During a suitability investigation, where does the Investigative Service Provider (ISP) find the specific criteria they are required to collect information about?

• A. The criteria are outlined in 5 CFR Part 733: Fitness and Conduct.
• B. The criteria are outlined in 5 CFR Part 731: Suitability and Fitness.
• C. The criteria are outlined in 5 CFR Part 731A: Suitability and Fitness Records.
• D. The criteria are outlined in 5 CFR Part 105: Adjudication.

Answer: (B)

The standards used in a suitability investigation are defined in 5 CFR Part 731. This regulation, titled Suitability and Fitness, lays out the criteria agencies use to judge whether someone is suitable for federal service and what information investigators must gather to support that judgment. In other words, the ISP looks to Part 731 to understand exactly what factors and questions to address during the collection process. Other parts touch on related areas—for example, Part 733 covers fitness and conduct more generally, Part 731A describes how suitability and fitness records are kept, and Part 105 deals with adjudication procedures—but the actual criteria the investigator uses to determine suitability come from Part 731.