Suitability Training Offered by Suitability Executive Agent Programs

Pursuant to 5 CFR 731.202(d), all persons responsible for suitability screening, review, or making suitability determinations must be trained in accordance with the National Training Standards (NTS) for Suitability Adjudicators. Agency training records consistent with the NTS must be maintained and made available to OPM upon appraisal request (SFPM Volume 7.2.2).

Suitability Executive Agent Programs provides training on suitability determination and action procedures. Training announcements can be found on the following links:

• Fundamentals of Suitability for Suitability and Fitness Adjudicators
• Suitability Action Procedures for Suitability Adjudicators
• Suitability Training for HR Professionals

These training programs are compliant with the National Training Standards for Suitability Adjudicators.

Suitability Executive Agent Programs also provides pre-recorded on-demand training.

The Fundamentals of Suitability for Suitability and Fitness Adjudicators (Fundamentals) is a five day instructor-led course providing a foundational understanding of adjudicating character and conduct using the criteria outlined in Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 731. It is designed for personnel responsible for:

• Making suitability determinations under OPM delegation, or
• Making fitness determinations using 5 CFR 731 standards.

The course aligns with the Fundamental Level objectives of the National Training Standards for Suitability Adjudicators.

Upon course completion, attendees will:

• Know how to identify suitability concerns
• Understand and apply criteria and procedures for assessing an individual’s suitability or fitness 
• Identify need for additional information to substantiate or resolve an issue
• Exercise suitability/fitness reciprocity

Course Offerings:

To check availability of a specific class please click the “register here” link. Courses are announced based upon demand; if there is no course available, please email us at SuitEATraining@opm.gov.  Please note: The content covered in this course reflects the final rule for Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 731, published on June 30, 2026.

The course is held from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time Zone)

Prerequisites:

Successful completion of the online Introduction to Suitability course is required prior to attendance. Access is given to registrants approximately two weeks prior to the course start date. The Introduction to Suitability course takes approximately three hours to complete.

Registration:

Registration is limited to current Federal employees in the Executive Branch who have responsibility for making or assisting with suitability or fitness determinations. Federal contractors with responsibility for supporting an agency’s suitability/fitness adjudication process may also register for the course if sponsored by the Federal agency.  To register, please select an available class and complete the registration form by clicking the “Register Here” link.  Registrations will only be accepted with a valid government email for both the registrant and supervisor.  Please note the registration deadlines for each course.  You will receive a registration confirmation email once your supervisor approval form is returned. This form is emailed to you when your registration request is processed.  You will also receive a calendar invite for the Q&A session (held the week prior to the course) that will contain information on how to access the session, as well as the course materials and Introductory course link. This course must be accessed and completed exclusively on government-owned and operated devices. There is no tuition fee for this course. Please email SuitEAtraining@opm.gov or call 202-599-0090, Option 3, with any questions. 

Canceling your Attendance:

If you need to cancel your registration for any reason, we ask that you do so as soon as possible so others can fill your spot.  You can cancel by using the hyperlink at the bottom of your registration confirmation email. 

This four-day instructor-led course provides an in-depth study of the basis and application of suitability action procedures as described in title 5, Code of Federal Regulations Part 731 for positions in the competitive service, positions in the excepted service that non-competitively convert to the competitive service, and career appointments to the Senior Executive Service (SES).

The course is designed to train personnel security professionals on how to take suitability actions under 5 CFR 731.

During this course students will:

• Learn the procedural requirements for proposing and taking final suitability actions
• Evaluate the probative weight of evidence to consider when proposing or taking a suitability action.
• Learn how to write proposed action letters and consider answers.
• Understand how to prepare materials relied upon requests.
• Determine appropriate actions and apply required procedures for final action letters.
• Recognize appeal procedures.

This course is compliant with the Advanced level objectives of the National Training Standards for Suitability Adjudicators.

Course Offerings:

We are not scheduling SAPSA courses at this time. In anticipation of upcoming regulatory changes to 5 CFR Part 731, we have made the decision to pause course offerings to ensure that our curriculum and materials reflect the most current suitability standards.  We expect to resume classes in FY 27. We appreciate your patience and encourage you to check back for updates as new course dates become available.

The course is held from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time Zone)

Prerequisites:

This course is open to current Federal employees in the Executive Branch with responsibility for taking suitability actions under OPM delegation in cases involving competitive service or career SES positions. Agency suitability action procedures are described in 5 CFR Part 731 subpart D and involve issuing written notification of the proposed and final actions. A suitability action is one or more of the following: cancellation of eligibility; removal; cancellation of reinstatement eligibility; and debarment.

Attendees must have successfully completed training compliant with the Introduction and Fundamental level objectives of the National Training Standards for Suitability Adjudicators.

Registration:

To register, please select an available class and complete the registration form by clicking the “Register Here” link.  Registrations will only be accepted with a valid government email for both the registrant and supervisor.  Please note the registration deadlines for each course.  You will receive a registration confirmation email once your supervisor approval form is returned.  This form is emailed to you when your registration request is processed.  You will also receive a calendar invite for the Q&A session (held the week prior to the course) that will contain information on how to access the session, as well as the course materials. Please email SuitEAtraining@opm.gov or call 202-599-0090, Option 3, with any questions. There is no tuition fee for this course.

Canceling your Attendance:

If you need to cancel your registration for any reason, we ask that you do so as soon as possible so others can fill your spot.  You can cancel by using the hyperlink at the bottom of your registration confirmation email. 

Suitability Training for Human Resources (HR) Professionals

Please note: The content covered in this course reflects the final rule for Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 731, published on June 30, 2026, and will not be effective until July 30, 2026.

This virtual instructor-led course is designed to help HR professionals recognize when conduct issues they become aware of at their agency may fall under Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 731 — the federal suitability regulation.

Upon completion, attendees will be able to identify the ten suitability factors and recognize when employee conduct may implicate one or more of them; describe what post-appointment conduct is and when it must or may be referred to OPM; understand what is required when an agency wants to refer a post-appointment conduct case to OPM to take a suitability action, including the agency's role in coordinating with Personnel Security; and explain the basic sequence of a suitability action from proposed action letter through appeal. This course is offered exclusively to government employees and government contractors and is not intended for personnel security specialists or suitability adjudicators, who should attend the Fundamentals of Suitability for Suitability and Fitness Adjudicators Course.

Registration: Registrations will only be accepted from individuals who provide a government email address for themselves and their supervisor on the registration form.

Cancellations: If you need to cancel, please do so at least three weeks in advance so others may have the opportunity to register.