The Commission recommends that all actors involved with the appointments and confirmation process adopt a more streamlined, online system for collecting and distributing applicant background data. If enacted, such a system would dramatically decrease the burden placed on nominees while improving efficiency for all those involved in the vetting and confirmation processes. The goals and functionality for such a system are outlined below in Exhibit 4:

Exhibit 4

[Download a printable version here]

Performance goals:

• Less burden on the potential nominees

• Faster delivery of background information to Congress, the White House, the FBI, Diplomatic Security, and the Office of Government Ethics, as appropriate

• Fewer errors of omission.

Desired functionality: The electronic system shall ensure the existence and operation of a single, searchable smart form, which will:

• Be free to the nominee and easy to use

• Make it possible for the nominee to answer all vetting questions one way, one time

• Secure the information provided by the nominee

• Allow for multiple submissions over time, but always in the format requested by the vetting organization

• Be compatible across different computer platforms

• Make it possible to easily add, modify, and/or subtract vetting questions;

• Allow error checking

• Let the user track his/her progress in providing the required information

 Desired implementation: no later than June, 2012