diff --git a/.common-ci.yml b/.common-ci.yml
index fff759bab..9373cd596 100644
--- a/.common-ci.yml
+++ b/.common-ci.yml
@@ -160,9 +160,9 @@ scan-ubi9-arm64:
   before_script:
     - !reference [.regctl-setup, before_script]
 
-    # We ensure that the OUT_IMAGE_VERSION is set
+    # We ensure that the OUT_IMAGE_VERSION and OUT_IMAGE_NAME are set
     - 'echo Version: ${OUT_IMAGE_VERSION} ; [[ -n "${OUT_IMAGE_VERSION}" ]] || exit 1'
-
+    - 'echo Version: ${OUT_IMAGE_NAME} ; [[ -n "${OUT_IMAGE_NAME}" ]] || exit 1'
     # In the case where we are deploying a different version to the CI_COMMIT_SHA, we
     # need to tag the image.
     # Note: a leading 'v' is stripped from the version if present
@@ -185,10 +185,10 @@ scan-ubi9-arm64:
   extends:
     - .release
   variables:
-    OUT_REGISTRY_USER: "${CI_REGISTRY_USER}"
-    OUT_REGISTRY_TOKEN: "${CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD}"
-    OUT_REGISTRY: "${CI_REGISTRY}"
-    OUT_IMAGE_NAME: "${CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE}/staging/k8s-device-plugin"
+    OUT_REGISTRY_USER: "${NGC_REGISTRY_USER}"
+    OUT_REGISTRY_TOKEN: "${NGC_REGISTRY_TOKEN}"
+    OUT_REGISTRY: "${NGC_REGISTRY}"
+    OUT_IMAGE_NAME: "${NGC_REGISTRY_STAGING_IMAGE_NAME}"
 
 # Define an external release step that pushes an image to an external repository.
 # This includes a devlopment image off main.
@@ -209,3 +209,24 @@ release:staging-ubi9:
     - .dist-ubi9
   needs:
     - image-ubi9
+
+# Triggers the downstream container-dev/ngc-automation pipeline to publish the image to NGC
+# This stage is triggered specifically on tags   
+trigger-downstream-publishing-pipeline:
+  extends:
+    - .dist-ubi9
+  needs:
+    - release:staging-ubi9
+  stage: release
+  rules:
+    - if: $CI_COMMIT_TAG
+  variables:
+    PROJECT_NAME: "k8s-device-plugin"
+    SOURCE_VERSION: "${CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA}"
+    TARGET_VERSION: "${CI_COMMIT_TAG}"
+    IMAGE_DIST_LIST: ",${DIST}"
+  trigger: 
+    project: "dl/container-dev/ngc-automation"
+    strategy: depend
+    forward:
+      pipeline_variables: true