Secret Clearance Time

SECURITY CLEARANCE Q&A
1

Hello,

Pardon me if this question has been asked before but I am trying to see If someone has an idea for how long does it really take for contractors for their Secret Clearance. I have been given Favorable CFD (Contractors Fitness Determination) after I had my interview with Investigator. I was told that after I get my CFD I would be able to deploy but since there are not jobs available for my language I was told to wait for position to be available or in case if i get my final Secret Clearance.

I Submitted my E-Qip on 7th Dec 2017 and 6 of my references had been checked out, School, College and University references as well as my employment verification. On 2nd January 2018 I had my interview and everything checked out and I did good on my interview after interview 2 days later my FSO emailed me and told me that I have been given a favorable CFD and I am able to deploy but before I deploy I have to wait for the my position to be available or If I get my final Secret Clearance. So how long does it take for final Secret Clearance.

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2

Honestly, the best answer youā€™re going to get is one of these two: It just depends and/or thereā€™s no real way to tell.
Iā€™ve been in process for a Secret for 6 months and 3 days. Iā€™ve seen one case on here not too long ago that was fully adjudicated in less than 3 months.
So, really, it just depends. Depends upon the area your clearance was filed, complexity of the case, availability of investigators, and then finally the mercy of the adjudication board.

3

Iā€™ve been waiting on mine for 15 mos now. Investigation started Oct 2016; Investigation closed Feb 2017; sat in que for Adjudicator until July 2017 and as far as I know thatā€™s where Iā€™m still hanging out. Iā€™m squeaky clean except for an old debt incurred during my divorce in 2009. Beyond Ridiculous!

4

You learn all kinds of things on here. Somebody else is moving payments around against their SOR, and youā€™ve got a Contractorā€™s Fitness Determination.

What is this CFD?

5

My interview and references as well as education references were checked out right away and had my interview within weeks so I was hoping maybe I might get lucky and get my Clearance in 1 or 2 months. Thanks for you comment though.

6

Wow I never thought that Secret Clearance might take that long.

7

Federal Government contracts routinely include requirements for certain contract employees to undergo a background investigation and an adjudication of their ā€˜ā€˜fitnessā€™ā€™ to work on the contract, based on character and conduct. These are distinct from requirements that a contract employee have work authorization, be eligible for a security clearance, or be eligible to work in a sensitive national security position. Some people are even denied CFD until the investigation is completed by OPM.

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8

Iā€™ve heard of ā€˜suitabilityā€™ but not ā€˜fitness,ā€™ and never heard of a separate determination from the security clearance. I was a federal contractor for many years and never had a fitness determination, other than people coming up to me and saying I could lose a few pounds :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

9

See this post: https://www.clearancejobsblog.com/dod-suitability-and-fitness-guide-a-good-resource-for-public-trust-and-other-positions/

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10

That article includes a bad link to the document. While that link goes to a ā€œGuide for Employeesā€ I did find this other document which seems to be more for managers and HR types.

Still not sure of the difference, if any, between suitability and fitness. Iā€™ve heard of people not being hired for suitability issues.

By the way thereā€™s a ton of good stuff in that DoD Suitability Guide linked above. All the info that us security clearance wonks lie awake at night wondering about. Although it specifically addresses suitability (and fitness) thereā€™s a lot of other info that probably applies to security clearance processing as well. I think for security clearances they talk about National Security Adjudication.

More stuff for personnel security wonks: that article that @Marko referred to has a bad link to a document on the web site of the Center for Development of Security Excellence, which is run by DSS. I found another document, Introduction to Suitability Adjudications for the DoD.

This document has some definitions:

Fitness: The reference to a personā€™s level of character and conduct determined necessary for an individual to perform work for, or on behalf of, a Federal agency as an employee in the excepted service (other than in a position subject to suitability) or as a contractor employee.

Suitability: Refers to a personā€™s identifiable character traits and/or conduct that may have an impact on the integrity or efficiency of the service.

Suitability determination: A decision that a person is suitable or is not suitable for employment in a covered position within the Department of Defense.

Covered positions: A position in the competitive service, a position in the excepted service where the incumbent can be noncompetitively converted to the competitive service, and a career appointment to a position in the Senior Executive Service

So maybe it depends on the type of position?

If you are really a wonk you can also find the Adjudicative Desk Reference online.

Seriously, Iā€™ve really got to get a life :thinking:

11

I think itā€™s a new policy for contractors who works with the U.S. Army. Thatā€™s what FSO told me.

12

wellā€¦ heā€™s my timeline as a contractor. Take what you want from it.

June 2016: Hired
Sept 2016: Interim Secret granted
Sept 2017: Contacted my Congressman for a CN
Oct 2017: Investigator interviews me
Nov 29, 2017: Investigation closed
Dec 19, 2017: CAF Sends back to OPM for failure to provide correct info in packet
Feb 2, 2018: went above CTR Security Officer, contacted SO Supervisor to demand a RRU be submitted per Gov supervisor orders, job is on the line.

13

This sounds very interestingā€¦ could you provide a little more info?

14

My timeline as a contractor.

25th Nov 2017: Pre-processing - accepted offer
Dec 2017: 6 References and 3 Previous employers were called and investigator personally met 5 of them in person and 1 of them were called 3. My Landlord got a call too from investigator.
January 2018: Met with investigator and a Favorable CFD (Contractors Fitness Determination) was granted after met with investigator.
Waiting for my final Secret Clearance.