Hiring & Workforce — 2026-03-20
DCSA Investigation Backlog Drops to 100,000; Continuous Vetting Covers 3.8 Million Cleared Personnel
DCSA's initial investigation backlog fell to approximately 100,000 cases in January 2026, down 65% from the start of 2025 and from a peak of 725,000 in 2018. Over 3.8 million cleared personnel are now enrolled in continuous vetting, replacing periodic reinvestigations. However, GAO warned DCSA faces an 'identity crisis' amid congressional scrutiny over Trusted Workforce 2.0 implementation delays, and 90th-percentile Tier 5 investigations still take approximately 9 months.
Analysis
Prior briefs consistently tracked the DCSA backlog decline. The 100K figure represents the lowest inventory since the 2014 OPM breach triggered the investigation crisis. However, GAO warnings about Trusted Workforce 2.0 implementation delays suggest the improvement may not be sustainable.
Prior briefs consistently tracked the DCSA backlog decline. The 100K figure represents the lowest inventory since the 2014 OPM breach triggered the investigation crisis. However, GAO warnings about Trusted Workforce 2.0 implementation delays suggest the improvement may not be sustainable.