Suitability & Credentialing FAQs

Unless an exception has been granted by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) agencies must delay the collection of the Optional Form (OF) 306 until after the applicant's experience and qualifications have been considered and a conditional offer of employment has been made.

If a material, intentional falsification, deception or fraud issue is developed during an NBIB investigation, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will contact the agency to coordinate the adjudication. OPM may assume jurisdiction after discussing the case with the agency. If an agency feels an NBIB investigation developed a material, intentional falsification, deception or fraud issue that should have been adjudicated by OPM but was not, it may contact OPM's Suitability Adjudications to request a second review of the case.

No; per 5 CFR 731.101(a), determinations made and actions taken under part 731 are distinct from objections to eligibles or passovers of preference eligibles, and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and agencies' decisions on such requests, made under 5 U.S.C. 3318 and 5 CFR 332.406. The appeal right under 5 CFR part 731 does not extend to any other employment action that an agency takes outside of the procedures set forth in part 731.