This notice provides guidance for submitting requests to OPM for a Spouse/Cohabitant National Agency Check (NAC) subsequent to the initial investigation or the most recent periodic reinvestigation for Top Secret (TS) or Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access, but prior to the next reinvestigation cycle. Initial and periodic reinvestigations conducted by OPM for TS or SCI access include the Spouse/Cohabitant NAC. A cohabitant is defined as "a person living in a spouse-like relationship with another person."

REQUIREMENT:
In accordance with the investigative standards for holding TS or SCI access to classified information, individuals who marry or live in a spouse-like relationship between the time of a completed initial investigation and the five- year reinvestigation are required to have a NAC completed on their spouse or cohabitant. This also applies for the time between a periodic reinvestigation and the subsequent five-year reinvestigation. The employing agency is responsible for requesting the Spouse/Cohabitant NAC.

OFI FORM 86C:
Attached to this notice is a modified version of the OFI Form 86C (revised September 2001) to be used when requesting the Spouse/Cohabitant NAC. OPM requires that the request be submitted on this version of the form with blocks 1-6 completed with the Subject's identifying information. The spouse/cohabitant's identifying information should be provided in block 13 of the form. Indicate in block 13 the date and type of the subject's prior background investigation, ensuring there is authority to conduct the Spouse/Cohabitant NAC.

The form is pre-coded with the Special Agreement Code "S". The code "S" will schedule: a search of OPM's Security/Suitability Investigations Index for the Spouse/Cohabitant (SSII); a Spouse/Cohabitant FBI fingerprint name search (SFPN); a Spouse/Cohabitant FBI name file search (SFBN); and a Spouse/Cohabitant Defense Clearance and Investigations Index (DCII) search (SDCI). If the Spouse/Cohabitant is foreign-born, Immigration and Naturalization Service (SINS) and Central Intelligence Agency Security Office (SCIS) searches will be scheduled.

Note: if there is an investigation pending at DSS on the subject and/or the spouse/cohabitant, the request should be submitted to DSS, not to OPM. The OFI 86C form will not apply if submitting to DSS.

BILLING:
The base price for the Spouse/Cohabitant NAC is $38; there will be an additional fee of $10 to complete the required INS and CIA checks if the Spouse/Cohabitant is foreign-born. Please indicate the correct billing information in item 11 (OPAC-ALC Number) of the OFI 86C. Any questions can be directed to Program Services at (724) 794-5612.

Inquiries:

OPM-IS, Oversight and Technical Assistance Division (202) 606-1042, or
OPM-FIPC, Program Services (724) 794-5612

Code:

736, Investigations

Distribution:

DoD SOI/SONs

Notice expires:

September 30, 2002