Reference · Secure facilities & shielding
SF-86
Questionnaire for National Security Positions
The SF-86 (Questionnaire for National Security Positions) is the form an individual completes to apply for a security clearance. It captures the detailed personal history — residences, employment, foreign contacts, finances — that a background investigation then verifies.
What it is
A standardized questionnaire, usually submitted electronically through the e-QIP / eApplication system, that starts the personnel security investigation for access to classified information.
Why it exists
It gives investigators a consistent, comprehensive basis for evaluating an applicant's trustworthiness and eligibility for a clearance.
Who it applies to
Individuals seeking a national-security clearance — including contractor employees who need one to perform on a classified contract.
Frequently asked
What is the SF-86 form?
The SF-86 is the Questionnaire for National Security Positions — the form an individual fills out to apply for a security clearance. It collects a detailed personal history that a background investigation verifies, and is usually submitted electronically through e-QIP.
Sources
This one is background: it shapes the market Longlead works, though it isn't itself a demand signal. Longlead reads public federal and state records to infer which projects will need your scope, delivered as a cited qualification brief with confidence and lead time, typically 9–18 months before a named solicitation on major projects. You make the call, from your own channels; nothing leaves the system.
Or just see what Longlead finds for your scope.
Tell us what you sell and what you don't, and see the demand Longlead is inferring for you right now.