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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ORDER FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION NG 1600.1 NextGen Organization Effective Date: William J. Hughes Technical Center 12/10/2013 SUBJ: William J. Hughes Technical Center’s Visitor Program Policy 1. Purpose of This Order. This order establishes the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center’s Visitor Program Policy. This local policy is in accordance with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Order 1600.74, Visitor Policy.
2. Audience. This order applies to all visitor’s to the FAA Technical Center Campus, including visitor’s sponsored by FAA Technical Center employees, including employees straight-lined to FAA headquarters, and the Technical Leadership Council Organizations, as well as Non-FAA Technical Center Tenant Organization employees and contractor employees residing at the Technical Center.
3. Where to Find This Order. You can find this order on the FAA.GOV website under the “Regulations & Policies” tab and select “Orders & Notices” or on the MyFAA Employee website. Use “Tools & Resources” tab and select “Orders & Notices.” 4. Background. The Technical Center’s mission is to promote a safe, secure, and efficient airspace system. To accomplish this, the Technical Center promotes partnerships with academia, industry, state and local government, non-profit and other federal government entities. These efforts involve official visits by U.S. citizens, foreign nationals, and government representatives.
5. Policy. Visitors must have a sanctioned reason for visiting this facility and must adhere to the Policy set forth in this Order and FAA Order 1600.74. The Technical Center does not offer public tours and limits site visits to individuals with a valid business purpose as defined in this Order.
6. Roles and Responsibilities. In addition to the Roles and Responsibilities identified in FAA Order 1600.74, Para. 11, which are incorporated by reference, roles specific to the Technical Center are as follows: a. The Technical Center Director is responsible for the overall operation and administration of the Technical Center and ensures compliance with the policies and procedures established by this Order.
b. The Center Operations Division Manager is the designated Facility Manager and is responsible for Facility Operations, Facility Engineering, Environmental Management, Customer Relations, Advanced Imaging and Production Control, and Organizational Development and Support Services. Center Operations Division Manager is responsible for providing notices as set forth in FAA Order 1600.74, Paragraph 11, Subparagraph i (3), (4) and (5).
Distribution: Electronic Initiated By: ANG-E31 12/10/2013 NG 1600.1 c. The Center Operations Division, Organizational Development and Support Services Branch (ODSSB), is responsible for establishing, implementing, and managing the Technical Center Visitor Program. ODSSB plans, coordinates, and implements visits for the FAA NextGen (ANG) organization, and will assist other organizations upon request. Contact the Visitor Program at (609) 485-6622. ODSSB may need to limit the number of visitors and/or visits to minimize any adverse impact on facility operations.
d. Office of Security and Hazardous Materials Safety (ASH) - Ensures visits to FAA facilities comply with the requirements of this order, other applicable orders, directives, and the FAA Acquisition Management System (AMS), on behalf of the Administrator. ASH has the final authority concerning visitor access to FAA facilities.
7. Definitions.
a. Visitor – Any individual not issued a valid Department of Defense (DOT)/FAA identification (ID) media or not permanently assigned to an FAA facility. Individuals with valid DOT ID Media are not considered visitors at FAA administrative facilities (i.e., non-National Airspace System operational facilities).
b. Visitor Badge/ID Media – A form of FAA ID media to be worn by visitors while they are in an FAA facility.
c. Law Enforcement Agency – Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies chartered and empowered to enforce U.S. laws. Also called LEA.
d. Official Visit – A visit conducted in connection with federal, state and local government operations, or in furtherance of a formal business arrangement or agreement between the FAA and the visitor’s employing organization, foreign government activity, international aviation organizations, and air navigation service providers. In short, official visits serve a U.S.
