Electronic Fingerprint Capture Options for Industry

The purpose of this document is to outline the options available for cleared companies listed in the Industrial Security Facilities Database to submit electronic fingerprint files to the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) for National Industrial Security Program (NISP) applicants. DMDC provides the Secure Web Fingerprint Transmission (SWFT) system enabling industry users to upload electronic fingerprints and demographic information for applicants requiring a background investigation for a personnel security clearance. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) receives the hardcopy fingerprints and scans the fingerprints to an Electronic Fingerprint Transmission Specification (EFTS) file to forward to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Paper-based capture, submission and processing of fingerprints are prone to errors and are time consuming as they are mailed to OPM. The SWFT system eliminates the manual paper process (hardcopy fingerprints), expedites the clearance process, and provides end-to-end accountability for Personally Identifiable Information (PII) data.