What is the intended benefit of consolidating investigations into Three Investigative Tiers?

• A. To complicate the vetting workflow.
• B. To reduce number of personnel.
• C. To accelerate processing times, reduce duplication and complexity in the investigative process, and improve workforce mobility.
• D. To delay adjudications.

Answer: (C)

Consolidating investigations into Three Investigative Tiers is about creating a streamlined, standardized vetting framework that aligns effort with risk. By categorizing investigations into three levels, the process focuses resources where they’re most needed and avoids unnecessary work for routine cases.

This approach speeds things up because the tiered system guides investigators and adjudicators to apply proportionate procedures, reuse information where permissible, and minimize redundant steps. It reduces duplication and complexity by standardizing data collection, verification, and documentation across tiers, so the same information isn’t gathered multiple times in different contexts.

It also improves workforce mobility. With consistent criteria and processes across agencies, personnel can move between roles or organizations with greater ease, because the tier framework provides a common understanding of what is required at each level and how cases should be handled. In short, accelerating processing times, cutting duplication and complexity, and enabling mobility are the intended benefits of this consolidated approach.