The invite request page has a clear option for "Not a government employee", which I selected. They sent me an invite and I submitted my application the other week.

Also, they tell you that you are welcome to share the invite request link.

There are no issues if you aren't a government employee.

thank you -

4 weeks, 2 days after submitting, I received a shipped email on a non-expedited renewal.

Jun 25 edit: received 52pg old version.

Submitted my application online on June 9, received an email saying it was shipped on June 24 and had the passport in my hands on June 27.

Amazed how quick and easy the process was for a non-expedited renewal.

I did it for my father.
Submitted 5/26
in process 5/27
Shipped 6/21

Same experience here. Checked the right boxes (honest answers), got the email, submitted the application no problem. Status "in process" but I only submitted a few days ago.

Applied for access to the new tool in April 2022 - Approved.
Submitted and Paid for renewal on June 22.
As of July 10, it still showing Status: "Received"

Passport expires in Jan 2023 so no rush, just strange it seems stuck.

A very delayed final update:

On 5/13 I went into my State account to upgrade to expedited processing as I had a trip to Paris on 5/30, and I was starting to feel a little panicked. Surprisingly, it did not charge me to expedite, even though initially there was a price difference between expedited and standard processing.

Once I selected the option to expedite, I received a response that my request had been received, and that I would receive a message informing me when my request was reviewed.

To my surprise, a few hours later I received an email from State letting me know that my passport had shipped, and I received it the next day.

Nice! this was not the case (It wants $60 from me).

I did email [email protected] to check on status.

My guess is that it has already been processed and was about to ship so (surprisingly) the system knew and didn't charge you :)

Following an email to the OPR program, the status changed to in progress, then printed, then shipped from AZ all within 24 hours. Arrived Saturday.

MY NGP was printed on the day I emailed their support desk.

Adult renewal, routine processing (but did enter my scheduled November trip).

Applied: July 14
In Process: July 15
Shipped: July 28

Received a NGP.

Looks like online passport renewal now supports both books & cards. When I renewed a couple months ago, the website only supported passport books.

With the pilot now open outside the military I helped my mother submit her renewal on August 9th. Within 10 minutes it went to in process. No updates since. Standard book, standard processing.

I am curious to see where the online processing time actually falls - a couple weeks earlier my brother submitted DS-11 by mail (he lost his passport card hence couldn't renew) and he got his passport with standard processing in less than a month door-to-door. Way less than the promised 8-11 weeks.

I found out about this a few months ago b/c FT. Submitted for book only on Aug. 3. Credit card processed on same day. Has showed in process since then. I'll update when I get it. Hoping for old one b/c I believe it has one more page :o
Much easier for me and cheaper b/c no postage fees both ways, no worry about pp being lost, didn't have to print photo, could pay by cc! Since they accepted the pic online hope it works b/c it doesn't have "pristine" white background (just a phone photo). Crossing my fingers.