The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) is having all agencies transition from Trusted Workforce (TW) 1.25 to TW 1.5. With our National Security population already enrolled in TW 1.5, we will be enrolling the T2/4 population next to TW 1.5 around mid to late FY26. There are two primary aspects of the upgrade to TW 1.5:
- Additional data categories and data sources are searched. The enrolled population will have more automated record checks run on them. Time-based checks are a part of TW 1.5.
- Alert resolution is included within the TW 1.5 service.
As compared to TW 1.25 Continuous Vetting (CV) service, which includes data sources covering three data categories (Eligibility, Terrorism and Criminal), TW 1.5 CV service includes data sources covering seven data categories (the three under 1.25, plus suspicious financial activity, public records, credit and foreign travel). Under TW 1.5 CV service, DCSA also provides additional data sources under the Criminal data category.
It is with upmost importance that NIH staff ensure their federal and state taxes have been filed and paid, or that a payment plan has been set up. Not filing and/or paying federal or state taxes may negatively impact an individual's suitability and/or fitness for federal employment at NIH. As part of the DCSA background investigation, credit checks will be run on all staff of all Position Designation Tier levels, including Tier 1 Non-Sensitive, Low Risk positions. Per FIN 19-01 (published in October 2018), there is no need to unfreeze your credit for the background investigation check.
