You’ve applied for multiple positions and have landed on a contractor that is willing to sponsor you for a security clearance. Congratulations! After loads of paperwork, you’re now playing the waiting game through the background investigation, verification interviews, and adjudication. It’s natural to get antsy and want constant updates. But what if the Facility Security Officer (FSO) handling your case is not communicating with you, but when they do, it’s wrong information?
A subscriber to the ClearanceJobsBlog was playing that waiting game early last year after signing a Contingent Offer with a defense contractor in 2019:
“After 3 months of waiting and asking, my security officer finally sent me an email with the link and instructions for e-QIP. I submitted the e-QIP and a month later, she told me that she submitted it to the OPM May 31st, of last year (2019). My officer has been very dodgy with answering emails / phone calls I occasionally make every month or so (as requested by the contractor and by my officer to make sure things are on track).
In November 2019, she said she was unable to access any of her files due to the switch that was being made from the OPM to the DoD, and she wanted to resubmit my e-QIP. So, I filled it out once again and submitted it. To which, she said was sent right away.
In December 2019, she gave me a similar story. She was unable to check any of her cases because of “information being moved.” Unless I missed an article, there should be no reason she can’t do her job. I was told several times it would take “about 120 days” for my case to be opened.
I am currently unemployed and desperately need to start working but was told I should start this job by December / January 2020. I have been unable to land a “normal job” because every employer asks if I have any other job obligations / potentials, and I have to answer with “This job I was told I’d start around July” …then “December…” and now???” I am just at a loss of what to do.
Update January 2021: Out of nowhere the candidate found out that their Secret clearance was adjudicated nearly 4 months ago (August 2020). However, the position that he was going to take was no longer available and the company is “waiting on permission for a new position.”
THE MOVE FROM OPM
in September of 2019, OPM and the DoD readjusted the National Background Investigation Bureau (NBIB) with Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA). Section 951 of the National Defense Authorization Act of FY18 and the Executive Order 13869 provided the direction, and by almost all assessments the NBIB to DCSA transition has gone off without a switch, and with significant overall improvements in clearance processing times. This is the ‘transition’ the blog subscriber was referring to.
COMMUNICATION WITH SECURITY OFFICERS
In any type of communication between parties, you cannot control others. It sounds like this candidate was reaching out to the prospective employer’s security officer on a monthly basis which is great, but if you have the gut feeling that they are dodgy, you need to take matters into your own hands.
Since this candidate was not currently employed, they could inquire with defense contractors that would have access to JPAS and DISS, the current security clearance systems of record. Even though this candidate had signed a Contingent Offer with another company, it wouldn’t prevent them from applying to other companies and informing them that they were still waiting on clearance adjudication. Essentially, they could use that avenue as a way for other security officers to check on their personnel record. If the candidate utilized this approach, they would have realized when their Secret clearance was successfully adjudicated.
The caveat here is that you may not land a phone screen with a recruiter to give your SSN if your application says that your clearance is not adjudicated yet. But it sure is worth a try. Networking and explaining your story to recruiters will only increase your chances of it being checked.
Alternatively, they could have requested a copy of their security clearance investigation status through a Privacy Act request at the sponsoring agency. For the majority of clearance holders, a Privacy Act request through the Defense Manpower Data Center provides the necessary information.
Lastly, this candidate could have telephoned the DoD Security Service Center at 888-282-7682.
YOUR CLEARANCE IS ADJUDICATED, NOT ACTIVE
Technically, this candidate’s security clearance is not “active.” It will not become active until they are hired by a contractor or agency and are indoctrinated onto a program. The investigation was favorably adjudicated so the candidate is eligible for a Secret clearance. So, now is the time to really hit the applications hard.
While you continue to apply at new companies in the cleared space, this candidate should list that they were favorably adjudicated for access to Secret information based on a background investigation that was completed on [insert date here]. But tread lightly on your frustration with the company / security officer that gave you incorrect information: bulldozing bridges is never a good look, especially since you can use this FSO as a resource if you keep friendly correspondence with them.
Much about the clearance process resembles the Pirate’s Code: “more what you’d call guidelines than actual rules.” This case-by-case system is meant to consider the whole person, increase process security, and allow the lowest-risk/highest-need candidates to complete the process. However, it also creates a lot of questions for applicants. For this reason, ClearanceJobs maintains ClearanceJobsBlog.com – a forum where clearance seekers can ask the cleared community for advice on their specific security concerns. Ask CJ explores questions posed on the ClearanceJobs Blog forum, emails received, and comments from this site.
