CogentGAPS Enrollment And Registration Procedures For DHS Contractors (continued)

cogent-gaps enrollment and registration procedures for dhs contractors (continued) cogent 3m is the georgia bureau of investigations (gbi

Cogent-GAPS Enrollment and Registration Procedures for DHS contractors
(continued)
Cogent 3M is the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) approved
contractor which provides electronic fingerprint submission services
to applicants in the State of Georgia. Department of Human Services
(DHS) contractors are required to utilize the services of Cogent
Georgia Applicant Processing Services (Cogent-GAPS) for applicants for
whom DHS provides the fitness determination. In order to do so, DHS
contractors must enroll with Cogent-GAPS by following the steps
detailed below.
Enrollment Process
All Georgia agencies or businesses interested in using the GAPS
service for criminal background checks for applicants or contractors
must first enroll online at www.ga.cogentid.com. Alternately,
enrollment can also be completed by phone by calling 1-888-439-2512,
Monday thru Friday, 8AM to 6PM EST, prior to using GAPS. There are two
steps to the enrollment process.
Step 1: Complete the GCIC Service Agreement
*
Step 1 - The agency/business must complete the GBI/GCIC agreement
by following the prompts for “How to Enroll Your Agency or
Business” under the “Agency Use” tab on the Cogent-GAPS website.
*
If your agency/business does not have an ORI or OAC, leave the
field blank. When GBI receives the form, an ORI or OAC will be
affixed to the form and the form will be returned to your
agency/business. The agency/business must wait until the form is
returned by GBI with an ORI or OAC number before going to the next
step.
*
The agency/business must complete the form which is the last page
of the agreement and mail it to GBI at the address shown. Note
that your agency/business head should read the GCIC Service
Agreement in its entirety before signing.
*
If your agency/business already has an ORI or OAC you may continue
to the next step after mailing the completed form to GBI.
Step 2: Complete the GAPS Agency Enrollment Form
*
The agency/business must complete the GAPS on-line enrollment form
which is Step 2 on the Agency Enrollment screen. Once you complete
the information on the on-line screen, click ‘Save’.
*
You must PRINT the form that is displayed, then have your agency
head SIGN the form.
*
The original form with the authorized person’s signature must be
faxed to 3M Cogent at 614-718-9694. You can also digitally scan
the form and email it to [email protected].
If you do not have access to a fax machine, you may mail the form to
the following address:
3M Cogent
GAPS Enrollment
5025 Bradenton Ave Suite A
Dublin, OH 43017
The form must be faxed, emailed or mailed to Cogent within seven (7)
days of online enrollment.
You should receive an email confirmation from Cogent Systems within 10
business days. The email confirmation will have any necessary
Usernames and Passwords based on what your agency/business selected
for enrollment type during the registration. Please do not continue to
the next step until you receive the email confirmation from Cogent
Systems.
Once you receive email confirmation from Cogent Systems your
enrollment process is complete. You can now begin to register
applicants by clicking on the Single Registration or Multiple
Registration link under the Registration tab on the main GAPS website
page. (Note that DHS requires that contractors register their
applicants on the GAPS website, rather than the applicants registering
themselves).
Applicant Registration Process
Registrations for criminal background checks for applicants must also
be done on the Cogent site (www.ga.cogentid.com) under the
Registration tab. You may register applicants for the Georgia State
criminal background check and/or the federal criminal background check
on the Cogent-GAPS site. You may select either “Single Applicant
Registration” or “Multiple Applicant Registration” and follow the
process below.
*
Complete all personal information on the applicant. Note that all
fields that have a red asterisk * must be completed.
*
Near the end of the registration screen you will see ‘Transaction
Information’. You must click on the drop box next to Reason and
select the appropriate reason for the applicant to be
fingerprinted (refer to DHS Reasons Fingerprinted below for
guidance). An example of this portion of the screen can be found
