News Release

OPM Reaches Two Milestones in e-Clearance Initiative

Both make it easier to hire and retain federal employees

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Kay Coles James announced today OPM's successful completion of two critical milestones in the e-Clearance initiative, one of five e-Government initiatives owned by OPM.

In a status letter to ranking members of various congressional oversight committees, James stated that OPM reached two critical milestones in the e-Clearance initiative earlier this month with the implementation of the e-Clearance 'digital imaging phase,' which replaces current and future paper investigations records with electronic versions making them universally accessible to government-authorized users on a real-time basis; and the full automation of the Electronic Questionnaire for Investigations Processing clearance form, an online version of the paper-based SF-86 security clearance application.

"I am excited about these recent developments as they will help reduce unnecessary and duplicative paperwork and reduce the burden on people we want to recruit and retain in the federal government," James remarked. "These steps also will result in significant financial savings to our background investigation operations."

The e-Clearance initiative is one of twenty-four e-Government initiatives outlined in the President's Management Agenda, President Bush's strategy for making the federal government more focused on citizens and results, and one of five e-Government initiatives owned by OPM.

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OPM oversees the federal workforce and provides the American public with up-to-date employment information. OPM also supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve workforce performance.

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