A. General. All competitive Federal service positions must be designated at a position risk level commensurate with the public trust responsibilities and attributes of the position as they relate to the efficiency of the Federal service in accordance with the Federal Personnel Manual (FPM) Chapter 731. The suitability risk levels are ranked according to the degree of adverse impact on the efficiency of the Federal service that employment of an unsuitable person could cause.
B. Risk Designation System. This system is used to determine position risk levels and to assure that positions are designated uniformly and consistently. The Risk Designation System procedures are detailed in FPM Chapter 731, Appendix A.
2.2 Designating National Security Position Sensitivity.
A. General. All positions requiring access to classified information must be designated at national security sensitivity levels in accordance with the requirements of FPM Chapter 732.
B. Sensitivity Designation System. This system is used to determine position sensitivity levels. The national security criteria in FPM Chapter 732 and the position risk criteria in FPM Chapter 731 are used together to arrive at the final position designation.
2.3 Relationship Between Suitability Risk Levels and National Security Sensitivity Levels. Suitability (FPM Chapter 731) factors must be reviewed for every Federal service position. Positions must also be reviewed and designated for national security requirements (FPM Chapter 732). When a position requires a national security clearance, the standards and position sensitivity designation procedures in FPM Chapter 732 may apply in full or together with the public trust criteria of FPM Chapter 731.
2.4 Automated Data Processing (ADP) Position Risk Criteria. All positions involving ADP duties should be evaluated against the criteria for ADP risk in addition to the public trust criteria in accordance with FPM Chapter 731.
2.5 Redesignations.
A. Service positions previously designated will not require redesignation until positions are vacated and refilled, or reclassified. Designations must follow the procedures in FPM Chapter 731 for suitability risk designations and in FPM Chapter 732 for national security sensitivity designations.
B. If the risk level or sensitivity of the position has changed, the incumbent may remain in the position, but the investigation required by the new risk level or sensitivity must be initiated within 14 working days after redesignation is final.
C. In no case will positions be designated at a lower level and later redesignated at a higher level in order to circumvent investigative requirements.
D. A new investigation may not be required as a result of the redesignation of levels of position risk or position sensitivity. However, a Periodic Reinvestigation (PRI) is required for Special Sensitive (SS), Critical Sensitive (CS), and Non-Critical Sensitive (NCS) (national security) and High Risk (HR) and Moderate Risk (MR) (public trust) positions. Periodic reinvestigations will meet the requirements of FPM Chapters 731 and 732.
2.6 Conversion of Designations Between Risk/Sensitivity Levels.
A. Positions that were previously designated as sensitive but were not granted a national security clearance (i.e., no access to classified information) will be considered to fall under the position risk levels below. The positions that were previously granted a national security clearance should remain at the same position sensitivity level.
B. Conversion Table.
(1) SS and CS = HR.
(2) NCS = MR.
(3) Non-Sensitive = Low Risk.
2.7 Documenting and Updating Designations.
A. Servicing personnel offices will maintain a record of the suitability and security designation process. A Position Designation Record form (FPM Chapter 731, Appendix A, or 440 DM 3), will be completed by the supervisor, or other authorized authority, for each position. Position risk and sensitivity designations should be assigned in conjunction with servicing personnel offices in order to ensure uniformity and consistency.
B. The completed Position Designation Record form will be maintained with the original position description and Optional Form (OF)-8 in the personnel office.
C. Position risk and sensitivity designations will be reflected on the Standard Form (SF)-52 and SF-50 (or facsimile of information contained in automated systems for SF-52's and SF-50's).
D. The Position Risk Designation Record form is subject to review by the Office of Personnel Management and the Division of Personnel Management, during a Personnel Management Evaluation in order to ensure positions are properly designated.
E. The Position Designation Record form, OF-8s, and the personnel/payroll system information will be completed or updated in the following situations:
(1) When a new position is established;
(2) Changes to the duties of a position require the position sensitivity or risk level to be raised or lowered;
(3) Changes to the duties of a position require the position to be identified to denote ADP involvement; or
(4) The level of program risk changes as a result of reorganization
that in turn affects the level of position sensitivity or risk.