5 C.F.R. § 731.105

(a) OPM or an agency acting under delegated authority may take a suitability action in connection with any application for, or appointment to, the competitive service or career Senior Executive Service. In the case of an appointee, OPM or an agency may consider conduct occurring prior to the appointment or occurring post-appointment to serve as the basis for the action.

(1) OPM's or an agency's authority to complete a suitability action continues when an application is withdrawn, when an offer of employment is withdrawn, or when an appointee separates from employment. OPM's authority to complete a suitability action continues when an employee separates from employment.

(2) OPM's or an agency's authority to take a suitability action includes the case of an application for or appointment to the competitive service or career Senior Executive Service from another type of position when a prior investigation is being reciprocally accepted as described in § 731.104(a).

(b) OPM may take a suitability action under this part against an applicant or appointee based on the criteria in § 731.202. When the basis for the action is post-appointment conduct, OPM may take a suitability action against an appointee only when there is a proper and sufficient referral by the head of the appointee's employing agency, or designee.

(c) Except as limited by § 731.103(c), (e), and (g), an agency, exercising delegated authority, may take a suitability action under this part against an applicant or appointee based on the criteria of § 731.202.

(d) Only OPM may take a suitability action under this part against an employee in the competitive service or career Senior Executive Service based on the criteria of § 731.202. When the basis for the action is post-appointment conduct, OPM may take a suitability action against an employee only when there is a proper and sufficient referral by the head of the employee's employing agency, or designee.

(e) An agency may not take a suitability action against an employee in the competitive service or career Senior Executive Service. If the agency has information that an employee's conduct warrants an unfavorable suitability determination, the head of the agency, or designee, may make a proper and sufficient referral to OPM, as specified in OPM issuances as described in § 731.102(b). OPM will review the referral and may take a suitability action if warranted under this part.

(f) Nothing in this part precludes an agency from taking an adverse action under the procedures and standards of part 752 of this chapter, or from terminating a probationer under the procedures of part 11 or part 359 of this chapter or under agency specific authorities. An agency must notify OPM to the extent required in § 731.103(e) and (g) if it wants to take, or has taken, action under these authorities. OPM retains the right to take a suitability action even in those cases where the agency makes an adjudicative determination under another authority.