Cross Match

The Office of Security (SEC) provides security services to protect USAID personnel and facilities, safeguarding national security information, and promoting and preserving personal integrity. SEC receives investigative authority from the Director of National Intelligence and the Office of Personnel Management to conduct personnel security investigations for USAID and all other Federal Agencies/Departments permitted under the delegation.

SEC gathers information in order to create investigative records, which are used for processing personal security background investigations to determine eligibility to be awarded a federal security clearance, suitability or fitness determination for federal employment, access to federally owned/controlled facilities and access to federally owned/controlled information systems. In conducting background investigations, the categories of records maintained in SEC's case management system include: name; address; date of birth; social security number (or other identifying number); citizenship status; information regarding an individual’s character, conduct and behavior in the community where they presently live and/or previously lived; arrests and/or convictions; medical records; educational institutions attended; employment records; reports from interviews and other inquiries; electronic communication cables; facility access authorizations/restrictions; photographs, fingerprints; financial records including credit reports; previous clearances levels granted; resulting clearance levels; documentation of release of security files; request for special access; records of infractions; and records of facility accesses and credentials issued. The fingerprints are used to confirm a subject's identity through individualization and reveal if a subject has any criminal history for future determination of employment and character suitability.