SRCF Visitor/Vendor/Contractor Access

The Stanford Research Computing Facility (SRCF) is located on the SLAC campus.  SLAC is a Department of Energy National Laboratory.  For this reason, all visitors need a temporary SLAC badge.  This applies to contractors, vendors (both Sales and Service folks), other visitors, and even Stanford folks who do not already have a SLAC badge.

This page explains the process for requesting a SLAC visitor badge.  There are separate instructions for the visitor, and for the person escorting the visitor to SRCF.

Staying at the Guest House?  The Stanford Guest House is located on the SLAC campus.  A SLAC Visitor Badge is not required to stay at the Guest House.  Read the Guest House FAQ for more information.  If you are visiting other parts of SLAC (such as SRCF) during your stay, the instructions on this page will apply, but only after you have checked in to the Guest House.

The SLAC visitor badging process takes a couple of days.  For foreign nationals, the process can take a few days to a week.  Visitors must pick up their badge when the badging office is open, which (as of September 2023) is 7AM to 6PM on weekdays (excluding Federal holidays).  If your visitor will be arriving outside of those hours, or your visitor will be arriving in a day or less, reach out to Darren Travis immediately.

The visitor badging process needs to be started by the Escort, so if you are the Visitor, ask your Escort to come to this page and follow the instructions!

For the Visitor

Prepare for Your Visit

Since the SRCF is located on the SLAC campus, and SLAC is a DOE facility, you will need to provide some identification.

As of May 7, you will need a REAL ID (or compatible document, like a passport) to enter SLAC.  US citizens should be prepared to present a REAL ID driver's license, a US passport, passport card, or one of the other documents listed on the REAL ID at SLAC web page.

If you are a foreign national, you either need to be a permanent resident or have a valid visa.  Your foreign passport or green card will act as a REAL ID.  You will also need to provide some additional documents, which vary depending on your visa.  See the list of Documents Required for Check-in at SLAC.  If you have any questions about the documents required, contact SLAC's International Services Office.

Complete the SLAC Site Access Portal Form

Using a web browser, complete the SLAC Site Access Portal Form.  

• If you have a Stanford University badge, have a Stanford Medicine badge, are a Contractor, or are a Vendor (Sales or Service), fill in the Affiliate/Stanford/Contract Worker Form.
• For everyone else, please fill in the Visitor Form.

If you have any trouble completing the online SLAC Site Access Portal Form, that's OK!  For assistance with the SLAC Site Access Portal Form, email vue@slac.stanford.edu (CCing your escort), so they can help you.

The two forms are almost identical.  Here is the information you need to complete both forms:

• For SLAC Point of Contact, select "Darren Travis".  This is important: Even though you are meeting someone else, Darren Travis is our SLAC contact, so you must select his name.
• For Please provide the details of your visit, enter "Meeting CONTACT at SRCF.", but replace 'CONTACT' with your escort's information.  For example, if your escort is George Forsythe, and their email address is forsythe@stanford.edu, you would enter "Meeting George Forsythe (forsythe@stanford.edu) at SRCF."

The Visitor Form has some unique questions:

• For Purpose of Visit, there are a number of options available.  Select the one that is most appropriate for your visit.  If you cannot find a good selection, then choose "Visiting SLAC employee-no work".
• For Company Name, if you are visiting SRCF for personal matters (such as for a job interview), enter "n/a".  Otherwise, enter the name of the company that employs you.
• If you are asked about being reimbursed for any travel expenses, say "No":  Even if you are being reimbursed, that reimbursement is not coming from SLAC.
• For the Arrival Date and Departure Date, enter the information provided by your escort.
• For the Building Location, select "054".

The rest of the form should be completed using your own personal information.  If you are a foreign national, you may be required to provide PDF scans of your passport or green card, and other visa paperwork.  If you have any questions about the documents required, contact SLAC's International Services Office.  If you have questions about other parts of the form, contact Darren Travis.

Once you have submitted the form, send an email to your escort, CCing Darren Travis, letting them know you have submitted the form.  Expect a delay of one to two business days.

Once Darren and SLAC approve, you will get an email from SLAC with the subject "SLAC Non Employee Registration Request Completed".  Forward this email to your escort.  While you wait for the approval email, move on to the SLAC Form B!

Complete the SLAC Form B

In addition to the online SLAC Site Access Portal, there is a paper form you will need to complete.  For your convenience, you can complete this form before your visit, to save time getting your visitor badge.

If you have any trouble completing the online SLAC Form B, that's OK!  Let your escort know that you're having trouble with the online SLAC Form B; they will bring a blank form and help you complete it during your visit.

To complete the SLAC Form B, access the form in AdobeSign.  You will need to complete Section 1 (your contact information) and sign Section 4.  By signing, you acknowledge that…

• You will be working at SLAC for ≤7 days during the calendar year;
• You will not be performing any radiological work; and
• There are unique hazards in certain areas, and you agree to observe all signs and follow your escort's instructions.

Once you complete the form, you will be asked to verify your email address.  After verifying your email address, after some delay, you will receive an email containing the completed SLAC Form B.  Forward this email (including the PDF) to your escort.

With an approved SLAC Site Access Portal form and a completed Form B, you are now ready for your visit!

