Executive Order 13869: Transferring Responsibility for Background Investigations to the Department of Defense
President: Donald J. Trump
Moved the main responsibility for federal personnel background investigations to the Defense Department and amended related security-vetting orders, with a transition from the prior provider.
Status: In effect. Sources: Official source · Official source.
Is Executive Order 13869 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 13869 of April 24, 2019 remains unrevoked. The transfer to the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency took effect October 1, 2019, and the order's amendments assigning DCSA continuing background-investigation responsibilities remain operative.
What does Executive Order 13869 do?
EO 13869 assigned DOD responsibility for conducting background investigations for federal personnel and contractors, with the Office of Personnel Management retaining specified policy and oversight roles.
Later evidence reviewed September 24, 2026: The Defense Department announced completion of the transfer of the National Background Investigations Bureau’s mission from OPM to the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency. Defense Department transfer announcement.
Before and after
Before the order
The Office of Personnel Management conducted the affected background investigations.
After the order
The Defense Department announced completion of the transfer of the National Background Investigations Bureau’s mission from OPM to the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency.
Who had to do what
| Agency / official | What the signed order directed | Deadline / timing |
|---|---|---|
| Secretary of Defense | Rename DSS as DCSA; establish the Personnel Vetting Transformation Office; agree with OPM on support-function transfers, begin receiving personnel/resources, and safeguard and modernize vetting IT/data. Consult DNI, OPM, and OMB before later renaming or specified reassignment. Coordinate the transfer with OPM, report status through OMB, and notify the President when complete. | Written agreement and transfer start by June 24, 2019; status report by June 24 and every 180 days until complete; begin transition even if agreement is late |
| Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency | Become the primary federal background-investigation entity for classified access/sensitive positions, DOD suitability/fitness/credentials, and other federal suitability/fitness/credentials following OPM delegation. Continue industrial-security and assigned continuous-vetting/insider-threat work; perform other authorized investigations and provide Council performance/IT/capacity information. | Primary investigation responsibilities by June 24, 2019; transitional NBIB investigations allowed through September 30, 2019 |
| Director of the Office of Personnel Management | Delegate other federal investigations; promptly establish performance standards/oversight; inventory NBIB resources; agree with Defense on transferred support functions; reassign resources, support DCSA, and immediately start agreed transitions. Coordinate NBIB personnel, finances, contracts, and organization during transition; finish designated transfers and revoke NBIB delegations. Oversee suitability, fitness, and credential investigations through the Defense Secretary, including applicable policies and OPM regulations. | Delegation, inventory, and agreement by June 24, 2019; final transfer/revocation by September 30, 2019; begin specified actions from June 24 if agreement is late |
| Director of the Office of Management and Budget | Facilitate transfer of personnel/resources; support centralized DOD investigation funding, mediate Defense–OPM disputes, and prepare a funding plan with them; concur in transferred funding determinations. | During transfer and as needed; Defense status reports pass through OMB |
| Security Executive Agent / Director of National Intelligence | Oversee DCSA classified-access/sensitive-position investigations; consulted on transfer and specified later renaming/reassignments. | As investigations and transfer proceed |
| Personnel Vetting Transformation Office | Assist transfer while considering other stakeholder-agency input. | Established upon finalization of the Defense–OPM agreement |
| Agencies with DSS or NBIB references | Revise their regulations, rules, and other documents to reflect DCSA or the designated successor. | As soon as practicable |
| Security, Suitability, and Credentialing Performance Accountability Council principals | Review federal employee/contractor vetting laws, regulations, orders, and guidance; recommend legislative, regulatory, and policy changes to the President through the Council chair. | By July 24, 2019 |
Source: Signed Federal Register text.
What happened next
EO 13869 signed; its Federal Register publication followed.
The Defense Department announced completion of the transfer of the National Background Investigations Bureau’s mission from OPM to the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
The Federal Register record identifies EO 13869, its title and signing date. The Defense Department announced completion of the transfer of the National Background Investigations Bureau’s mission from OPM to the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency. The linked source supports this particular later event; it does not establish every present legal or operational effect.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
- Defense Department transfer announcement (opens in a new tab) Official record
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on September 24, 2026. How we research →