Management provides all guidance regarding phone or in person and I’m unaware of them every asking anyones opinion, on anything, nor do I suspect they ever will.
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OPM made the change regarding the QC/QA Programs and the Contract Companies received the information and implemented it around 01/2009 with the new requirements. The “reinterview letters” you reference were an OPM initiated document used in the early years after privatization (USIS) and even before by OPM when everything was still Federal, they were mailed to Sources who voluntarialy filled out the Form and then mailed them back to OPM.
In 2009 and beyond due to requested oversight changes, both questions were being asked…what method did the Investigator interview the Source and did the Source prefer a telephonic or an in-person interview. Along with other questions. In my opinion, the source’s preference regarding the “method” they are interviewed is highly relevant.
I cannot speak for the time during Covid or how things have been operating related to this aspect during or since then or with DCSA.
An “Integrity Investigation” is an entirely different and unrelated topic from the topic we are discussing related to contact methods for Sources.
Well, now we’re at that place we ate ordered to return 1) during a pandemic still killing 300 people a day in America, 2) where we do 2-4 hour interviews in person with strangers who may or may carry virus, and 3) investigators are NOT given option for phone work if THEY are immunocompromised! Only Subjects and Sources have that luxury. So BI lives are expendable for that in person interview? Seems like it. My life is worth more than the price of a record.
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We finally got the guidance today at 4 pm for going back into the field. What I am confused about is- if you are in a low risk area all subject interviews and sources are to be done in person. To my understanding this includes TESIs and Resi items. We were allowed to do these by phone prior to the pandemic and now they have to be done in person. Any thoughts or news on this?
I really think production is going to tank, to include those states who have lots of DHS cases and no help from out of area investigators (unless TDY). Then you have mileage costs for the company. But at $4.50 a gallon the government rate really isn’t enough. I am just holding on the best I can.
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From the guidance I have read, the use of the telephone can still be utilized for the purpose of convenience for the source, at the request of the source due to unavailability, and if the source has a COVID concern. I expect telephone usage to still be around 75% of all work conducted as most sources will ask for a telephone interview for the purpose of convenience. I don’t see these most recent policies being a game changer whatsoever to force Investigators into the field. The latest guidance leaves a lot to interpretation and to be steered to heavy telephone usage by Investigators that don’t want to exert the time to drive great distances or the vendors who would rather not pay for drive time, mileage, etc. I believe it will not be much different than it has been the past two years.
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VTC/Zoom is being implemented everywhere and is comparable to in person at this time. What type of backgrounds are people using to mask their personal info from Subject’s/sources?
We were told today we can’t mask our backgrounds while on zoom.
There are a couple of mantras y’all need to learn doing government work: 1) Not my circus, not my monkeys! and 2) Chuck it in the “F” it bucket and move on!” Most situations you come across will fit into one of those two categories. I could sit here and voice opinions for hours on all the things the government does that does not make a lick of sense, that is ineffective, inefficient, a waste of money and resources, the list goes on and on. All that does is make your frustration levels go up and doesn’t improve anything. If the government wants to pay me to sit at home and interview people I’m my pajamas, well darn, who am I to argue?
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My DCSA investigator used the blurred background on her interview with me last year. It doesn’t make any sense to invite the people you are investigating into your home. We have never been allowed to interview Subject’s at their home in person. Why should zoom be any different? A corporate branded background would make the most sense. Something like a screen saver background.
The “no background blur” is not DCSA. Contracting companies often make decisions then imply it was DCSA’s decision.
BTW - we stopped interviewing Subject’s in their home as part of the 2007 handbook changes.
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I know it’s not DCSA. Just people within the company who think of nothing but themselves, have no faith and trust in the investigators they hire, and have no concept of this job and the risks, intricacies, and nuances that accompany it. It’s only to be expected when you see the number of labor lawsuits each of these companies have been involved in over the years.
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Related to this thread title - “The ending of use of the telephone” - CACI is requiring all Sources to be interviewed in person (except where “High”) including residential. I don’t get this? Before COVID, we could interview a neighbor over the phone. How are the other companies (incl. Feds) doing residences now?
Same. In-person unless source requests otherwise.
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We can’t use the term “requests”. Phone is only allowed if the Source “refuses” to be interviewed in person.
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Wow. It’s always something.
Before Covid DCSA made modifications to the contract that allowed residential by telephone and some other measures to help speed up the clearance process. Coming out of Covid the efficiency of everything by phone brought the clearance process to about as current as you can get. So when DCSA went back to reconstitution they went back to original standards (which require RESI IP). Now that we are back to IP the backlog grows because of the attrition that hit the industry and lack of hiring done by all the vendors.
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I work for Peraton and Sources are still allowed to be done via phone, basically it’s the Sources option on whether they want it done in person or via phone. 90% of sources just do it via phone.
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My guess is Paragon and Caci are terrified of losing the contract so they take everything to the nth degree.
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I ask sources if a phone or in person interview is more convenient for them and follow their lead. There are still a lot of Covid frightened people out there and more and more people are becoming skeptical and antagonistic toward anyone with a badge. If they request “Phone” for their convenience than phone it is. I think it is really an advantage for case continuity among other things.
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You are supposed to do them in person. Dcsa is starting to track telephone use. If the vast majority of your interviews are telephone you will get in big trouble.
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