diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 14195d59..1126c455 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ lint: clean format ruff pylint audit bandit
 globus: deps
 	@source local.env && $(BIN)/python ./tools/globus.py
 
+ping: deps
+	@source local.env && $(BIN)/python ./tools/ping.py
+
 ARGS ?=
 
 # call it via: make manage-globus ARGS=scopes-show
diff --git a/local-template.env b/local-template.env
index 68ad9b0c..42d5ab5b 100644
--- a/local-template.env
+++ b/local-template.env
@@ -7,3 +7,7 @@ export GLOBUS_RS_ID=ed3e577d-f7f3-4639-b96e-ff5a8445d699
 export GLOBUS_RS_SECRET=<the resource server's secret goes here - ask Gabor to add you to the resource server>
 
 export GLOBUS_RS_SCOPE_SUFFIX=iri_api
+
+# contact the ping team in amsc for access. I got mine from Frank Slezak
+export PING_CLIENT_ID="<your PING client id>"
+export PING_CLIENT_SECRET="<your PING client secret>"
diff --git a/tools/ping.py b/tools/ping.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..77ac253f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/ping.py
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+import requests
+import urllib.parse
+import secrets
+import json
+import os
+
+# Configuration
+CLIENT_ID = os.environ.get("PING_CLIENT_ID")
+CLIENT_SECRET = os.environ.get("PING_CLIENT_SECRET")
+REDIRECT_URI = "http://localhost:5000/callback"
+OIDC_CONFIG_URL = os.environ.get("PING_CONFIG_URL", "https://identity.dev.amsc.ornl.gov/am/oauth2/.well-known/openid-configuration")
+SCOPES = "openid profile email address phone"
+
+# Fetch OIDC configuration
+print("Fetching OIDC configuration...")
+config_response = requests.get(OIDC_CONFIG_URL)
+config = config_response.json()
+
+# print("\n=== OIDC Configuration ===")
+# print(json.dumps(config, indent=2))
+
+authorization_endpoint = config["authorization_endpoint"]
+token_endpoint = config["token_endpoint"]
+userinfo_endpoint = config.get("userinfo_endpoint")
+introspection_endpoint = config.get("introspection_endpoint")
+
+# Generate state and PKCE parameters for security
+state = secrets.token_urlsafe(32)
+
+# Build authorization URL
+auth_params = {
+    "client_id": CLIENT_ID,
+    "redirect_uri": REDIRECT_URI,
+    "response_type": "code",
+    "scope": SCOPES,
+    "state": state,
+}
+
+authorize_url = f"{authorization_endpoint}?{urllib.parse.urlencode(auth_params)}"
+print(f"\n=== Authorization ===")
+print(f"Visit this URL in your browser:\n{authorize_url}\n")
+
+# After visiting the URL and authorizing, you'll be redirected to a URL with a code parameter
+auth_code = input("Paste the 'code' parameter from the redirect URL: ")
+
+# Exchange the code for tokens
+print("\nExchanging authorization code for tokens...")
+token_data = {
+    "grant_type": "authorization_code",
+    "code": auth_code,
+    "redirect_uri": REDIRECT_URI,
+    "client_id": CLIENT_ID,
+    "client_secret": CLIENT_SECRET,
+}
+
+token_response = requests.post(token_endpoint, data=token_data)
+
+if token_response.status_code == 200:
+    tokens = token_response.json()
+
+    print("\n=== TOKEN RESPONSE ===")
+    print(json.dumps(tokens, indent=2))
+
+    # Decode and print ID token claims if present
+    if "id_token" in tokens:
+        print("\n=== ID TOKEN ===")
+        print(tokens["id_token"])
+
+        # Try to decode the ID token (basic decoding without verification)
+        import base64
+        try:
+            # ID tokens are JWTs with format: header.payload.signature
+            parts = tokens["id_token"].split(".")
+            if len(parts) >= 2:
+                # Add padding if needed
+                payload = parts[1]
+                payload += "=" * (4 - len(payload) % 4)
+                decoded_payload = base64.urlsafe_b64decode(payload)
+                claims = json.loads(decoded_payload)
+
+                print("\n=== ID TOKEN CLAIMS ===")
+                print(json.dumps(claims, indent=2))
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"Could not decode ID token: {e}")
+
+    if "access_token" in tokens:
+        print("\n=== ACCESS TOKEN ===")
+        print(tokens["access_token"])
+
+    if "refresh_token" in tokens:
+        print("\n=== REFRESH TOKEN ===")
+        print(tokens["refresh_token"])
+
+    # Call userinfo endpoint if available
+    if userinfo_endpoint and "access_token" in tokens:
+        print("\n=== CALLING USERINFO ENDPOINT ===")
+        headers = {
+            "Authorization": f"Bearer {tokens['access_token']}"
+        }
+        userinfo_response = requests.get(userinfo_endpoint, headers=headers)
+
+        if userinfo_response.status_code == 200:
+            userinfo = userinfo_response.json()
+            print(json.dumps(userinfo, indent=2))
+        else:
+            print(f"UserInfo request failed with status {userinfo_response.status_code}")
+            print(userinfo_response.text)
+
+    # Call introspection endpoint if available
+    if introspection_endpoint and "access_token" in tokens:
+        print("\n=== CALLING INTROSPECTION ENDPOINT ===")
+        introspection_data = {
+            "token": tokens["access_token"],
+            "client_id": CLIENT_ID,
+            "client_secret": CLIENT_SECRET,
+        }
+        introspection_response = requests.post(introspection_endpoint, data=introspection_data)
+
+        if introspection_response.status_code == 200:
+            introspection_result = introspection_response.json()
+            print(json.dumps(introspection_result, indent=2))
+        else:
+            print(f"Introspection request failed with status {introspection_response.status_code}")
+            print(introspection_response.text)
+
+    print("\n=== SUCCESS ===")
+    print("OIDC handshake completed successfully!")
+else:
+    print(f"\n=== ERROR ===")
+    print(f"Token exchange failed with status {token_response.status_code}")
+    print(token_response.text)