Background investigations play a critical role in the world of security management and are essential to national security. Regulations require a background investigation to be conducted on each federal employee, contractor, and military member, even if their position does not require a security eligibility. ​

Investigations help determine the subject’s: suitability for government employment, fitness for an appointment to an excepted service position, fitness to perform work under a government contract, eligibility to serve in a national security sensitive position, acceptance or retention in the armed forces, eligibility for access to classified information, and/or eligibility for logical or physical access to a federally controlled facility or information technology.​

The scope of the investigation will vary, depending on the nature of the position and the degree of harm that could be caused by the individual in that position. ​