2027 Small-Scale Census Response Test

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Requisition 6-700206
Specifications by MRN
BID OPENING: Bids shall be opened virtually at 11:00 a.m., Eastern Time (ET), on October 14, 2026, at the U.S.
Government Publishing Office. All parties interested in attending the bid opening shall email bids@gpo.gov one
(1) hour prior to the bid opening date and time to request a Microsoft Teams live stream link. This must be a separate
email from the bid submission. The link will be emailed prior to the bid opening.
BID SUBMISSION: Bidders must email bids to bids@gpo.gov for this solicitation. No other method of bid
submission will be accepted at this time. The jacket number and bid opening date must be specified in the subject
line of the emailed bid submission. Bids received after the bid opening date and time specified above will not be
considered for award.
GENERAL TERMS, CONDITIONS, AND SPECIFICATIONS
For the Procurement of
2027 Small-Scale Census Response Test
as requisitioned from the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) by the
Department of Commerce
U.S. Census Bureau
BIDDERS, PLEASE NOTE: Bidders must have the required paper samples ready to submit at the time of the bid
opening date (specified above); however, only the awarded contractor will be required to submit their paper samples
for testing (see "POSTAWARD PAPER SAMPLES" specified herein for more information).
For any questions concerning these specifications, contact Juliann Handziak at jhandziak@gpo.gov or (614) 488-
4616.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
GPO CONTRACT TERMS ................................. 3 QUESTIONNAIRE SERIALIZATION
SUBCONTRACTING .......................................... 3 BARCODING ................................................ 24
QUALITY ASSURANCE LEVELS PLACEMENT OF SERIALIZED
AND STANDARDS .......................................... 3 BARCODES AND HRIs ON
QUALITY ASSURANCE DESIGNATED PAGES OF
SPECIFICTIONS ............................................. 3 QUESTIONNAIRES ..................................... 25
SPECIFICATIONS FOR COLOR MATCH ..... 5 LINKING ADDRESS DATA TO
CRITICAL: CENSUS IDENTIFICATION ....... 5 SERIALIZED PAGES OF
DEFECT PURGING (ALL PRODUCTS) .......... 6 QUESTIONNAIRES ..................................... 26
PHYSICAL SECURITY ...................................... 6 MARGINS .......................................................... 26
CYBERSECURITY AND PRIVACY BINDING ............................................................ 26
POLICY COMPLIANCE ................................ 8 CONSTRUCTION ............................................. 27
ASSUMPTIONS AND CONSTRAINTS ............ 8 BINDING AND CONSTRUCTION
SECURITY REQUIREMENTS .......................... 9 INSPECTIONS .............................................. 28
SECURITY WARNING ..................................... 10 ASSEMBLING AND PACKAGING
PERSONNEL SECURITY ................................. 10 CONFIGURATIONS .................................... 28
GOVERNMENT ON-SITE GATHERING AND ASSEMBLY OF
REPRESENTATIVE(S) ................................ 11 PACKAGES ................................................... 29
PREAWARD SURVEY ...................................... 11 ADDRESS AND BARCODE
PREAWARD PRODUCTION PLANS ............. 11 LAYOUTS (GENERAL) .............................. 29
POSTAWARD CONFERENCE ........................ 14 ADDRESS AND BARCODE LAYOUTS
PRIVACY ACT NOTIFICATION .................... 15 (MAILING ADDRESSES) ........................... 30
PRIVACY ACT ................................................... 15 PACKING ........................................................... 31
PAYMENT .......................................................... 16 LABELING AND MARKING .......................... 32
ADDITIONAL EMAILED BID PACKING, LABELING AND MARKING,
SUBMISSION PROVISIONS ....................... 16 AND MAILING INSPECTIONS ................. 32
SCOPE ................................................................. 17 QUALITY ASSURANCE RANDOM
TITLE .................................................................. 17 COPIES (QARCs) ......................................... 32
PRODUCTS, QUANTITIES, AND CENSUS QUALITY ASSURANCE
TRIM SIZES ................................................... 17 RANDOM COPIES ....................................... 33
GOVERNMENT TO FURNISH ....................... 18 DISTRIBUTION ................................................ 33
EXHIBITS ........................................................... 19 SCHEDULE ........................................................ 35
CONTRACTOR TO FURNISH ........................ 19 DAILY PRODUCTION REPORTS ................. 37
ELECTRONIC PREPRESS .............................. 19 DETERMINATION OF AWARD .................... 38
PROOFS .............................................................. 20 SCHEDULE OF PRICES .................................. 39
INK DRAWDOWNS FOR ALL INKS ............. 20 SHIPMENTS ...................................................... 42
POSTAWARD PAPER SAMPLES ................... 20 DISCOUNTS ...................................................... 42
STOCK/PAPER .................................................. 22 AMENDMENTS................................................. 42
PRINTING ........................................................... 22 BID ACCEPTANCE PERIOD ......................... 42
PRESS SHEET INSPECTION .......................... 23 BIDDER'S NAME AND SIGNATURE ........... 42
VARIABLE COMPUTERIZED IMAGING .... 24

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GPO CONTRACT TERMS: Any contract which results from this Invitation for Bid will be subject to the
applicable provisions, clauses, and supplemental specifications of GPO Contract Terms (GPO Publication 310.2,
effective December 1, 1987 (Rev. 01-18)) and Quality Assurance Through Attributes Program for Printing and
Binding (GPO Publication 310.1, effective May 1979, (Rev. 09-19)).
