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EO 13741Executive OrderObama · D Quiet signal

Executive Order 13741

Amending Executive Order 13467 To Establish the Roles and Responsibilities of the National Background Investigations Bureau and Related Matters

This executive order establishes the National Background Investigations Bureau (NBIB) within the Office of Personnel Management as the primary federal provider of personnel background investigations, while assigning the Department of Defense responsibility for designing, operating, and securing the underlying IT systems. It also mandates governance reforms to clarify executive authorities over security, suitability, and credentialing vetting processes.

Federal Register Open PDF 81 FR 68289

Impact dates

  1. Council review and update of executive-level authorities across vetting enterprise

  2. Council submission to President of recommendations on EO updates, consolidation, and governance changes

Key directives

  • Establish NBIB as primary executive branch investigative service provider for background investigations
  • Require NBIB to be headquartered in or near Washington, D.C.
  • Require NBIB to have dedicated resources including senior privacy official
  • Assign Secretary of Defense responsibility to design, develop, deploy, operate, secure, and modernize NBIB IT systems
  • Secretary of Defense to operate database containing security clearance data per explicit delegation from OPM Director
  • Council to review and update executive-level authorities within 90 days
  • Council to submit presidential recommendations on updating, clarifying, or replacing Executive Orders 10450 and 12968
  • Council to recommend creating Credentialing Executive Agent
  • Council to recommend establishing definition of 'vetting' as overarching construct
  • Amend Executive Order 12171 to replace Federal Investigative Services Division with enumerated OPM subdivisions including NBIB

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • NBIB established within OPM
  • DoD assumes IT system responsibilities for background investigations
  • Existing delegations of investigative authority remain in effect

Near term (90d)

  • Council must review and update executive-level authorities across vetting enterprise
  • Council must submit presidential recommendations on EO updates and consolidation

Long term

  • Potential consolidation of multiple executive orders governing security and suitability
  • Creation of Credentialing Executive Agent
  • Establishment of unified 'vetting' framework

Risks & tensions

  • Dual-hat structure creates tension: OPM owns NBIB mission but DoD controls IT infrastructure, requiring explicit delegation for database operations
  • Interdependency between OPM and DoD may create accountability gaps or operational friction in practice
  • Vague scope of 'continuously update and modernize' IT systems lacks metrics or enforcement mechanism
  • Council recommendations are advisory only—no mandatory presidential action required
  • Subject to appropriations availability, creating funding uncertainty for implementation
Executive Order 13741: Amending Executive Order 13467 To Establish the Roles and Responsibilities of the National Background Investigations Bureau and Related Matters · Executive Orders