What background checks are typically required for government contractors?

Requirements vary by agency, contract type, and access level. Federal contracts commonly require criminal history checks, identity verification, and employment verification at minimum. Contracts involving access to classified information, sensitive facilities, or critical infrastructure may require additional checks. We help you map the right screening to the right contract requirements.

Do you support screening for roles that may eventually require security clearances?

Background checks through 3rd Degree Screening support the pre-employment due diligence stage. For roles requiring federal security clearances, our screening complements but does not replace the government adjudication process. We help you establish a strong baseline before the formal clearance process begins.

How do you handle screening for roles with access to sensitive citizen data?

We recommend our most comprehensive packages for roles handling sensitive data, including federal criminal screening, identity verification, employment history verification, and where appropriate, credit checks. We also offer ongoing workforce monitoring for roles where a post-hire incident creates immediate exposure.

Can you support multi-agency or multi-department screening programs?

Yes. Our platform supports complex organizational structures and can be configured to apply different screening standards to different departments, roles, or access levels within a single agency or contractor organization.

How does adverse action work in a government hiring context?

FCRA adverse action requirements apply to government hiring just as they do in the private sector. We manage the full pre-adverse and adverse action notice workflow so your HR and legal teams have a compliant, documented process at every step.

Government

Background Checks for Government Agencies and Contractors That Meet the Standard Public Service Demands

Screen every civil servant, contractor, and vendor with a process built for the transparency, accountability, and regulatory rigor that government hiring requires.

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Government and public service professional in a cream blazer

PBSA-accredited screening

Independently audited

For compliance & accuracy

PBSA Accredited

Background Screening Association

FCRA Certified Staff

Fair Credit Reporting Act

100% US-Based

Support and Operations

Licensed Private Investigative Agency

State-Licensed & Bonded

Why it matters

Public Trust Is Not an Abstract Concept. It Starts With Who You Hire.

Government agencies and their contractors operate under a level of public scrutiny that no private employer faces. Every hiring decision is subject to oversight, audit, and in many cases, public records requests. The people you put in positions of public authority handle sensitive citizen data, manage public funds, and in some roles carry legal powers that demand an unimpeachable vetting process.

For government contractors, the stakes are equally high. Federal and state contracts routinely require documented background screening as a condition of award, and a failure to maintain compliant screening practices can result in contract termination, debarment, or civil liability.

Beyond compliance, there is a simpler obligation: the public deserves to know that the people serving them have been properly vetted.

At 3rd Degree Screening, we help government agencies and contractors:

Screen civil servants, contractors, and vendors under one consistent compliant workflow

Meet federal and state contract screening requirements with documented, auditable processes

Run thorough criminal history, watch list, and identity checks for all public-facing and sensitive roles

Verify credentials, licenses, and employment history for technical and supervisory positions

Support ongoing workforce monitoring for roles with access to sensitive data or public funds

Screening Packages

Our Government Screening Packages

Civil Servants & Public Officials

Elected Staff, Agency Employees & Public Administrators

Legal Name and Maiden/Alias
Identity Verification
Social Security Trace
USA Arrest Booking
Nationwide Criminal Database
Global Watch Lists
Nationwide County Criminal Record Check - Unlimited
Federal Criminal Nationwide Search
Employment Verification
Education Verification
Credit Check
*Possible 3rd Party Fees

Law Enforcement & Public Safety Support

Civilian Support Staff, Dispatchers & Corrections Personnel

Legal Name and Maiden/Alias
Identity Verification
Social Security Trace
USA Arrest Booking
Nationwide Criminal Database
Global Watch Lists
Nationwide County Criminal Record Check - Unlimited
Federal Criminal Nationwide Search
Employment & Education Verification
Professional License Check
Drug Screening
*Possible 3rd Party Fees

Government Contractors & Vendors

Third-Party Contractors, Consultants & Vendors with Government Site Access

Legal Name and Maiden/Alias
Identity Verification
Social Security Trace
USA Arrest Booking
Nationwide Criminal Database
Global Watch Lists
Nationwide County Criminal Record Check - Unlimited
Federal Criminal Nationwide Search
Employment Verification
*Possible 3rd Party Fees

A La Carte

Legal Name and Maiden/Alias
Identity Verification
Employment Verification
Education Verification
Credit Check
Professional License Check
Civil Records Check
Drug Screening
Federal Criminal Nationwide Search
Workforce Monitoring - Criminal Record

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90%

reports in under 36 hours

99%

support requests resolved in 1 contact

9.5 years

average client tenure

50+

integrations

Why Choose Us

Why Government Agencies and Contractors Choose 3rd Degree Screening

Audit-ready documentation for every screening

Government hiring is subject to oversight in ways private sector hiring simply isn't. We give you a complete, auditable record of every check run, every consent obtained, and every adverse action taken so you're ready when the auditors arrive.

Federal and state contract compliance support

Many government contracts specify background check requirements as a condition of award or site access. We help you configure a screening process that satisfies those requirements and documents compliance at every step.

Comprehensive federal criminal screening

Civil servants and contractors with access to sensitive government systems, facilities, or data require federal criminal screening that goes beyond a standard county-level check. Every relevant package includes a federal criminal nationwide search.

Credit checks for roles managing public funds

Positions with oversight of government budgets, procurement, or financial systems warrant employment credit checks. We apply them to the right roles with the proper FCRA disclosure and consent process.

Drug screening for public safety roles

Law enforcement support staff, corrections personnel, and other public safety adjacent roles operate in environments where drug screening is a standard condition of employment. We integrate it into the right packages automatically.

No setup fees, monthly minimums, or term commitments

Whether you're a municipal agency or a large federal contractor, you pay only for the checks you run.

Frequently Asked Questions

Public Service Starts With Public Accountability. Build a Hiring Process That Reflects Both.

Protect your agency, your contracts, and the communities you serve with a PBSA-accredited screening partner that understands what government hiring actually requires.

Talk to a Screening Specialist

Government screening specialist ready to help you build an accountable hiring process

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