GPO Contract Terms (GPO Publication 310.2) - https://www.gpo.gov/docs/default-source/forms-and-standards-
files-for-vendors/contractterms2018.pdf.
GPO QATAP (GPO Publication 310.1) - https://www.gpo.gov/docs/default-source/forms-and-standards-files-for-
vendors/qatap-rev-09-19.pdf.
SUBCONTRACTING: Subcontracting is allowed only for the required printing and construction of envelopes.
The contractor is responsible for enforcing all contract requirements outsourced to a subcontractor.
QUALITY ASSURANCE LEVELS AND STANDARDS: For each attribute, QATAP indicates either a specified
standard or a nominal value along with tolerances that specify the range of acceptability. The following levels and
standards were chosen based on the reliability of reproduction required, the desired aesthetic appearance, and the
intended durability of the final usage of the product:
Product Quality Levels for all items:
(a) Printing Attributes - Level II.
(b) Finishing Attributes - Level II.
Specified Standards: The specified standards for the attributes requiring them shall be:
Attribute Specified Standard
P-7. Type Quality and Uniformity O.K. Press Sheets
P-8. Halftone Match (Single and Double Impression) O.K. Press Sheets
P-9. Solid and Screen Tint Color Match O.K. Press Sheets
Special Instructions: In the event that inspection of press sheets is waived by the Government, the following listed
alternate standards (in order of precedence) shall become the Specified Standards:
P-7. Average Type Dimension.
P-9. Approved Ink Drawdowns; Pantone Matching System.
QUALITY ASSURANCE SPECIFICATIONS:
Questionnaire Tolerances:
Solid and Halftone Density Match: All tolerances are from the nominal values. The following tolerances apply after
the nominal values have been established at the press sheet inspection. These tolerances include equipment variation
of 0.02 for the densitometer.

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Ink Nominal Values Solid:
Process Pantone
Black
Cyan 368U
Cyan (red filter)
0.70 to 0.90 N/A N/A
Density
Yellow (blue filter)
N/A 0.70 to 0.90 N/A
Density
Magenta (green
N/A N/A N/A
filter) Density
Visual Density N/A N/A 0.95 to 1.05
Flat Tone Nominal Value:
Process Cyan Pantone 368U
(Cyan or Red (Yellow or Blue
Filter Density) Filter Density)
20% (Highlighted Area) 0.10 to 0.20 0.10 to 0.20
10% (Background) 0.05 to 0.15 0.05 to 0.15
For Information Only: The densities are intended to be consistent with the Specification of Web Offset Publication
(SWOP) Tone Value increase (Total Dot Gain) target value of 20%.
Characteristic Tolerance
Solid Process Cyan Ink Density: Cyan Filter +0.05 / -0.08
Solid Pantone 368U Ink Density: Yellow Filter +0.05 / -0.08
Black Solid Density: Visual Filter +/- 0.06
Classification of Defects:
Defect Class of Defect
Exceeding tolerance for Solid Process Cyan or Pantone 368U (Green) ink
Measurements: Major
Cyan, Yellow, or Magenta Density by less than 30% Critical
Cyan, Yellow, or Magenta Density equal to or more than 30%
Exceeding tolerance for black solid on Questionnaires Major
A visible density shift in a flat tone of Process Cyan or Pantone 368U
Major
(Green) ink on Questionnaires
Any unspecified black, process Cyan or Pantone 368U ink image bleed shall be classified as a Critical
defect.
