- DCSA has updated continuous vetting rules for defense contractors
- The new policy replaces periodic reinvestigations with questionnaire updates every five years
- The changes support broader Trusted Workforce 2.0 modernization efforts
The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency has updated its continuous vetting guidance for National Industrial Security Program contractors, eliminating periodic reinvestigations.
Under the revised policy, all contractor personnel enrolled in continuous vetting must now submit an updated personnel vetting questionnaire, or PVQ. This will be required every five years, regardless of clearance eligibility level, DCSA said Tuesday. The new guidance supersedes DCSA’s August 2022 policy and incorporates changes included in Defense Information System for Security Release 14.5.
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What Changes Did DCSA Make to the Vetting Process?
DCSA said the five-year submission timeline will be based on the “PVQ Date” listed in DISS, anchoring the schedule to an individual’s most recent SF-86 filing.
Organizations are expected to use DISS Subject Reports to identify personnel approaching the five-year update requirement and submit the necessary documentation to the Personnel Security Management Office for Industry, or PSMO-I.
How Does the Guidance Align With Trusted Workforce 2.0?
According to DCSA, the changes align with Trusted Workforce 2.0 modernization efforts intended to improve continuous vetting by maintaining more current personnel information for automated record checks and risk monitoring.
The agency said updated questionnaires help improve investigative efficiency and reduce delays associated with locating subjects or verifying outdated information.
DCSA noted that continuous vetting reciprocity across intelligence community agencies remains limited. If continuous vetting enrollment cannot be verified within DISS, contractors may still be required to proactively submit updated vetting questionnaires.
The guidance directs contractors to follow separate customer-specific requirements for intelligence community or special access program personnel if agencies request additional vetting actions before the five-year deadline.
What Broader Challenges Affect Personnel Vetting Modernization?
The policy update comes as the Department of War continues broader modernization efforts surrounding the National Background Investigation Services platform, which manages background investigations, adjudications and continuous vetting workflows. Earlier this year, the Government Accountability Office warned that the NBIS program still lacks a fully reliable development schedule and could continue facing delays without stronger schedule risk analysis.
