What is the purpose of a background investigation?
DPSAC processes are governed by federal regulations. The U.S. Government conducts background investigations to determine if applicants or employees meet the suitability/fitness requirements for employment, or are eligible for access to federal facilities, automated systems, or classified information.
How is it done?
An individual's investigative requirement is determined by the duties and responsibilities of their position and the associated degree of potential damage to the efficiency or integrity of the service or adverse effect on the national security from the misconduct of an incumbent of a position. This establishes the risk and sensitivity level of the position. DPSAC uses the OPM Position Designation Tool (PDAT) to ensure positions across NIH are properly designated. The PDAT tool ensures the correct investigative tier is selected for the individual based on their position description. Please visit our Position Designation Tool page for more information.
A badge holder can be one of the following tiers:
- Tier 1 (Formerly NACI or level 1) – non-sensitive position.
- Tier 2 (Formerly MBI or level 5B) – public trust position.
- Tier 3 (Formerly ANACI or level 2) – non-critical sensitive national security position. This investigation makes the staff member eligible for a secret clearance.
- Tier 4 (Formally BI or Level 6) – public trust position.
- Tier 5 (Former SSBI or Level 3) – critical sensitive national security position. This investigation makes the staff member eligible for a top-secret clearance.
- Tier 5+ (Formerly level 4) – a select designation for staff needing TS/SCI security clearances. Only a very select few positions are within this scope.
From these tiers, a Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 4 would only require a background check, while a Tier 3 and a Tier 5 would require a background investigation and may require a security clearance. If a security clearance is needed, the position duties would reflect the need to access classified materials in the position description. Feel free to read more about security clearances here.
| Positive Sensitivity Designation | Position Risk Designation | Type of Investigation | Form Type |
|---|
| Special Sensitive | High Risk | Tier5+SCI | SF 86 |
| Critical Sensitive | High Risk | Tier5 | SF 86 |
| Non-Critical Sensitive | High Risk | Tier5 | SF 86 |
| Moderate Risk | Tier3 | SF 86 |
| Non-Sensitive Public Trust | High Risk | Tier4 | SF 85P |
| Moderate Risk | Tier2 | SF 85P |
| Non-Sensitive | Low Risk | Tier1 | SF 85 |
For published Background Investigation Billing rates, please visit our OPM Investigation Billing Rates page.
Periodic Reinvestigations
DPSAC conducts Reinvestigations as required by federal guidelines at intervals determined by the DCSA. An individual's continued badge eligibility and employment suitability at NIH is contingent on the results of the suitability investigations and reinvestigations conducted by DPSAC.
DPSAC will contact the individual by email (personal and NIH) when the individual needs to complete a reinvestigation. The individual will be required to go through a periodic reinvestigation every set number of years depending on their tier:
- Tiers 2 & 4 = periodic reinvestigation required every 5 years
- Tier 3 = periodic reinvestigation required every 7 years
- Tier 5 Critical Sensitive = periodic reinvestigation required every 7 years
- Tier 5 Special Sensitive (with SCI) = periodic reinvestigation required every 5 years
Federal laws and regulation require that an individual’s suitability and security eligibility be determined for entry and retention into the federal government. All applicants applying to a position in the federal government are subject to a new background investigation once a conditional offer for employment for the new position is accepted by the applicant. At any point during the course of the individual's employment, if suitability issues arise in their background, the individual may be subject to a background investigation to determine their continued suitability, fitness and/or security eligibility for federal government employment.
Importance of Complying with a DCSA Investigator: As part of any investigation, there is a possibility of getting contacted by a DCSA investigator. It is important to emphasize that individuals must still cooperate with the requests, even if they may have already received their badge. Failure to do so can result in the individual's investigation being cancelled, which can result in revocation of the individual's NIH badge (if issued one).
For the interview, the individual will be required to provide photo identification, such as a valid state driver's license. The individual may be required to provide other documents to verify his/her identity, as instructed by the investigator.
Individuals may call the DCSA Investigator Hotline at 878-274-1186 or use this link to verify the credentials of the DCSA investigator: https://www.dcsa.mil/mc/pv/mbi/vi/.
DCSA Special Agents and contract Investigators carry credentials identifying them as representatives of DCSA. They will present their credentials upon introduction. Further questions related to an Agent's/Investigator's identity or status should be directed to DCSA Security: dcsa.boyers.bi.mbx.investigator-verifications@mail.mil.
Investigator Verification Hotline at 878-274-1186
Calls and emails will be answered between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. At all other times, individuals can leave a message, which will be answered on the next business day.
Additional Notes on Background Investigations:
When issuing any badge that provides the subject with unescorted access, the badge holder must go through some level of background investigation. Please note that if the appointment is for under six (6) months, then the person will only need to get a Special Agreement Check (SAC) which is a fingerprint check.
However, if the badge holder’s appointment is longer than six (6) months, then the level of investigation will need to be determined by their program office based on their job duties and where the work is performed.
Background investigations from other agencies can be used reciprocally if they meet all of the following criteria: it’s in-scope, if it meets the position requirements, and if the break in service from the agency that ran the investigation is less than twenty-four (24) months. However, our office will still collect new fingerprints, an OF-306 form and a resume or C.V. to make a pre-screening determination.
For more information, you may find the chart for the general background investigation process (step-by-step), as shared on the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) website.
Summary of Why We Do What We Do:
- It is vital for us to keep NIH personnel, vendors, visitors, facilities, records, and resources safe by ensuring personnel are properly vetted and are suitable or fit to occupy the positions they are appointed to.
- It meets Federal Regulations, Authorities and Directives from the Executive Office, Code of Federal Regulations, Homeland Security Presidential Directives, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA).
