- DCSA is being urged to provide more data and metrics on continuous vetting
- MANTECH’s LaToya Coleman said unresolved continuous vetting alerts have delayed employees moving into new positions or programs
- Coleman urged DCSA to provide expected processing times and involve facility security officers in alert resolution
Cleared industry representatives are seeking more data and metrics from the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency on continuous vetting, as contractor representatives report delays in getting cleared personnel working on contracts, Federal News Network reported Friday.
Why Are Contractors Raising Concerns About Continuous Vetting?
LaToya Coleman, executive director of enterprise security at MANTECH, told the National Industrial Security Program Policy Advisory Committee, or NISPPAC, on Sept. 2 that unresolved continuous vetting alerts have prevented some employees from moving into new positions or programs.
Coleman said the industry needs more information on expected processing times. She also urged DCSA to involve facility security officers in resolving alerts.
How Is DCSA Responding to the Concerns?
According to Tom Giancoli, DCSA’s branch chief for personnel security, the agency is collecting additional information on its continuous vetting service, including how alerts are managed and resolved.
About 948,000 industry employees are enrolled in continuous vetting, accounting for roughly one-quarter of the total enrolled population, Giancoli said. DCSA has also encountered challenges contacting some individuals who generate alerts.
Continuous vetting is part of the Trusted Workforce 2.0 personnel vetting reforms. DCSA ended requests for periodic reinvestigations in June as the agency shifts to the new approach.
The shift comes as the broader National Background Investigation Services program continues to face schedule concerns identified by the Government Accountability Office.
What Do Other Agencies Report?
Other agencies provided NISPPAC with data showing the volume of alerts generated under continuous vetting programs.
The Department of Energy has nearly 121,000 cleared employees enrolled in its continuous evaluation systems and DCSA’s service. At DHS, the reported average review time was 13 days for the more than 500,000 alerts handled in the last quarter.
Low-risk cases accounted for 92 percent of DHS alerts, followed by medium-risk cases at 6 percent and high-risk cases at 2 percent.
