Which entity may carry out a suitability action on behalf of the employer?

• A. The President
• B. The Department of Homeland Security
• C. OPM or an agency with delegated authority under 5 CFR 731 subparts C and D
• D. The DoD

Answer: (C)

The ability to carry out a suitability action on behalf of the employer comes from formal delegation of authority. Under 5 CFR 731 subparts C and D, agencies may delegate their suitability adjudicatory responsibilities to the Office of Personnel Management or to another agency that has been granted that authority. This framework standardizes investigations and determinations and ensures a neutral, centralized process for making suitability decisions. The President does not perform day-to-day suitability adjudications for agencies, and while DHS or DoD have their own processes, they only act on behalf of their own organizations or within delegated authority. Therefore, the appropriate entity is OPM or any agency that has been granted delegated suitability authority under those regulations.