PHEP ORR Reporting and Tracking System (PORTS)

CDC developed the PHEP Operational Readiness Review (ORR) Reporting and Tracking System (PORTS) as a tool for collecting, storing, analyzing, and reporting public health preparedness data. Recipients will submit all required data through PORTS except benchmark data. Benchmark data will be submitted via the PERFORMS platform. Jurisdictions may have an unlimited number of users.

The ORR, Forms Administration, and System Administration modules are currently available. CDC plans to add additional modules in the future. To ensure proper functionality of the system, users should ONLY use the Google Chrome browser to access PORTS.

• Data entry: Input data and evidence into the ORR module.
• Submit for review: Ensure the accuracy of data in forms completed by data entry users and submit those forms to state or CDC reviewers.
• State reviewer: Review, adjudicate, and acknowledge forms submitted by PHEP recipients.
• Read only: Can only view and print forms that have been acknowledged by state or CDC reviewers.
• User manager: Assign or modify user roles for all individuals who contribute to a local or PHEP recipient ORR.

1. Prospective PORTS users download the form from the CDC website or request the form from their PHEP project officers.
2. Each prospective PORTS user completes an application form, providing brief information such as name, email address, jurisdiction, and user role. The roles include data entry, submit for review, state reviewer, read only, and user manager. Prospective users must also indicate whether they have a CDC Secure Access and Management Services (SAMS) account, which is required for PORTS access.
3. Prospective users either submit the completed application to an approving official or, if already an approving official, submit it to their PHEP project officers. Approving officials are preparedness directors or their designees.
4. PHEP project officers review applications to validate the appropriate user roles and submit the forms to the DSLR information technology team on behalf of the users for processing.
5. Project officers notify the preparedness directors within five business days if their forms cannot be submitted and how to address any identified issues.
6. Prospective PORTS users with SAMS accounts receive a notification from SAMS when the PORTS registration process has been completed. If they do not have a SAMS account, prospective users receive instructions from SAMS on how to register for a SAMS account.
7. Users will only see the PORTS home page until their user roles are assigned. Once the user roles are assigned, the blue navigation bar on the left side of the home page will appear, indicating that PORTS users now have access to the ORR module.Users must click the link to the PORTS home page in the email they received (from either sams-noreply@ cdc.gov, or DSLRITSupport@cdc.gov) to verify their access. This will alert DSLR’s IT support team to assign the requested user roles and activate their PORTS access.
8. CDC will assign user roles on a rolling basis as users activate their PORTS access by clicking the PORTS home page link.