Do
I
have
to
undergo
the
background
investigation
and
be
fingerprinted
to
be
nominated/awarded
a
fellowship
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
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,
8:30
a.m.
to
11:45
a.m.
and
1:00
p.m.
to
3:45
p.m.
If
you
have
questions
regarding
the
process,
or
the
status
of
your
submitted
documents,
please
contact
Kheritza
Rosario,
Personnel
Security
Specialist
at:
phone:
202-633-1597
or
e-mail:
RosarioK@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.
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.
Fellowship Resources