The government has worked hard to reduce overall security clearance processing times, but a series of unfortunate effects created a spike in the time it takes to obtain both Secret and Top Secret security clearances, according to recently released figures from the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA).
Top Secret Security Clearance Processing Times
Secret security clearance processing times are only up slightly, but Top Secret security clearances are what saw the biggest increase in the prior quarter. Those increases corresponded with an increase in inventory and several systems outages. Government officials also noted that some more complex cases pushed those metrics further into the red, but it’s worth noting that current reported times are still the fastest 90% of cases – the most troublesome ones still get pulled from the figures.
The past quarter ushered in the major shift from eQIP to eApp, and the continued roll-out of NBIS. Could things be getting worse before they get worse? It likely depends on whether or not the government can keep NBIS up and running and eliminate the system issues that created delays in the prior quarter. The good news for most applicants is the vast majority of individuals are able to obtain an interim security clearance, and don’t have to wait the 170 days to get started on the job. But slow times for final determinations can create a lag in the career and clearance mobility needed to keep the workforce agile.
For those asking the question – do too many people have a security clearance?’ – clearance processing delays certainly reinforce a resounding ‘NO!’
