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E-Clearance
Program Manager	:	Mark White
Description	:	Streamlines and improves the quality of the current security clearance process.
Progress to Date	:	•	Loaded clearances into OPM SII system
		•	Deployed single point of access to clearances that links the OPM SII system with the DOD JPAS system
		•	Deployed SF 86C (Certification) form
		•	Opened E-Clearance learning lab
		•	Began imaging investigative records
		•	U.S. State Department has deployed the E-QIP System
		•	Reduced rejection rates of manually submitted SF86 forms versus electronically submitted SF86 forms by 15%
Next Steps	:	•	Continue implementing imaging government-wide
		•	Continue to train and prepare agencies for E-QIP deployment
		•	Define a standard government-wide imaging specification for the electronic capture of investigative file information
		•	Define technical requirements for the secure image portal
		•	Continue deploying E-QIP

Individuals working for the Federal government whose jobs require that they handle sensitive and classified information must go through a process to obtain a security clearance. Currently, all security clearance applications are made on a paper-based form (SF-86). High levels of clerical error, labor-intensive data entry processes, and duplicative data entry are prevalent. Security clearance information is frequently not shared among agencies and finding clearance status can be time consuming and costly.

The E-Clearance initiative seeks to ensure that sensible policies and procedures are in place to improve the current security clearance process. The initiative’s first component is the Electronic Questionnaire for Investigations Processing (E-QIP), an automated on-line version of security clearance application form SF-86. With E-QIP, current work processes will move from a paper-based to an electronic environment, but the information requested and transmitted will remain the same.

The second component will be the development and implementation of a cross-agency Clearance Verification System (CVS). The CVS will provide the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and all partnering agencies to a security investigation access to the clearance data of each participating agency database. By increasing the availability of each agency’s database and making clearance information more accessible, CVS will improve agency accountability and enable the transfer of clearances from one agency to another.

E-Clearance’s third component provides for imaging of investigative records held by myriad investigative agencies and making them available electronically, among all authorized federal users. In this regard, E-Clearance will further facilitate the exchange of previous investigative results and produce cost savings through the elimination of redundant processes.

The E-Clearance initiative will result in numerous benefits for Federal agencies, including a reduction in processing times for clearance-level employees and increased reciprocity among Federal agencies. It will streamline the investigation and re-investigation process through more automation and less reliance on paper files. Also, this initiative will improve data accuracy and analysis.

FAST FACT

In fiscal 2001, OPM managed the investigation or re-investigation of over 300,000 security clearances.

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