Image Size: The printed image on any page shall not vary more than 1/16" from the specified dimensions.
Nonconformance with this requirement shall be classified as a critical defect.
Damaged Questionnaires: There shall be no tears longer than 1/32", no dog-ears, and no creased or folded
over wrinkles. There shall be no wrinkles displacing the lead edge of the Questionnaires more than 1/16"
from a flat surface on which an unfolded sheet is laid. Nonconformance with this requirement shall be
classified as a Major defect. Other wrinkles shall conform to GPO Publication 310.1, Attribute F-8. Product
Quality Level II.

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Spots and extraneous marks on Questionnaires shall not exceed 0.20 square mm in size within the inside of
variable content areas (check boxes and answer zones) and shall not exceed 0.40 square mm in size
anywhere else on the questionnaires. This requirement does not supersede the barcode specification.
Nonconformance with this requirement shall be classified as a Major defect. Strike-through (bleed-through)
shall be evaluated as spots or extraneous marks. When evaluating strike-through, Questionnaires shall be
placed printed side down on a black backing per ANSI CGATS.4-1993 and measured under standard
viewing conditions.
Spots and extraneous marks on the remainder of products shall conform to GPO Publication 310.0, Attributes P-1 and
P-2 with the exception that Category 2 extraneous marks shall be no larger than 5.00 square mm in total area.
Nonconformance with this requirement shall be classified as a Major defect.
NOTE: The contractor is responsible for excess processing costs incurred for furnishing products that do not
meet specifications.
SPECIFICATIONS FOR COLOR MATCH:
Questionnaires Only: The color match for Process Cyan and Pantone 368U (Green) inks is a specifically
identifiable color termed a "dropout color" for the questionnaires only. The dropout ink shall not contain any black
pigment.
The data capture system being used for the questionnaires is a highly efficient system using scanned images of
completed census questionnaires and a combination of Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) and Optical Character
Recognition (OCR) to tabulate entries. Questionnaires must be printed with strict adherence to specifications on
color, halftone, and color-to-black registration.
Density: Measurements shall be made with a spectral response ISO/ANSI Status T, D50 illumination, following
ANSI CGATS.4-1993 Graphic Technology - Graphic arts reflection densitometry measurements - Terminology,
equations, image elements and procedures, and following manufacturer's recommendations for calibration and
operation of the instrument.
All density measurements shall be relative measurements (substrate excluded). All density measurements to
determine conformance to specifications must be made to dry ink film. When measurements relative to wet ink
films are made (e.g., for process controls), the correlation between wet and dry shall be established.
Target Ink Densities: Process Cyan and Pantone 368U (Green) inks status T density, cyan or magenta filter
nominal value for questionnaires shall be set by measurements of the specified standard ("O.K. Press Sheet"). The
target nominals will be set at the press sheet inspection.
The black solid status T density, visual filter, nominal value for questionnaires shall be set by measurements of the
specified standard ("O.K. Press Sheet"). Solid black target nominals will be set at the press sheet inspection.
CRITICAL: CENSUS IDENTIFICATION: The placement of the Auth Code (Census ID) and postal barcodes,
as well as the addresses on the questionnaires and letters, is critical. The Census ID and the entire address, including
postal barcodes, must be visible through the window of the outgoing envelope regardless of the shifting of the
contents within the envelopes. There must be a minimum of 1/8" clear space from the left and right edges of the
postal barcode and a minimum of 2/10" from the left and right edges of the Census ID barcodes and the edges of
the window when the inserts are jogged in those directions. A minimum of 1/25" clearance is required from the top
and bottom edges of the Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb) and the edges of the window, as well as other printing,
when jogged in those directions. In addition, when the contents are jogged to the bottom of the envelope, there shall
be a minimum of 1/25" clearance between the bottom line of the address and the bottom edge of the window.

