1. Initial Ethics Training
• When notified by your designated Institute/Center committee management contact, complete initial ethics training by taking the web-based ethics training. Once you complete the on-line training, please fill in your name and date of training on the certificate at the end, save the document and email the PDF back to your contact person.
• You also can find more information about rules applicable to SGEs by reviewing additional material here.
  
  
2. Foreign Activities and Lobbyist Certification
• Complete the Foreign Activities Questionnaire (HHS 697) and Lobbyist Certification Form and pen-and-ink sign, scan, and return them via email to your designated Institute/Center committee management contact.
  
  
3. Financial Disclosure
• Complete the Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 450) using NIH Enterprise Ethics System (NEES). 
• Access NEES using eCommons username and password. 
• If you do not know or need to reset your eCommons password, please view instructions here.
  
  For more information, see the OGE-450 Quick Tip Sheet.
    

You will receive an email from the USA Staffing Onboarding System (USAstaffingoffice@opm.gov) with detailed instructions for system login and form completion and submission.  You must have internet access and Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the forms and documents assigned to you for completion.  The USA Staffing Onboarding System is compatible with the following web browsers:  Firefox 3.6 or higher, Chrome 8 or higher, and Safari 4.X or higher.    The system will ask you a series of questions and your answers will populate onto the forms required for an SGE appointment.  Forms generated through the system will be electronically signed (if applicable) and submitted.  You will be provided blank PDF forms that require pen-and-ink signature, notarization (where applicable), and must be uploaded to your USA Staffing Onboarding record.

Please do not respond to the email from the USA Staffing Onboarding System and follow the instructions provided therein.  All questions should be directed to the point of contact listed in the email.  The required documents are listed below for your reference:

Forms that are completed electronically in the USA Staffing Onboarding System:

• FMS Fast Start Deposit (FMS 2231)
  
• Statement of Prior Federal Service (SF 144)
• Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate (W-4)
  
• Maryland State Exemption (MW-507) or Withholding Tax Form
• New Employee Education Data Form
• Record of Home Address (HHS 476)

Forms that must be uploaded into the USA Staffing Onboarding System:

• Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I‑9)
• Appointment Affidavit (SF 61) 
• Declaration for Federal Employment (OF 306)
• Self‑Identification of Disability (SF 256)
• Ethnicity and Race Identification (SF 181)  
  
  

Important information regarding reimbursement/compensation can be found here.

On September 30, 2024, NIH released the Final NIH Scientific Integrity Policy, effective December 30, 2024. The final policy articulates the procedures and processes in place at NIH that help maintain rigorous scientific integrity practices. Additionally, the final policy also describes several new functions to further enhance scientific integrity at NIH and throughout the biomedical research enterprise.  The Policy is applicable to advisory committee members in their capacity as Special Government Employees.  Please review the Policy here.  It is aligned with the HHS Scientific Integrity Policy here, released on September 30, 2024, and effective October 16, 2024.  FAQs and other guidance will be available on the NIH Office of Science Policy website here.