DCSA receives industry fingerprints electronically through its Secure Web Fingerprint Transmission system (SWFT). Its guidance says fingerprints may be captured electronically or on ink FD-258 cards, but hard cards must be converted to an electronic file before they are submitted. The FSO at your sponsoring company is the person who submits them. DCSA’s fingerprints page explains the process.
In practice that means one of two things. Either your FSO asks you for FD-258 cards, which they convert and submit, or they send you to a provider whose equipment is registered to transmit to SWFT for them. We provide FD-258 cards. If your FSO needs an electronic file sent through a SWFT-registered provider, tell us before you book and we will confirm whether we can meet that requirement, so you do not make a wasted trip.
Contractors who are not in a clearance investigation, but need a fingerprint-based check for site access or a federal badge, are often asked for FD-258 cards directly. Bring the agency’s instructions and any ORI number. Our FD-258 fingerprinting and corporate fingerprinting pages cover the details.