Office of Personnel Management (OPM) background investigations are released to designated employees of agencies in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the federal government for use in granting security clearances or making determinations regarding qualifications, suitability, or loyalty to the United States. Non-National Foreign Intelligence Board (non-NFIB) agencies adjudicate OPM background investigations and grant Top Secret clearances prior to requesting eligibility for access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The CIA has requested that OPM's Investigations Service (IS) permit the release of OPM background investigations to the CIA by non-NFIB agencies with their SCI access requests.

Non-NFIB agencies are now permitted to release OPM background investigations directly to the CIA for SCI adjudication without written consent from OPM-IS. However, non-NFIB agencies must document each such release in the affected individual's security file by recording the date and purpose of the disclosure, and the name, agency and address of the person to whom the file was released. The CIA may not re-release the OPM background investigation for any purpose. When the CIA has completed its adjudication, it may retain or dispose of these investigations in a secure fashion.

Please contact OPM's Federal Investigations Processing Center, Freedom of Information / Privacy Act Services, at 724-794-5612 if you have any questions.

Inquiries:

OPM-IS, Freedom of Information / Privacy Act Services, 724-794-5612

Code:

736, Investigations

Distribution:

Non-National Foreign Intelligence Board Agencies

Letter expires:

Until Superseded