In memorandum of July 21, 2004, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provided guidance to Executive Branch agencies for implementing Section 639 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005 P.L. 108-477. The Act requires agencies to conduct a credit worthiness assessment prior to issuing individuals a government purchase card or government travel charge card. OMB has requested the Office of Personnel Management – Center for Federal Investigative Services (OPM-CFIS) assistance in coordinating this effort. The OPM-CFIS will be responsible for providing Executive Branch agencies with a credit score product that will meet the OMB requirements.

OPM-CFIS has established a contract addendum with Equifax, OPM-CFIS credit contractor, and will begin offering a credit score product (commonly referred to as a FICO score) to meet the needs of our Executive Branch customers and support OMB Government Issued Charge Card Program initiatives. This product will be available in late September, 2005.

The credit score process will require a Memorandum of Agreement between each customer agency and OPM-CFIS. Each agency will be required to have every employee being reviewed sign a Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) release before the credit score is accessed. In addition, the agency must maintain the FCRA release document as part of its internal records system, and is responsible for maintaining each individual's privacy.

The credit score product will consist of an Internet, web-based system that can be accessed by setting up an account through Equifax. Each customer agency or office that has an account with Equifax will be given an individual Equifax Customer number. This access will permit offices to perform on-line, near real-time searches for a subject's credit score. The turn-around time is three to five seconds. In addition agencies will receive up to four scoring codes that will identify the top reasons for the score determination. There will be no set-up costs for customers other than having a computer with Internet access and a printer at a location of your choosing. The cost to an agency for each credit score search will be $0.90.

NOTE: OPM-CFIS will not maintain any type of billing tracking system for agencies. However, OPM-CFIS has the authority to audit an agency at any time and may obtain printouts of credit score transactions. All reports or internal tracking will be maintained or conducted by the requesting office. The requesting agency will also be identified in the inquiry section of a subject's credit report.

Subsequent to the roll-out of the credit score product, OPM-CFIS also plans to add the credit score to all credit reports produced as a result of applicable suitability, public trust or national security background investigations. There will be no additional cost for this service.

OPM-CFIS Customer Service Group will act as the coordinator for establishing agencies' or offices' accounts and put them in contact with the proper Equifax implementation personnel. If you have questions regarding this notice, please contact our Washington, DC office at (202) 606-1042 and ask to speak with an Investigations Program specialist.