublic areas without appropriate authorization and trying to use an ID beyond the expiration date.

The most common cause of ID consfication is trying to use an expired ID. If you plan to continue your appointment beyond the expiration date on your badge, please make prior arrangements for active credentials. If you discover that your badge has expired, do NOT display it or try to use it.

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What's the mailing address? What is MRC?

Most mail delivery for most occupants located in the Natural History Building should be addressed to:

10th Street & Constitution Avenue, NW
PO Box 37012
NHB, MRC (XXX)
Washington, DC 20013-7012

Use of this address is recommended for time-sensitive items or items that might be damaged by irradiation. Mail delivered to this address is generally received about one week after the cancellation date. Smithsonian Mail Services has provided this general address (PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013-7012.) for Smithsonian organizations in the Washington Metropolitan area that want to expedite delivery of mail while items sent to the 20560 zip code are delayed because of irradiation. Mail Services estimates that mail delivered through the 20560 zip code is received about two weeks after the cancellation date.

MRC is the Mail Routing Code used by the central Smithsonian mail sorting center to help direct mail to units. Check with your sponsor for the appropriate mail code to use to ensure delivery to you.

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How do I look up Smithsonian phone numbers?

The Smithsonian no longer issues paper telephone booklets. Instead, contact information for individuals within the Smithsonian community are posted on the intranet and also available as part of lookup features in each voIP SI phone.

Intranet: The Smithsonian phone directory is available on the Smithsonian intranet (prism.si.edu), click on SI Phone Directory.

VoIP: You can retrieve the telephone number of any SI employee who has a VoIP phone by using the telephone instrument. Numbers are accessed using either the directories or services button. The directories button is used for staff in your calling region (Washington DC, Suitland, or New York). The services button is used for staff outside your calling region. To access staff in your calling region:
.. Press the directories button to display the Directory Menu.
.. Press 4 to select and open the Corporate Directory Menu.
.. While in the Corporate Directory Menu, you must enter a First Name, Last Name, or telephone number by using the dialing pad.

Once the name or telephone number is entered, press the Search soft key. The Corporate Directory will list all of the available names and phone numbers returned in the search. If the entire search is not shown, press the More soft key and then the Next soft key to see
the rest of the records. Press the scroll key to find your specified party. Select the party and press the Dial soft key. Press Exit soft key twice to exit the Directory Menu.

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I'm having trouble with my computer. What do I do?

The Smithsonian Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) is the central information technology resource for all Smithsonian technology needs. The office maintains a help desk and automated service request system (called, Help Self Service and is administered through the submission of a HEAT Ticket). Contact:

phone: 202-633-4000
E-mail: OCIOHelpDesk@si.edu
Fax: (202) 312-2828

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Can I take advantage of the WageWorks commuter benefits program?

No. Volunteers, fellows, interns, scholars, contractors and docents are NOT eligible. The SI Transit Pass Program is only available to eligible Federal and Trust employees whose work (duty) station is located in the National Capital Region (NCR) - AND - who use mass transportation to and from work.

The transit benefit program (WageWorks) allows any person in Smithsonian Institution employee status (including part time and intermittent employees) to save up to 40% on their commuting expenses. If you take a bus, subway or railway to work or pay to park at work you can use this benefit. Wageworks works with Metro trains, buses, MARC, VRE, and some vanpools in the DC area as well as mass transit agencies all over the United States, including New York and Boston. You can also elect to have your monthly parking expense paid directly to your provider to save you time and money.

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