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For questionnaire packages, the Census ID must show through the window of the outgoing envelope when the
contents are jogged to the flap score. At contractor's option, the IMb may be printed inside the window, or it may
be printed on the outgoing envelope. If the IMb is printed inside the window, it must be visible while maintaining
the required clear space (i.e., 1/25" from top and bottom edges of the barcode and 1/8" from the left and right edges
of the barcode to the edges of window). NOTE: If contractor chooses to print the IMb inside the window, it must
be printed through the window onto the questionnaire. It cannot be printed on the questionnaire prior to being
inserted into the package envelope
DEFECT PURGING (ALL PRODUCTS):
The contractor shall identify spoilage and/or incorrectly printed or constructed products, as well as perform a purge
and replacement of purged pieces.
All products containing one or more Critical and/or Major defects shall be classified as defective and shall not
knowingly be delivered.
If a defective product is found, the contractor shall inspect 20 copies before and 20 copies after the defective product.
If a Critical/Major defect is found in any of these 40 copies, the contractor shall inspect all copies in production
sequence before and after the defective product until 20 successive defect-free copies are found in each direction.
In no case shall the performance of defect purging relieve the contractor of their responsibility for conforming to
the specified "Acceptable Quality Levels."
The contractor will be required to inspect and record inspection results for each item. Comprehensive quality control
(QC) records for all acceptance sampling that is performed must include machine stamped dates and times of exact
time of when sampling was done. All QC samples are to be filed. At a minimum, the contractor shall inspect for:
Printing Attributes:
Type quality and uniformity
Solid and screen tint color match
Image position
Extraneous marks in the check boxes and answer zones
Finishing Attributes:
Trim Size
Missing, duplicate, or blank pages
The Government has the option of either: 1) having the contractor forward copies of the completed QC records to
the appropriate Government office; or, 2) requiring the contractor to allow appropriate Government representatives
to review these records during visits to the contractor's site.
PHYSICAL SECURITY: After award, but prior to processing Title 13 data, the contractor shall be in accordance
with the following (to be verified by Census Bureau):
a) Contractor's facilities must meet requirements outlined by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Interagency Security Committee (ISC) Risk Management Process for Federal facilities. This process provides
the method for determining the facility security level (FSL) based on the characteristics of each facility and the
Federal occupant(s). Once this phase is complete, it is followed by an appropriate application of
countermeasures based on the FSL to mitigate the impact of an undesirable event.

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b) The contractor shall provide for site-specific physical security at all contractor facilities used in the production
of this contract. The contractor shall work with the Office of Security at the Census Bureau to determine the
appropriate security controls for each site based on the facility's security level determined by the Office of
Security.
c) The contractor shall ensure that the space used in the production of this contract is kept separate from other
operations in the contractor's facilities. The contractor shall develop physical and logical barriers (as determined
by the Office of Security based on the level of classification given to the facility) to ensure that only authorized
personnel work in spaces reserved for the Census Bureau. The contractor shall restrict access to locations where
census data are handled to avoid unintentional or accidental disclosure.
d) At any time during the term of the contract, the Census Bureau reserves the right to inspect contractor facilities
to ensure compliance with the DHS Interagency Security Committee guidelines.
e) Site Specific Security Requirements:
1) Materials printed with Title 13 information must be protected at all times utilizing barriers approved by the
Office of Security. Temporary physical controls may be erected to protect the designated secure area but
must be approved by the Office of Security before Title 13 materials are present in the area. All temporary
physical controls must comply with applicable life safety codes and standards.
2) All emergency exit doors shall be equipped with panic-bar type hardware (e.g., crash bars), allowing exit
without the use of a key. Additionally, the emergency exit device will have a local alarm feature (with
disabling key) that sounds when the door is opened.
3) Site exterior lighting shall be present at entrances, exits, parking lots, garages, and closed-circuit television
(CCTV) locations. For minimum lighting levels, refer to the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES)
Lighting Handbook. Lighting should be sufficient to illuminate potential areas of concealment and provide
for the safety of personnel moving between adjacent parking areas, streets, alleyways, and around the
facility. Site lighting should be coordinated with the CCTV system.
4) Blinds, curtains, or other window treatments in production areas shall be installed to prevent visual
observation.
5) Require photo ID that is worn and is visible at all times when in controlled space.
6) Provide a means to secure employee entrance doors and to verify the identity of persons requesting access
prior to allowing entry in the facility by physical or electronic means.