on page 4.
Note: if you are registering an applicant for the Georgia State
background check only, you must select “DHS-Contractors providing
NON-direct care-State Check only”.
*
You must click on the drop box next to Payment and select the
appropriate payment option. If the applicant is paying, select
credit card or money order. If your agency is paying and you
enrolled as Agency Pay Only or Agency Pay and View Results, you
should select Agency from the drop box. A field for Agency Code
and Agency Password will appear if this option is selected. You
should enter the Agency Code and Agency Password provided by
Cogent Systems in the email confirmation (for example: R081PT0908,
Password - P081PT0908)
*
You must click the box ‘Does another agency make the fitness
determination? When the words ‘Choose Agency’ appear, click the
drop box, then select “DHS”. In the box next to “If yes, enter
determining agency’s ORI”, you should enter GA920280Z. (Note that
DHS Makes The Fitness Determination for your Agency.)
*
You should click ‘next’ at the bottom of the page; if all the
information displayed on the next screen is correct, click ‘next’.
At the end of the registration a Registration ID number will be
provided. Please make a note of the registration ID number.
*
You may now instruct the applicant to go to the nearest
Cogent-GAPS location to submit fingerprints for the criminal
background check (see “Notes for Applicants” on page 3).
You must provide the Registration ID number to the applicant to
give to the Cogent-GAPS operator.
The results of the criminal background check will be made available to
DHS via a secure web server within 48 hours after the applicant has
been fingerprinted at the GAPS print location. You may contact DHS to
verify the results have been received.
DHS will make the fitness determination on the applicant and send out
a fitness clearance letter within ten (10) business days to your
agency/business. If you do not receive the fitness clearance letter
within ten (10) business days you may contact BIU/DHS at 404-463-2029
or 404-463-1883.
Georgia Department of Human Services
Office of Inspector General
Attn: Background Investigations Unit
Two Peachtree Street, NW, Suite 30.493
Atlanta, GA 30303-3142
NOTE: Georgia State agencies and businesses that use GAPS are
responsible for registering applicants properly prior to
fingerprinting. Errors in fingerprint results and/or any additional
costs incurred as a result of improper registration will be the
responsibility of the agency or business.
Notes for applicants:
*
Applicants can locate a Cogent location by clicking on the link to
“Print locations & hours” under the Print Site Locations tab on
the Cogent-GAPS website (www.ga.cogentid.com).
*
It is recommended that applicants call before going to any Cogent
location since hours of operation can differ depending on each
site.
*
After receiving an appointment, applicant should go to the Cogent
location to submit fingerprints for the criminal background check.
Application should provide the Registration ID to the Cogent
operator.
*
Applicant should take an acceptable form of identification to the
Cogent appointment.
EXAMPLE of bottom portion of registration screen:
Transaction Information
Reason
DHS-Health Agencies Contractors Providing Direct Child Care
(EXAMPLE)
Payment
*
ORI/OAC
* Use the agencies
assigned OAC number. (EXAMPLE)
Verification Code
(case sensitive)*
(EXAMPLE)
Agency Code
(Mandatory if Payment is Agency)
(EXAMPLE)
Agency Password
(Mandatory if Payment is Agency)

Does another agency make the fitness determination?

Choose Agency :
*
If yes, enter determining agency’s ORI in the box :
* All DHS CONTRACTORS must enter the DHS ORI # GA920280Z.
Note: Highlighted fields are required and marked by a *.
Information to remember when completing the Registration form:
*
What is the appropriate reason code to select from the drop down
menu?
Answer: “DHS Heath Agencies/Contractors Providing Direct Child Care”.
*
What if the contractor/applicant does not provide direct care,
treatment, or custodial services to DHS clients?
Answer: Select the Reason Code “DHS-Contractors providing NON-DIRECT
CARE-Georgia Check only”.
*
Does another agency make the fitness determination?
Answer: Yes, Department of Human Services (DHS) is the agency who
makes the fitness determination.
*
What is the DHS Unique ORI number to use?
Answer: GA920280Z.
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