OMB: Agencies HSPD-12 postings improve

The majority of federal agencies have posted at least some information related to Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12, as required, but still need to improve their performance, the Office of Management and Budget has said.

"HSPD-12 is part of the administration's overall plans to enhance security and is closely aligned with other ongoing security initiatives and plans for improving physical security to implement recommendations of the 9/11 Commission," said Karen Evans, administrator for e-government and Information technology at OMB.

HSPD-12 requires agencies to carry out background checks and issue secure identification credentials to many agency employees and contractors who have access to agency locations.

As of March 1, agencies had completed background investigations on 59 percent of employees -- or more than 2.5 million. The investigations were complete for more than 500,000 contractors or about 42 percent of the total, OMB said..

Agencies are expected to document their plans for integrating physical and logical access control systems with the use of the credentials, according to OMB.