Many OPFs grow to over two inches thick (the top U. S. Customs and Border Protection contender at headquarters alone is believed to be six inches thick). Why - because OPFs contain copies of every personnel action processed for you along with your original health and life insurance benefit forms and Thrift Savings Plan election forms and several of your beneficiary forms.

The list goes on—employment applications, position descriptions, college transcripts and marriage certificates, certificates of investigation, and much more. Needless to say, this is quite a volume of paper considering that every one of CBP’s 40,000 plus employees has an OPF. Since this is a “paper” process, it presents quite a storage challenge and slows access for employees.

With automation, times are quickly changing. CBP was on the leading edge of innovation with the automated SF-50 notification process and is now working to deliver a new technology initiative called the e-OPF by the end of the year. This electronic OPF will provide you with quick online access to your personnel records when you need them. It will replace the current hardcopy OPF and will be available to you 24/7.

Once the e-OPF is up and running:

• You will be able to review or print your official personnel records online, at home, or at work to verify its accuracy.
• You will receive an automatic e-mail notification when documents are added to your folder.
• Your records will be more accurate and transfer faster if you move to another agency.

CBP, along with the rest of DHS, is forging ahead to make e-OPF a reality. We are excited about putting this new technology at your fingertips, and will keep you informed about developments and how to access e-OPF when it becomes available to you by the end of the year.