government/DOT/FAA business purpose. A visit may or may not include a tour based on availability of resources. Tours are conducted mid-January through mid-November. Requests outside of this time frame will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
e. Visitor on Official Business – Any individual not possessing a valid FAA identification media who is requesting access to the Technical Center to conduct official business, such as: representatives from other Federal agencies, law enforcement and civil aviation authorities, or air traffic control entities. Contractors and consultants exempt from the investigative requirements of Order 1600.72, Contractor and Industrial Security Program, are considered visitors on official business. Visitors include, but are not limited to, those giving or attending conferences and those visiting the laboratories for limited scientific or research discussions.
f. FAA Requestor – Any FAA employee (including but not limited to FAA managers in lines of business, facility managers, office managers, and service directors) who wishes to host a visitor to the Technical Center. A contractor seeking to host a visit to an FAA facility must have an FAA employee initiate the request and serve as the government sponsor for the visit.
- 2 - 12/10/2013 NG 1600.1 g. FAA Sponsor - A FAA employee who has a current and valid FAA email address and wishes to sponsor one or more visitors (including foreign national visitors) to visit one or more FAA facilities. The sponsor assumes responsibility for an individual visitor or visiting group of persons for the duration of the visit to a FAA facility(ies). In the event the FAA Sponsor does not accompany the visitors, a Visitor Program representative will assume the sponsorship. Only sponsors can initiate a request with the Office of International Affairs (API) to sponsor a foreign national visitor.
h. Foreign National Visitor – Any citizen or national of a country other than the United States who has not immigrated to the United States and who is not a legal permanent resident (LPR) of the United States.
i. Tenant Organization – A Non-FAA organization located at the Technical Center.
8. Photography/Video. Visitors are restricted from the use of cameras (including all types of cellular phone cameras such as iPhones, Blackberry devices and other smartphones), as well as video cameras, and other recording devices, during their visit to the Technical Center unless approval has been granted by the facility manager and SSE. However, the sponsor may provide for or allow courtesy photographs with the visitor(s) in executive offices, reception/conference areas or outside of the Technical Center buildings with prior approval if the areas are cleared of any classified and controlled/sensitive unclassified information (SUI) and indicators of sensitive activities. Photography is expressly prohibited inside the Technical Center laboratories.
9. Procedures. The following procedures MUST be followed before allowing a visitor to access the Technical Center.
a. The FAA Sponsor and/or Non-FAA Technical Center Tenant Organization Sponsor must contact the ODSSB Visitor Program at (609) 485-6622. Allowing 4 weeks in advance of an anticipated visit and/or tour is preferred to assure that the requested date and resources are available. Requests shall include: (1) Points of Contact (2 – primary and alternate) (2) Requested Date/Time and alternate dates of visit (3) Purpose of visit (4) Method of transportation (5) Number of visitors (6) Visitor’s backgrounds, interests (i.e. engineers, human factors, etc.), (7) Translator needs (translators must be provided by the visiting organization) (8) Identification of any visitors with special needs (9) Identification of any Foreign National Visitor (non US citizen) b. The sponsor assumes responsibility for an individual visitor or visiting group of persons for the duration of the visit to a FAA facility(ies). In the event the FAA Sponsor does not accompany the visitors, a Visitor Program representative will assume the sponsorship. Only - 3 - 12/10/2013 NG 1600.1 FAA or Non-FAA Tenant Organization Sponsors can initiate a request with the Office of International Affairs (API) to sponsor a foreign national visitor. Sponsors initiate that request at https://visitors.faa.gov/LandingPage.aspx.
c. FAA and/or Tenant Organizations – who wish to coordinate their own visit, MUST: (1) Notify the ODSSB Visitor Program at (609) 485-6622. Allowing at least 4 weeks in advance of the anticipated visit and/or tour is preferred. Once this information is received, and upon request, ODSSB will assist in coordinating the visit and/or tour. The following information must be provided: (a) Name and title of the visitor(s) (b) Name and telephone number of point-of-contact (c) Two proposed dates and purpose for visit (d) Draft agenda for the visit (2) Ensure that visitors have specific contact information (i.e. office and/or cell phone numbers, pager numbers, etc.) before arrival at the Technical Center; where and when they are to meet representative(s)from host organization, and how to proceed to the event they will be attending, once processed through security. Ensure that all required paperwork, approvals, for the visit have been submitted and obtained in advance, in accordance with the Visitor Policy, FAA Order 1600.74.