7) Use signage to designate nonpublic areas and establish procedures to prevent unauthorized access. Require
visitors to nonpublic areas be sponsored by an authorized employee and be escorted at all times.
8) Secure perimeter doors with non-removable hinges and high-security mechanical or electronic locks.
9) Secure emergency exit doors using an automatic door closer and exit hardware that are compliant with
applicable life safety codes and standards. Monitor all emergency exits via visual, electronic, or audible
means.
10) Provide CCTV coverage of personnel entrances and exits. Record CCTV views using a digital medium and
retain recordings for at least 60 calendar days. Post signage at the entrance of the location for surveillance.

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11) Provide an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) (e.g., motion/door contacts) on perimeter entry and exit doors,
and operable ground-floor windows. The IDS shall report all conditions (alarms, troubles, tests, etc.) to an
alarm monitoring service. The contractor will ensure that the appropriate monitoring service has uploaded
the alarm system program and that all zones have been fully tested and communicated.
12) Provide uninterruptable emergency power to essential electronic security system for a minimum of four (4)
hours.
13) Develop, publish, and maintain an Occupant Emergency Plan (OEP) and conduct annual training/exercises.
14) Inspect all mail/packages and deliveries visually prior to distribution throughout the facility. Refer to the
DHS ISC Safe Mail Handling procedures which can be accessed at:
https://www.fbiic.gov/public/2010/nov/safe_Mail_Handling.pdf.
CYBERSECURITY AND PRIVACY POLICY COMPLIANCE: After award, but prior to processing Title
13 data, the contractor shall be in accordance with the following (to be verified by Census Bureau):
a) The contractor shall comply with the Department of Commerce and Census Bureau enterprise cybersecurity
policies and implement the requirements of the organizations cybersecurity governance framework,
comprised of policies, controls based on the most current versions of all applicable laws, orders, Standards,
and Handbooks that guide the implementation of processes supporting DOC and Census Cybersecurity
policies.
b) The contractor shall obtain an approval of a Federal Authority to Operate (ATO) PRIOR to receiving and
processing any of the Government provided Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) data that contains
Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Business Identifiable Information (BII), or Title 13 Information.
Test data may be used on the system prior to ATO. This process requires that all contractor systems used
to fulfill contract requirements be categorized according to Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS
199), comply with all applicable cybersecurity controls as selected, and demonstrate that these controls
have been implemented, assessed for effectiveness, accompanied by a risk-based authorization
recommendation, and subject to ongoing continuous monitoring. Additionally, any identified weaknesses
must be remediated promptly and effectively.
The Census Bureau Authorizing Official(s) then makes a Risk Based Decision in approving or disapproving
an authorization. Once the solution receives authorization, the contractor shall perform continuous
monitoring activities in accordance with Federal policies. The contractor is required to address the
following areas:
1) Assessment & Authorization Process
2) Assessment & Authorization Package Documentation
3) Continuous Monitoring
4) Vulnerability and Compliance Scanning
5) Management and Remediation of Weaknesses
ASSUMPTIONS AND CONSTRAINTS:
The contractor shall comply with all IT security policies, procedures, and methodologies in use by the
Census Bureau. Requirements set forth by the Census Bureau incorporate and supersede any general
guidance published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and will be in full compliance
with Department of Commerce directives.

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Any proposed cloud solution must be FedRAMP certified. All applicable Customer Service Provider (CSP)
controls shall be addressed by the bidder through the Risk Management Framework Assessment and
Authorization (RMF A&A) process.
All information systems used within the solution shall have a Census Bureau approved ATO in order to
store, process, or transmit U.S. Government PII, BII, Title 13, or Title 26 information.
SECURITY REQUIREMENTS: Protection of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI):
(a) The contractor shall restrict access to all CUI (including Title 13 data) obtained from the Census Bureau in
the performance of this contract to those employees and officials who need it to perform the contract.
Employees and officials who need access to CUI for performance of the contract will be determined at the
postaward conference between the Contracting Officer and the responsible contractor representative.
(b) The contractor shall process all CUI obtained from Census Bureau in the performance of this contract under
the immediate supervision and control of Special Sworn Status authorized personnel, and in a manner that
protects the confidentiality of the records in such a way that unauthorized persons cannot retrieve any such
records.
