Fears of Backlog Rise as Shutdown Slows Federal Background Checks
Federal employees and contractors who need a background investigation or security clearance are being made to wait longer, due to the government shutdown.
The agency that conducts about 95 percent of background investigations across government, the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), is still open. However, it’s been forced to pause normal operations and those delays are trickling into the background investigation process, according to Federal News Network.
DCSA receives funding from annual appropriations and a Working Capital Fund (WCF).
Activities that rely on WCF are continuing. Those include processing background investigations, continuous vetting, and developing the National Background Investigation Service.
However, DCSA warned that certain activities will be “severely halted or degraded” during the shutdown.
The reason is that while background investigators and adjudicators are still working, the nature of the background investigation process relies on other personnel who may be furloughed.
The agency also put restrictions on new requests. It’s only accepting new requests for background investigations from agencies that are funded by prior-year appropriations and are “excepted” from ceasing activities during the shutdown.
Fingerprint submissions to the FBI for National Industrial Security Program (NISP) contractors are also paused. Submitted fingerprints will remain in a queue until normal operations resume.
Backlog Fears
The processing delay sparked worries of a rising backlog once the government reopens, particularly for contractors in national security related positions.
“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,” said Professional Services Council vice president of technology policy and government relations Tim Brennan.