Title: | Review of Alleged Delays in VA Contractor Background Investigations |
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Report Link: | http://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-12-00165-277.pdf |
Report Number: | 12-00165-277 |
Issue Date: | 9/30/2012 |
City/State: | |
VA Office: | Office of Information and Technology (OIT) Office of Operations, Security & Preparedness |
Report Author: | Office of Audits and Evaluations |
Report Type: | Audits, Reviews & Evaluations |
Release Type: | Unrestricted |
Summary: |
We evaluated the merits of a VA OIG Hotline complaint alleging VA had a backlog of contractor background investigations; was inappropriately requiring completion of contractors’ background investigations before the contractors could begin work; and was not meeting its 20-day standard for starting investigations. We substantiated all three allegations. Despite process improvements and a recent reduction in pending cases, VA had a backlog of 3,000 contractor background investigations; inappropriately prohibited contractors from working on contracts; and was not meeting it 20-day standard for starting background investigations with the Office of Personnel Management. Delays were due to ineffective VA management within VA’s Security and Investigative Center; staff misunderstanding VA’s personnel security requirements and investigative process; and the lack of a central system to monitor progress in addressing the backlog. We recommended VA implement improved policies and procedures and implement a central case management system to monitor contractor status and costs associated with the background investigation process. |