Have you ever wondered what it means to be found suitable for your position with the Federal Government? Weren't your qualifications evaluated by National Institutes of Health (NIH) Human Resources and the Institutes and Centers (IC) hiring official? For Division of Personnel Security and Access Control (DPSAC), being suitable does not relate to job qualifications, but instead to an evaluation of security risk relative to your position. This suitability determination is referred to as the adjudication process.
The Adjudication Branch located within DPSAC has the authority delegated by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Security under Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, part 731 (5 CFR731) to make suitability determinations and take suitability actions in cases involving covered positions for federal employees, fitness for contractors and affiliates that are subject to a background investigation. Public service requires high standards of integrity and trust to promote the interests of the public.
The adjudication process is an examination of a sufficient period of a person's life to make an affirmative determination that the person is an acceptable security risk. The adjudication process is the careful weighing of several variables known as the whole person concept. It contains available, reliable information about the person, past and present. The final suitability determination should be based on a person's identifiable character traits and conduct sufficient to decide whether employment or continued employment would or would not protect the integrity or promote the efficiency of the service after consideration of all these variables. Favorable and unfavorable information will be considered in reaching a determination.
The DPSAC website has a section devoted to the Adjudication Branch and the process they follow. Click HERE for more information on how this process is completed.