(3) Coordinate logistics (e.g. security, transportation, special needs, dining, conference room, etc.).
(4) Greet guests and escort non-government visitors.
(5) Ensure visitors who are not FAA employees are aware of and follow Security Procedures as defined in Order CT 1600.30, Technical Center Facility Security Management Plan.
d. All visitors must check into Security Operations Center (SOC) to be screened and badged. Visitors must provide the SOC personnel with photo identification, an access request form and the name of employee to be visited. SOC personnel will verify visit by telephone contact of employee being visited and set-up a location where the visitor is to be met. If contact cannot be made, access will not be granted.
(1) Visitors are subject to being screened by use of metal detection and x-ray of any carry in baggage or packages. The visitor will be issued a “Visitor – Escort Required” badge. This badge indicates that they must be escorted at all times by an employee with a completed background investigation.
(2) Visitor vehicles are not permitted past the main gate. Visitors are required to use the shuttle bus. Upon boarding they will provide the driver a copy of the access request form, with the drop- off location. The employee must be at the drop-off location to receive the visitor or they will be returned to the SOC. At the conclusion of the visit the employee must contact the shuttle bus to pick up the visitor, escort him/her and wait with him/her for the shuttle bus until boarding.
- 4 - 12/10/2013 NG 1600.1 (3) If a visit requires the visitor to use his/her vehicle (bringing in equipment and/or boxes of materials, etc.), SOC personnel must verify this with the employee being visited and the employee must come to the SOC to escort the visitor to his/her destination. These visitors will be issued a “Visitor – Escort Required” badge and a parking permit. The visitor vehicle will be searched at the main gate.
(4) When the visit is concluded, the employee must escort the visitor back to the SOC parking lot and collect the visitor badge and parking permit to return to the SOC.
e. Non-FAA Technical Center Tenant Organization Sponsors hosting visitors are responsible for coordinating their own international clearances. In addition to any procedures specific to the Tenant Organization, the Tenant Organization hosting a foreign national visitor, must initiate a request for clearance through the FAA. To initiate the FAA request for clearance, please submit the information via https://visitors.faa.gov/LandingPage.aspx. Allowing 4 weeks for the process is preferred.
f. Contractors – In addition to following the guidelines above, a contractor seeking to arrange a visit to the Technical Center must have a FAA sponsor or Non-FAA Technical Center Tenant Organization Sponsor initiate the request and serve as the sponsor for the visit. Allowing 4 weeks for the process is preferred.
g. Foreign National Visitors on official business - Foreign National Visitors who wish to visit the Technical Center must have an FAA Sponsor or Non-FAA Technical Center Tenant Organization Sponsor initiate a request with API to sponsor a foreign national visitor. To initiate a request go to https://visitors.faa.gov/LandingPage.aspx .
h. Authorized Exceptions to Visitor Entry and Escort Procedures are found in FAA Order 1600.74 and are incorporated by reference.
i. Additional guidance for hosting visits by Federal executives, State and local government officials, foreign dignitaries and Head of State visits to FAA facilities is located in Appendix C of FAA Order 1600.74 and is incorporated by reference. Additional guidance for hosting visits by foreign nationals to FAA facilities is located at Appendix D of FAA Order 1600.74 and is incorporated by reference. Guidance for cooperating with LEAs (Law Enforcement Agencies) and process servers is located at Appendix E of FAA Order 1600.74 and is incorporated by reference.
10. Distribution. This order is available electronically as described in paragraph 3.
Director, William J. Hughes Technical Center - 5 -