[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 5, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 5CFR736.101]

[Page 53-54]
 
                    TITLE 5--ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL
 
          CHAPTER I--OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED)
 
PART 736--PERSONNEL INVESTIGATIONS--Table of Contents
 
                            Subpart A--Scope
 
Sec. 736.101  Purpose and definitions.


    (a) Purpose. The purpose of this part is to specify certain 
requirements for personnel investigations conducted by OPM, and for 
those conducted under delegated authority from OPM. The requirements of 
this part apply to suitability and national security investigations 
conducted under parts 731 and 732 of this chapter; they also apply to 
investigations to determine eligibility or qualifications not covered in 
parts 731 and 732 of this chapter. The requirements of this part apply 
to employees in the civil service of the Executive Branch and to persons 
performing contract, voluntary or indirect services for the Federal 
Government, as set forth in subsection (b) below.

[[Page 54]]

    (b) Definitions. For the purposes of this part, (1) Federal 
employment includes the following range of services performed for the 
Federal government: (i) All employment in the competitive or excepted 
service or the Senior Executive Service in the Executive Branch; (ii) 
appointments, salaried or unsalaried, to Federal Advisory Committees or 
to membership agencies; (iii) cooperative work assignments in which the 
individual has access to Federal materials such as examination booklets, 
or performs service for, or under supervision of, a Federal agency while 
being paid by another organization such as a State or local government; 
(iv) volunteer arrangements in which the individual performs service 
for, or under the supervision of, a Federal agency; and (v) volunteer or 
other arrangements in which the individual represents the United States 
Government or any agency thereof.
    (2) Agency means any authority of the Government of the United 
States, whether or not it is within or subject to review by another 
agency, and includes any executive department, military department, 
Government corporation, Government-controlled corporation, or other 
establishment in the executive branch of the Government, or any 
independent regulatory agency.
    (3) Personnel investigation means an investigation conducted by 
written or telephone inquiries or through personal contacts 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.