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eSAF: Electronic State Access to FACTS

Updated: 01-19-2005

Frequently Asked Questions about electronic State Access to FACTS (eSAF)

  • Can states view the inspectional data from other states? No, when the new version of eSAF goes into effect early next year, they will only be able to view their own state’s data.
  • Do state officials need to be commissioned to have access to eSAF? No.
  • Can any state use eSAF? No, at this time only states that are in the State Food Inspection Contract Program can use eSAF.
  • When will all the states with food contracts be trained? All the states with food contracts will be trained by the end of FY '06.
  • Who in the field will be trained in eSAF? It will be determined by field management but it is recommended that the food contract co-project officer receive training.
  • What is the process for getting an account? Supervisors should have account request forms. Once approved, the forms should be forwarded to the Booz Allen Hamilton eSAF Help Desk (facts_help@bah.com).
  • How does a user get their password reset? Call the eSAF Help Desk at 301-816-2210, or email facts_help@bah.com.
  • Who does a user call when they have a problem using eSAF? Call the eSAF Help Desk, at 301-816-2210 or email facts_help@bah.com. Hours of operation are 9:00 am - 5:00 pm ET. If after hours, the Help Desk will respond the following morning.
  • Can eSAF be used on any computer? eSAF can be accessed via any internet service provider, using Internet Explorer v6.0 (or higher) as the browser.
  • What kind of security does eSAF use, since it can be accessed from the internet? eSAF uses state of the art security, including Oracle's Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) for user authentication, encrypted access via Secure Socket Layer (SSL), and several levels of firewalls.
  • How many states are currently using eSAF? Five states are currently using eSAF -- Rhode Island, Texas, Missouri, Washington, and Massachusetts. It will be rolled out to an additional 18 states in FY05.
  • Does everyone have the same level of access to all data in eSAF? Access and user capabilities are based on user role. There are currently 5 user roles -- State Contract Monitor, District Data Entry, FDA Guest (read only), State Reviewer, and State Data Entry. Additionally, access to data is controlled by the district and state.
  • What are the future plans for eSAF? The next release for eSAF is scheduled for the Spring of 2005. It will include a module to facilitate account setup and maintenance, as well as additional functionality for out of business and other inactive firms, and the ability to generate an inspection coversheet report. The current plans are to upgrade the eSAF application on a regular basis. Possible future enhancements may include the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) checklist and Medicated Feed.
  • Do states need security clearance to access eSAF? No.
  • Do states need special software to run eSAF? No, eSAF is a web based system. States will need internet access.
  • How many users can the states have? Some have 50 some have 6. Its up to the states and their FDA counter parts in the districts as to how they want to utilize the system.
  • Can you send assignments directly from FACTS to eSAF? No, assignments must be entered in eSAF, but eSAF updates FACTS and shows the pending assignments.
  • Does FDA have to review each state entry? No, inspections that are NAI - can be accepted without review. Once states are proficient with the process - acceptance without review can be initiated.
  • Can states see the Facts history for firms in their state? Yes. This should be limited to the type of program covered by the contract (i.e. food firms). Note, some firms will handle more than 1 program. In that case, the state will have access to the other program information for that firm also.
  • Will the EIRs input by the States be “signed” in facts? There will be no “inspector” signature on the Facts coversheet. The “supervisor” signature will be optional.
  • Can the FDA edit the State’s endorsement or classification? No. Not through eSAF.
  • If a related complaint is listed in Facts, will the state have access to that potentially confidential info? If it relates to a firm within their own state’s borders, yes, they will have access.
  • Can states change FDA’s OEI info? Yes. Care must be taken with accepting updates such as firm name changes. Some states use dba’s. We want the firm’s corporate name.