(c) CAR 1352.209-75 TITLE 13 AND NON-DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS (APR 2010) - The Census
Bureau's data are protected by Title 13 of the United States Code. The contractor may not use Title 13 data
for any purpose other than the intended purpose for which it is supplied or obtained. All contractor personnel
who will have access to Title 13 data must take an oath and complete the Census Bureau Form BC-1759
(Special Sworn Status) that requires nondisclosure of Title 13 data. An authorized Census employee or a
Notary Public must administer the oath of nondisclosure.
(d) Contractors working with Title 13 data must adhere to all applicable Census Bureau Data Stewardship and
IT Security Policies and must complete Data Stewardship and IT Security Awareness training as required.
(e) All CUI from Census Bureau for use in the performance of this contract shall, at all times, be stored in an
area that is physically safe from unauthorized access.
(f) The contractor shall not allow the transfer of Census Bureau CUI to unauthorized servers, laptops,
computers and/or personally assigned devices.
(g) The contractor shall work with the Census Bureau to produce and maintain remedial plans that may be
required to meet an acceptable level of risk.
(h) The Government reserves the right to conduct on-site visits to review the contractor's documentation and
in-house procedures for protection of CUI at any time during the term of this contract.
(i) The contractor shall contact the Census Cybersecurity Center (C3) at (301) 763-3333 (Option 1) within one
(1) hour whenever a system security violation is discovered or suspected.
(j) If a subcontractor(s) is used in the performance of this contract, the subcontractor(s) shall conform to all
security requirements of the contract. (See "SUBCONTRACTING.")
(k) The contractor shall demonstrate the ability to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the
information provided to or by the contractor. The contractor shall demonstrate such ability by providing the
applicable documentation in the proposed preaward production plans described herein.

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SECURITY WARNING: It is the contractor's responsibility to properly safeguard CUI from loss, theft, or
inadvertent disclosure and to immediately notify the Government of any loss/theft/disclosure.
Applicability -
The responsibility to maintain the confidentiality of CUI data that contains PII, BII, or Title 13 information is a
lifetime obligation, continuing even if the contractor is no longer affiliated with the Census Bureau. These policy
provisions include, but are not limited to, the following:
Contractor is required to have locking file cabinets or desk drawers for storage of confidential material, if
applicable.
Material is not to be taken from the contractor's facility without express permission from the Government.
Contractor must safeguard and protect all Government records from theft and damage.
The following list provides examples of situations where CUI is not properly safeguarded -
Leaving an unprotected computer containing Government information in a non-secure space (e.g., leaving
the computer unattended in a public place, in an unlocked room, or in an unlocked vehicle).
Leaving an unattended file containing Government information in a non-secure area (e.g., leaving the file
in a breakroom or on an employee's desk).
Discussing sensitive data in a non-secure area.
Storing electronic files containing Government information on a computer or access device (flash drive,
CD, etc.) that other people have access to (not password-protected).
This list does not encompass all failures to safeguard CUI but is intended to act as an alert to the contractor's
employees to situations that must be avoided. Misfeasance occurs when an employee is authorized to access
Government information that contains CUI and, due to the employee's failure to exercise due care, the information
is lost, stolen, or inadvertently released.
Whenever the contractor's employee(s) has doubts about a specific situation involving their responsibilities for
safeguarding CUI, they should consult the Contracting Officer or the contract administrator.
PERSONNEL SECURITY: The Government will develop and execute processes required to adjudicate security
clearances for the proposed contractor staff. All contract personnel who will have access to CUI data that contains
PII, BII, or Title 13 information shall have a Government-approved background investigation prior to gaining access
to the data.
All contractor personnel assigned to tasks associated with the Small-Scale Census Response Test shall have
successfully passed the Census Bureau security screening prior to accessing or working with Title 13 protected data.
The contractor shall obtain Government approval for each staff member before he/she can start the work.
The contractor shall identify candidates, execute processes associated with selecting individuals for the
clearance process, and ensure the candidates respond to communications from Government representatives
in a complete and timely manner.
The Government uses the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Position Designation Tool to determine
the position's risk level.
Government-approved background investigations may include the Applicant Name Check, the National Agency
Check and Inquiry (NACI), and/or other Government-approved investigation(s), including but not limited to a
resume, Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) and a Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85).
The extent of the background investigation will be based upon the risk designation assigned by the Personnel
Designation Record using the OPM's Position Designation Tool. The result will be a Low (T1), Moderate (T2), or