DISA begins work on contract for background investigations

The Defense Information Systems Agency has taken the initial steps toward developing a contract for a new system for background investigations for people seeking security clearances.

DISA has kicked off a market survey to identify businesses interested in helping construct the new system. The agency is working with the National Background Investigation Bureau to develop the system intended to include automated workflows and features for subjects to self-report data.

The government stood up the bureau in 2016 in response to the massive data breach two years earlier that saw 21.5 million records stolen from Office of Personnel Management systems.

DISA said in a request for information posted Tuesday it intends to have the new system at initial operational capability by September 2018 with full operational capability no later than September 2019.

Once at full capability, the government wants to process 2 million cases per year and 3 million in an infrastructure DISA operates.

Vendor submissions are limited to five pages and must include information on business size and socioeconomic status to be included in DISA’s market research report.

DISA also requires those working on an NBIS system to be a cleared U.S. citizen at the “Secret” level at the time of award.

Responses to this RFI are due to DISA by 3 p.m. Eastern time April 6.