SRCF Visitor Access

The Stanford Research Computing Facility (SRCF) is located on the SLAC campus.  SLAC is a Department of Energe National Laboratory.  For that reason, all visitors need a temporary 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 Scott Prevost 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 Escort

What to Expect

In the past, visitors completed two forms: The SLAC Form B, and the DOE FACTS Form.  Today (as of 2023), visitors complete the DOE FACTS form online, before their visit.  The SLAC Form B is still completed on paper.

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 Scott Prevost, letting him know the name of the visitor, the expected visit time & duration, and the reason for the visit.  Then, move on to starting the paperwork.

Start the Paperwork

Download the SLAC Form B.  You must complete Section 5: Fill in your name, phone number, and email address.  Print it, and sign Section 5.  Hold on to this printed form.

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.  Ask your visitor to notify both you and Scott when the online form is submitted.

Once the online form is completed and approved, the visitor will be notified.  They should forward this notification to you.  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.

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.

All visitors need some form of government-issued ID, such as a drivers license or passport.  If you are a foreign national, you either need to be a permanent resident or have a valid visa.  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 Form

Using a web browser, complete the SLAC Site Access Portal Form for visitors.  Here is the information you need to complete the form:

• For SLAC Point of Contact, select "Scott Prevost".  This is important: Even though you are meeting someone else, Scott Prevost is our SLAC contact, so you must select his name.
• For Purpose of Visit, select "Visiting SLAC employee-no work".
• 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."
• For Are you collaborating at SLAC, receiving travel reimbursement, or interviewing for a job?, select "No".
• 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 Scott Prevost.

Once you have submitted the form, send an email to your escort, CCing Scott Prevost, letting them know you have submitted the form.  

Once the request is approved by Scott (and, if you are a Foreign National, SLAC's International Services Office), you will get an email saying the visit is approved.  Forward that email to your escort.  You are now ready to visit SLAC!

On the Day of Your Visit

Bring government-issued identification, such as your driver's license.  If you are a foreign national, you should also 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!