Preventing Conflicts of Interest with Contractors Act

To prevent conflicts of interest relating to contractors providing background investigation fieldwork services and investigative support services. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Preventing Conflicts of Interest with Contractors Act 2. Definitions In this Act— (1) the term agency (A) an Executive agency (as defined in section 105 (B) a military department (as defined in section 102 (C) an element of the intelligence community (as that term is defined in section 3 of the National Security Act of 1947 ( 50 U.S.C. 3003 (D) the United States Postal Service; and (E) the Postal Regulatory Commission; (2) the term background investigation fieldwork services (A) interviews of the individual or friends, family, or other sources who might have relevant knowledge of the individual; and (B) reviews of— (i) educational and employment records; (ii) criminal and other legal records; and (iii) credit history; (3) the term background investigation support services (A) initial processing and scheduling of investigative requests; (B) information technology and information technology support; (C) file maintenance; (D) imaging or copying of investigation documents; and (E) mail processing; and (4) the term quality review process 3. Organizational conflicts of interest After the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management may not award a contract to an entity under which the entity will conduct quality review processes for background investigation fieldwork services or background investigation support services that, as of the date of the award of the contract, are being conducted by that entity. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Preventing Conflicts of Interest with Contractors Act 2. Definitions In this Act— (1) the term agency (A) an Executive agency (as defined in section 105 (B) a military department (as defined in section 102 (C) an element of the intelligence community (as that term is defined in section 3 of the National Security Act of 1947 ( 50 U.S.C. 3003 (D) the United States Postal Service; and (E) the Postal Regulatory Commission; (2) the term background investigation fieldwork services (A) interviews of the individual, the employer of the individual, former employers of the individual, and friends, family, and other sources who might have relevant knowledge of the individual; and (B) reviews of— (i) educational and employment records; (ii) criminal and other legal records; and (iii) credit history; (3) the term background investigation support services (A) initial processing and scheduling of investigative requests; (B) information technology and information technology support; (C) file maintenance; (D) imaging or copying of investigation documents; and (E) mail processing; and (4) the term quality review process 3. Limitation on contracting to prevent organizational conflicts of interest Notwithstanding any other provision of law, after the date of enactment of this Act, a contract may not be entered into, and an extension of or option on a contract may not be exercised, with a contractor to conduct a quality review process relating to background investigation fieldwork services or background investigation support services if the contractor is performing the services to be reviewed. September 16, 2014 Reported with an amendment

Summary: Preventing Conflicts of Interest with Contractors Act - Provides that a contract may not be entered into, and an extension of or option on a contract may not be exercised, with a contractor to conduct a quality review process relating to background investigation fieldwork services or background investigation support services if the contractor is performing the services to be reviewed. Defines, for purposes of this Act: "agency" as an executive agency, a military department, an element of the intelligence community, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), or the Postal Regulatory Commission; "background investigation fieldwork services" as the investigatory fieldwork conducted to determine the eligibility of an individual for logical and physical access to federally-controlled facilities or information systems, suitability or fitness for federal employment, eligibility for access to classified information or to hold a national security sensitive position, or fitness to perform work for or on behalf of the federal government as a contractor or employee, including interviews with individuals who might have relevant knowledge of the individual and reviews of educational and employment records, criminal and other legal records, and credit history; and "quality review process" as performing the final quality review of a background investigation to ensure that investigative, administrative, and other required standards have been met before the completed background investigation is delivered to the adjudicating agency (i.e., the agency that requested the background check and that has final decision-making authority).