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
Public records like this are where Longlead starts: it reads federal and state signals to infer which upcoming projects will need your specific scope — delivered as a cited evidence dossier with your confidence and a lead-time window, 12–24 months before it surfaces as a named solicitation. 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.