The memo says that agencies making fitness determinations shall grant reciprocal recognition to a prior favorable fitness or suitability determination when:
* he gaining agency uses criteria for making fitness determinations equivalent to suitability standards established by OPM,
* the prior favorable fitness or suitability determination was based on criteria equivalent to suitability standards established by OPM, and
* the individual has had no break in employment since the favorable determination was made.
Agencies may deny reciprocity if the new position requires a higher level of investigation than previously conducted for an individual.
Under the order, reciprocity would not apply to fitness determinations made by contractors on their own employees.
