The majority of security-clearance holders work directly for the federal government. The official procedure for obtaining a clearance is identical to that for contractors but there may be a few important differences in process.
The basic requirements
The application and interview process, and any civil service requirements, are very basic. The work really begins when you are offered a position. That position will carry a designation for a given level of security clearance as determined by your future Federal employer. The level of the security clearance is not determined by job title or GS pay grade. Not everyone with the same pay grade or job title will have the same security clearance.
Agencies are encouraged to designate positions with the lowest level of clearance possible compatible with preserving the security of the data and materials that will be seen and used in that position. Not only does it reduce investigation costs, it serves to reduce the number of positions, and people, with clearances above their actual need.
You will be directed to the agency’s security officer. That person will guide you through the clearance process and the oh-so vital completions of the clearance application, the e-QIP. The on-line eQIP is the electronic version of the Standard Forms 85, 85P and 86 (SF 85/86). Completing the application accurately and completely is vital to shortening the time that the clearance investigation will take.
Conditional offers and interim clearances
The agency may make you a “Conditional Offer of Employment” (COE) contingent on obtaining an interim clearance. The determination for an interim clearance typically takes just a few days versus the full investigation which could take many months. The issuance of an interim clearance, however, is less certain, with a 20 to 30 percent denial rate.
If you are hired on a COE, and the interim is denied, the position will often be offered to another candidate. Unlike a full clearance, there is no right of appeal for the denial of an interim clearance, and it can be withdrawn at any point during the full investigation. An interim clearance may limit your access to materials that the full investigation will clear you for, so the workload under an interim clearance may vary from that of the cleared position.
Not all Federal agencies use the interim clearance process. If it is not mentioned at the time the position. If it is not mentioned at the time the position is offered, you may want to ask about it.
Suitability vs. a Security Clearance
Both government contractors and federal employees are subject to a suitability determination – suitability is not the same as a security clearance. Procedures differ significantly between agencies, and an individual may be ‘suitable’ for a position and yet not qualify for a security clearance, and vice versa.
Final Determinations
The process for obtaining a security clearance may move more quickly for a direct federal hire. That’s not because the government considers the request differently, it’s because a private contractor must submit the candidate before the sponsoring agency, who will then determine if that individual requires access to classified information for the work being performed. At that point, the private contractor can move forward with the security clearance procedure. For direct government hires, if a candidate is offered a position, it should be clear in the position designation if a clearance is required, and initiating a security clearance may begin as soon as a position is offered and accepted.
