Background Investigation Scheduling Halted Due to Government Shutdown

The Defense Counterintelligence Agency (DCSA) provided notification to Industry and Government Stakeholders that because of the lapse on appropriated funding and the government shutdown, it cannot approve/authorize the submission of background investigations that were not scheduled prior to October 1^st. Investigations that were in progress prior to the lapse in funding will continue.

The notification also addressed the fact that Interim security clearance determinations were on hold as well. Industry is allowed to continue to initiate background investigations in eAPP so that once funding has been approved by Congress, they will be in the pipeline in the order submitted ready for authorization by the civil servants who are currently furloughed. Of course, all of this will create another log jam of eAPPs waiting to be approved so the investigations can get scheduled, and inevitably this will cause delays in getting Interim clearances.

On another note, related to this, DCSA put out a job announcement in USAJOBS to fill 26 Personnel Security Specialist Adjudicator positions at the lower levels (GS-7/9). Perhaps this is due to an exodus of seasoned employees who took the Deferred Resignation Program. Also, the impending layoffs may have prompted some to retire or look for other opportunities. Either way, once the government shutdown ends and they can bring on new hires, it will take a while for DCSA to get them trained and experienced, thus, another impact on getting background investigations processed and adjudicated.