Federal Background Investigation and Personnel Vetting Investigative Request Forms (INV 40-44)

Section 3(a) of Executive Order (E.O.) 10450, as amended, states that with specified exceptions, "the appointment of each civilian officer or employee in any department or agency of the Government shall be made subject to investigation," and that "in no event shall the investigation consist of less than a national agency check . . . and written inquiries to appropriate local law enforcement agencies, former employers and supervisors, references, and schools attended by the persons under investigation." This minimum investigation for appointment in the civil service is called the National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI). The INV 40, 41, 42, 43, and 44 are used to conduct the "written inquiries" portion of the NACI. They are also used in any investigation requiring the same written inquiries, including suitability investigations under E.O. 10577, as amended and 5 C.F.R. part 731, for employment in positions defined in 5 C.F.R. 731.101(b); investigations for employment in a sensitive national security position under E.O. 10450, as amended and 5 C.F.R. part 732; certain investigations for eligibility for access to classified information pursuant to standards promulgated under E.O. 12968, as amended; certain investigations for fitness for employment in the excepted service or as a contract employee, pursuant to investigative requirements prescribed by employing and contracting agencies; and investigations for identity credentials for long-term physical and logical access to Federally-controlled facilities and information systems, pursuant to standards promulgated under the Federal Information Security Management Act. The INV forms 40 and 44, in particular, facilitate OPM's access to criminal history record information under 5 U.S.C. 9101. The content of the INV forms is also designed to meet notice requirements for personnel investigations specified by 5 C.F.R. 736.102(c). These notice requirements apply to any "investigation . . . to determine the suitability, eligibility, or qualifications of individuals for Federal employment, for work on Federal contracts, or for access to classified information or restricted areas." None of the forms is used for any purpose other than a personnel background investigation, as described above. The completed forms are maintained by OPM subject to the protections of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. The INV 40 is used to collect records from a Federal or State record repository or a credit bureau. The INV 44 is used to collect law enforcement data from a criminal justice agency. The INV 41, 42, and 43 are sent to employment references, associates, and schools attended. The forms disclose that the source's name was provided by the subject to assist in completing a background investigation to help determine the subject's suitability for employment or security clearance, and request that the source complete the form with information to help in this determination. Generally the subject of the investigation will identify these employment references, associates, and schools on his or her SF 85, SF 85P, or SF 86 questionnaire. If information is omitted on the questionnaire, however, the information may be provided in a follow-up contact between the subject and an investigator. By their terms, the INV 41, 42, and 43 forms are not to be sent to employment references, associates, and schools that have not been identified by the subject of the investigation.

The latest form for Federal Background Investigation and Personnel Vetting Investigative Request Forms (INV 40-44) expires 2021-09-30 and can be found here.