I’d like to start compiling a list of current regional workloads on the DCSA contract. If you’d like to contribute please reply with your City/State and an estimate of your workload (type of work/Agencies would be useful as well). I think this will help paint a more accurate picture of what’s really going on.
San Diego, CA: Crazy low for “DC of the West”, some still on LWOP, mostly new cases and extensions coming in. Usually primarily DoD work but that work is all MIA since this summer.
Is this something that we should be gathering stats about on a public forum?
Probably not a great idea to get into the weeds to deep on a public forum.
These are the types of problems that present themselves when there is zero communication from leadership. Both the contractors and DCSA are to blame because they have not been very candid about the future with staff.
The contractor leadership have not given any concrete information to their employees or business partners. They have asked us to “be patient” and “don’t leave as the work will pick back up.” They want the workforce to wait around and just trickle off slowly. There have been no RIF so people don’t know what to do and many are hoping the work picks back up. It’s a horrible way to treat people, many of whom have worked hard for many years.
What’s the plan DCSA? Do you need us or not? Be honest with people so they can plan for the future.
Is anyone getting any active DoD work? Since last spring I have had a few national guard, DoD contractor and ROTC cases, but zero active duty military or DoD civilian. I expected the military workload to decrease after the local base began sending their clean T5R’s to CE, but didn’t think it would go to zero. Maybe with the reduced workload as a result of CE the Fed investigators now have enough capacity to handle all the DoD active duty/GS cases and none are going to the contractors? The cases I have been getting have all had SD’s within a couple weeks, so it’s not like they have been held back for any reason.
Not gathering stats, I am not asking for any specifics re: headcount or SU/WT volume. Just a general “are you working yes/no what city/state” info.
Those are statistics . . . Workload by agency? Along with location? I’ll stand behind my statement.
No one needs to be doing that
Probably THE best post I’ve read in MONTHS about situation; sums up my feelings.
DCSA; pay attention to us The Loyal! Be professional! Individual and family livlihoods are at stake. We have given “our best” to our employers (direct and contract BIs) and to our country, and all we want is the COURTESY of a truthful, timely analysis/projection of your needs, for us. Please don’t keep us hanging out here hoping against hope that work will begin flowing. I know many of us are just “hired guns,” but we still need to plan as our incomes and careers and families depend upon good planning. DCSA, we await your messages of truth, even if they are not what we want to hear but MUST hear. Feel like I’m approaching last of 5 stages of grief scenario.
BTW, San Antonio, land of many bases. No work for 3 months (not counting RZs) for DCSA and 2 other contracts. Same for another local IC; third IC locally getting $50-$100/month for some reason.
Looking for FT, PT and contract work now. Left with no choice.
God bless all of you facing same Purgatory. This lack of communication is a CLASSIC public relations case of how NOT to communicate during a crisis, which this is for independents in particular.
Thank you for sharing that information, that’s what I was hoping to find out about. It really does seem like the DoD work is MIA across the board and ORGs with primarily DoD work are hurting. Here’s hoping it was just the budget issues and we’ll start to see some ramp up this month.
How do these government contracts work? When I first hired onto Perspecta a little over two years ago, they kept saying they had a 5 year contract and had enough to keep us busy for the next 5 years, but of course that was when NBIB was running the show. Does the contract not matter anymore since NBIB is gone?
They have a five year contract…BUT only guaranteed the first year. Then each year after is optional!
I hate this situation for us all I was starting to feel like this was only happening to me in my area.
Sideshowbob…I was hired by Perspecta two years ago and was told the same thing. Little to no work in Sierra VIsta, AZ (and a medium size Army base) since the end of November. I wonder how long this will go on. I imagine after 3/4 months with no work, those that need a paycheck will be forced to find other work. Then what? DCSA will open the taps but there will not be any Investigators to do the work? Then another back log. Does anyone know how or if military clearances are being done now? Are there any more T3Rs or T5Rs? Lots of questions…
Most of the mil re- investigations are going in to Continued Evaluation so no work to be done by FI’s. The Industry is over staffed and will have to rebuild itself to meet work demands. I expect a major shake up and rebuild when the prime contracts expire later this year. HOLD ON TIGHT! it’s going to be a very bumpy ride…
@MREXTER Are you a 10-99 IC or F/T hourly at Ft Huachuca? If you aren’t receiving work at a big military installation like Ft Huachuca then that is a major RED FLAG! I’ve TDY’s to Ft Huachuca in the past. Always had tons of work there.
Are you a 10-99 IC or F/T hourly at Lackland AFB? Are F/T hourlies receiving work at Lackland AFB? If you aren’t receiving work at a big military installation like Lackland AFB then that is a major RED FLAG! There has always been tons of work in San Antonio. Must be because of telephone TESI’s and reinvestigations in CE status.
I think what I believe to be a very concerning sign and a MAJOR red flag for DCSA contractors and F/T hourly contractors with the three vendors is if Investigators cannot even stay busy on big military installations like Lackland AFB and Ft Huachuca, AZ we are on more than a bumpy ride. We are all heading for the unemployment lines.
Duetoooversight…Yes, IC at Ft. Huachuca. Yes…there is something going on. Not sure what, but there is a red flag…
The current state of the program is baffling and very frustrating to say the least. My company has not had a All Hands call since late fall or communication from the Regional Manager and the silence is unsettling. I have close to 20 years on the contract and am being treated as if I started yesterday. I firmly believe the experienced investigators are being driven out of the business to lower cost; it is very apparent in my area, we are those receiving minimal to no work. Investigators in my area that were barely hanging on are the individuals receiving the work; there is more to how the work is being assigned than what we are lead to believe. Field Managers know more of what is going on than we are lead to believe. We are continually being punched in the gut but asked to hang on. I don’t want to throw in the towel because I have a good chunk of my life invested in this business. I just want to be told the truth about our future.
You will never be told the truth about your future from any vendor in this industry. I don’t know why people are waiting for DCSA or the vendors to tell us something. Isn’t the writing already on the wall? All of us have to seriously take a look at something else. It’s hard to do after 20+ years invested in this industry as a Background Investigator. We have a unique niche and skill set which isn’t valued amongst the private and public sector. For some of us that means unemployment for a period of time, additional education to obtain needed skills, or completely leaving this industry for some other industry. Vendors don’t care about Background Investigators (even if they say they do). Look at the vendors actions and not what they are or are not saying. Unfortunately nobody owes us nothing and the vendors certainly will always do what’s in their best interests so all Investigators should do what’s in their best interests.