On the Day of Your Visit

If you are a US Citizen, bring your REAL ID (or compatible document).  If you are a foreign national, bring your passport or permanent resident card.  If you were told to bring anything else, bring it with you.

SLAC's Main Gate is located at:

2575 Sand Hill Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025

GPS directions, Google Maps/Mapquest, etc. all work, and will guide you to the SLAC main entrance.

Follow the signs for visitors, stop at the guard house, and tell the guard "I am meeting [ESCORT's NAME] at building 53, for a temporary badge and escort to building 54."

The guard will direct you to the large building immediately behind the Main Gate.  That is the VUE (Visitor User Employee) Center, where you will meet your escort.  Park in a visitor spot, go in, and meet your escort.

You will be asked to fill in part of a paper form.  Follow your escort's instructions.  Finally, the paper form, along with your ID and any other required documents, will be presented to SLAC Security, and you will get your badge!

For the Escort

What to Expect

In the past, visitors completed two forms: The SLAC Form B, and the DOE FACTS Form.  Today (as of 2025), visitors complete the DOE FACTS form on the SLAC web site; the SLAC Form B will be completed online, and then printed by you to bring to SLAC.

Expect to meet the visitor outside of Building 053, the SUSB (Science User & Support Building), which is the big building just behind the Main Gate.  Assuming their online form (the DOE FACTS form) was completed and approved, you will meet the visitor, exchange the paper SLAC Form B for a visitor badge, and then escort them.

Before the Visit

Make sure your SLAC badge has not expired.  If it has, renew it.

Email Darren Travis, letting him know the name and email address of the visitor, the expected visit time & duration, and the reason for the visit.

Start the Paperwork

Your visitor will need to complete two forms.  One form is completely web-based; one form will be printed and handed in when you meet your visitor at Building 53.  The instructions for both forms is in the For the Visitor section above, but it's good to keep your visitors on-track, paperwork-wise.

First, come up with an estimate for when the visitor will be on the SLAC campus.  Give that information (arrival/departure date & time) to the visitor, and ask them to follow the instructions in the For the Visitor section.  They need to go to the SLAC Site Access Portal and fill in the form.  At a minimum, Darren will need to approve the visit.  Remind your visitor to use Darren Travis as the SLAC Point of Contact.; if they use any other SLAC PoC, the form will be lost.  Darren only checks for completed SLAC forms once per business day, typically in the morning.  So, do not expect an approval notice for at least one business day after the visitor has submitted their SLAC form.

For foreign nationals, the form will identify what additional paperwork is required, and will send it to the SLAC International Services Office for approval.  It might take an extra business day (or two) for SLAC to do their checks.

If your visitor has problems with the SLAC Site Access Form, the first thing you both should do is email vue@slac.stanford.edu for assistance.  If needed, the old DOE FACTS form can be completed in paper form at Building 53.  Ask if the visitor is a US Citizen; if they are not, check the list of Documents Required for Check-In at SLAC, and make sure the visitor brings the appropriate documents with them.

Second, ask your visitor to complete the Online SLAC Form B PDF.  They need to complete Section 1 and sign Section 4.  Once completed, the PDF will be emailed to them, and they should forward this email to you.  You will need to print the PDF, complete & sign Section 5, and bring the printout with you.

If your visitor has problems with the Online SLAC Form B PDF, paper copies of the blank Form B PDF are available at Building 53.  You can your visitor can complete the form in-person.

Once the SLAC Site Access Form is approved, the visitor will be notified.  They should forward this notification to you.  They should also forward the completed Form B.  You are now clear to meet your visitor!

Meeting Your Visitor

Take the completed SLAC Form B, and your SLAC Badge, with you.

You should meet your visitor outside of Building 53, which is the large building immediately behind the Main Gate.  Upon meeting your visitor, have them complete their part of SLAC Form B: They must complete all of Section 1, and Sign/Date in Section 4.

If the Building 53 front desk is staffed, talk to them.  Otherwise, next to the front desk is a hallway: Go down the hall to the badging office.

Give the Security representative the completed Form B.  Your visitor should give them their government-issued ID.  If your visitor is a Foreign National, they should also be prepared to provide the appropriate additional documents.  Your visitor will get their visitor badge.

You may now travel to SRCF!

Traveling to SRCF

You can choose to travel in one vehicle, or in multiple vehicles.

If you travel in one vehicle, you will use your SLAC badge to open the gate.

If you travel in multiple vehicles, you must be driving the lead vehicle.  Let everyone know to stay behind you, and to follow you through all gates.  If the caravan is separated, stop before the gate and regroup.  At the gate, use the intercom to tell Security "I am escorting X vehicles to Building 54.  We have just picked up temporary badges from building 53."  SLAC Security will hold the gate open, so that all vehicles may pass through.

At SRCF

Between the conference room and the data center, there is a sign-in form.  Have your visitor record their information.  Then, add your information, and sign.

Leaving

Record the departure time on the sign-in form (next to the data center entrance).  Escort your visitor back to Building 53.  If your visitor is leaving only for a short time, they should keep their temporary badge; otherwise, they can stop next to the guard house to return it, or they can return it to the Building 53 front desk or badging office.