Background investigations for many government positions, including those that require a security clearance, are continuing to be processed through the government shutdown.
But the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency — which conducts approximately 95% of background investigations across government — has paused some normal operations. And those who closely watch the security clearance space are starting to see delays in processing as the shutdown drags on.
DCSA receives funding through both annual appropriations and a Working Capital Fund. The agency has been able to continue activities that rely on the WCF through the shutdown.
That includes operating its agency support hotline and system liaison; developing the National Background Investigation Service; and processing background investigations and continuous getting.
However, DCSA has also warned that certain activities will be “severely halted or degraded” during the shutdown, including processing National Industrial Security Program facility clearances; conducting cybersecurity visits and assessments; and conducting industry background investigations and interim determinations.
Meanwhile, DCSA will only accept new requests for investigations from agencies if they are funded by prior-year appropriations and are submitted by an organization that is excepted from ceasing activities during the shutdown.
“Customer agencies are encouraged to consult with their leadership, legal, and financial teams to determine whether they are authorized to submit new requests to DCSA during the lapse in appropriations,” DCSA wrote in an Oct. 8 notice.
While some background investigators and adjudicators are still on the job, the interconnected nature of the background investigation process relies on a host of other personnel who may be furloughed during the shutdown.
“You also have everyone that helps it function — not just the adjudicators, but HR folks. You’ve got folks that get the incident report, like when someone got a DUI, and then they have to get that over to the people in security,” John Berry, an attorney who specializes in security clearance issues, told Federal News Network. “And so a lot of these folks I find are gone.”
Midway through October, DCSA paused fingerprint submissions to the FBI due to the shutdown. Fingerprints are required at the outset of many types of background investigations.
“It’s just one more component that’s going to slow things down,” Berry said of the fingerprint submission pause.
Tim Brennan, vice president of technology policy and government relations at the Professional Services Council, said contractors that do national security work are starting to feel the effects of the shutdown.
“Contractors are having to furlough employees,” he said. “Contractors are having to reduce hours for employees.”
Meanwhile, DCSA is already forecasting a delay in industry investigations once Congress agrees to a funding deal and normal operations resume.
The status of the background investigation backlog is a perennial issue for federal agencies and contractors. Earlier this year, DCSA had reduced its caseload by more than 24%, leading to improvements in investigation timeliness.
But the shutdown is likely to lead to another increase in the backlog and potential drags on timeliness.
“We’re a month delayed now on getting started on some of these efforts,” Brennan said. “Then when we turn it back on, that’s when you get the backlogs, because your throughput gets jammed up, and then everybody just keeps racking up behind you, and it just takes longer and longer, and that’s not good for anybody.”
Berry also said that the nearly month-long shutdown is likely to have an even longer impact on the security clearance process.
“If it came back online tomorrow . . . it’s probably going to take three months, once you get everyone back up, to get closer to normal,” Berry said. “It’s not going to be one month out, and then one month you’re back online fully. It’s going to take some time.”
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