I’ve been working as a government contractor / sub-contractor for many years. Submitted form SF-85 (not P) for my initial job, switched companies about 5 years ago, but have been with the same agency/office the whole time. At the time I switched, I filled out a security pre-screen with my company, disclosing marijuana usage within the last year as well as isolated usage in the previous few years. Didn’t seem to be an issue as I never heard anything about it. I also completed some of the standard govt paperwork again (HSPD12 sponsorship, Badge Request, Declaration for Federal Employment), but no additional eQip/eApp questionnaire. At the time it had been so long since I completed the original SF-85, I had no recollection and didn’t think much of any of this. When I was filling out the govt forms, my company even said they wanted to have me fill out more paper rather than not enough, so I assumed all bases were covered.
Fast forward to now, changed to a new project with a different office in the same agency and was informed my HSPD12 credential had been terminated a while back (or perhaps just expired, but the term I was told was terminated) and I would need to start the whole process over with a new background investigation for a Tier 2 Moderate Risk Public Trust, using form SF-85P. Everyone else in the process seems to think this is just a matter of simple paper pushing since my last position also required a public trust. However I honestly did not know this was the case, and I hadn’t even heard the term until the role transfer process was underway. Whether that sounds ignorant or just disingenuous, I don’t know, but it is what it is. The term public trust was not used on the form SF-85 I filled out years ago with my old company, and as I never completed a form SF-85P when switching companies, I didn’t know anything about it then either.
I have not received the eQIP yet, but I know it is coming. This means I will need to disclose the drug usage listed on my company’s pre-screen that falls within the 7 year period, as well as additional usage since that time (which was frequent up until stopping altogether in November 2023). I’m not going to pretend the usage wasn’t stupid. It was. But it’s done and won’t happen again. It doesn’t carry a tangible benefit for me and doesn’t align with my priorities. Trying to move forward one way or another.
With that said…
I assume the answer is “no way,” but with an otherwise clean record and with a plan to do my best to describe and demonstrate my efforts to mitigate my usage (possibly with the assistance of an attorney), is there any chance of receiving a favorable suitability determination? I do not want proceed if it will almost certainly be denied and then have to be in a position where I need to list that denial on forms in the future, and if I understand correctly, also not be able to apply for any position requiring a public trust for 12 months.