Investigation

A review of an applicant or employee's background. Per the 2012 Revised Federal Investigative Standards, the different levels of investigation are:

Tier 1. Investigations conducted to this standard are for positions designated as low risk, non‑sensitive and for physical and/or logical access, pursuant to Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 201 and Homeland Security Presidential Directive‑12, using Standard Form 85, or its successor form.

Tier 2. Investigations conducted to this standard are for non‑sensitive positions designated as moderate risk public trust, using Standard form 85P, or its successor form.

Tier 3. Investigations conducted to this standard are for positions designated as non‑critical sensitive, and/or requiring eligibility "L" access or access to Confidential or Secret information. This is the lowest level of investigation acceptable for access to classified information, using Standard Form 86, or its successor form.

Tier 4. Investigations conducted to this standard are for non‑sensitive positions designated as high‑risk public trust, using Standard Form 85P, or its successor form.

Tier 5. Investigations conducted to this standard are for positions designated as critical sensitive, special sensitive, and/or requiring eligibility for "Q" access or access to Top Secret or Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), using Standard Form 86, or its successor form.

An act or process of examining or searching for facts.