WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) National Background Investigation Bureau (NBIB) reduced the background investigation inventory by more than 21.8 percent in less than eight months.  The total case inventory peaked at 725,000 in April 2018 and has been on a downward trend to the current inventory of approximately 566,725 as of this release.

NBIB credits this reduction to implementation of its multi-pronged approach to mitigate and eliminate the investigative backlog.  Some of the efforts within NBIB’s approach include implementing business process reengineering initiatives, increasing automation, and executing targeted policy changes approved by the Security, Suitability and Credentialing Executive Agents.

“These efforts have had a profound impact on our ability to effectively execute this mission,” said Charles Phalen, Director of NBIB. “Our people remain committed, and we look forward to building on the progress we have made to date.”

NBIB continues to partner with several federal agencies and industry to improve investigator efficiency. This includes the successful creation of centralized locations for investigators to conduct background investigation interviews. The centralized locations allow for a shorter completion time of investigations and saves tax payer dollars.