Score any screening vendor across 32 weighted criteria — accreditation, data quality, turnaround, technology, candidate experience, security, support, and commercial terms. Get a 100-point weighted result with a letter grade, then export it to PDF or Word or email it to a colleague.
Set up the assessment
Score the vendor
Rate each criterion on the evidence the vendor actually produced — a certificate, a report, a demo — not on what a sales deck claims. Unanswered criteria score zero, so the total stays conservative until you have proof. 0 of 32 criteria scored.
Accreditation & compliance
Weight 18 pts
NBSAB Accreditation (current, verifiable)
Ask for the accreditation certificate and expiration date, not just a logo.
Documented FCRA compliance program
Written §1681e(b) maximum-possible-accuracy procedures, dispute SOP, and annual training records.
Adverse action workflow built into the platform
Pre-adverse notice, report copy, CFPB Summary of Rights, configurable waiting period, final notice.
State and local law layer maintained
Ban-the-box, salary history, cannabis, and lookback rules updated by jurisdiction — with a change log.
Data quality & sources
Weight 18 pts
Primary-source county court research, not database-only
Database hits should be confirmed at the court of record before reporting.
Direct court access breadth
Number of courts searched directly and how non-digital counties are covered.
Identity-matching and accuracy controls
Full-identifier matching, expungement scrubs, and documented QA review before release.
Specialty searches available in-house
MVR, DOT/FMCSA, healthcare sanctions (OIG/SAM/FACIS), education and employment verifications, international.
Turnaround & operations
Weight 14 pts
Published turnaround averages by search type
Not a single blended number — ask for county criminal, verifications, and MVR separately.
Verified performance against the published number
Request a 90-day report of actual completion times for accounts like yours.
Escalation path for stalled searches
Named owner, defined SLA, proactive notification instead of a status page.
Volume capacity and seasonal surge handling
How they staff peaks without turnaround degradation.
Technology & integrations
Weight 12 pts
Native ATS/HRIS integration for your stack
Confirm the integration exists for your specific ATS version, and who maintains it.
Documented API and XML/webhook ordering
Order entry, status callbacks, and result retrieval with real developer documentation.
Usable dashboard, roles, and permissions
Multi-location, multi-user, role-based access with audit logging.
Analytics and exportable program reporting
Volume, turnaround, dispute, and spend reporting you can export.
Candidate experience
Weight 10 pts
Mobile-first applicant flow
Complete consent and data entry on a phone with no app download.
Multi-language disclosures and support
At minimum Spanish-language FCRA disclosure, authorization, and Summary of Rights.
Candidate status visibility
Applicants can see where their report stands without calling your HR team.
Fast, documented consumer dispute handling
Reinvestigation SOP, stated turnaround, and free file disclosure process.
Security & privacy
Weight 12 pts
SOC 2 Type II report available under NDA
Type II, current period, with no material exceptions in scope areas you care about.
Defined retention windows, secure destruction, and your ability to request deletion.
State privacy law readiness
CCPA/CPRA and other state consumer privacy obligations, plus subprocessor disclosure.
Support & service model
Weight 8 pts
Named account representative
A person, not a ticket queue — with a direct line and backup coverage.
Live support hours matching your hiring hours
Confirm coverage across your time zones and peak ordering windows.
Implementation and training plan
Documented go-live plan, admin training, and refresher training for new HR staff.
Client references in your industry and size band
Talk to two current clients with comparable volume and complexity.
Pricing & contract terms
Weight 8 pts
Transparent, itemized pricing
Per-search pricing with court access and third-party pass-through fees disclosed up front.
No platform, seat, or minimum-volume fees
Watch for setup fees, monthly platform fees, and annual minimums.
Reasonable term and exit terms
No auto-renew traps; clear termination notice and data return on exit.
Insurance and indemnification
E&O/cyber coverage limits and FCRA indemnification language reviewed by counsel.
Evaluator notes
Your result
Unnamed vendor
0/100Grade F
Do not proceed. The compliance and accuracy exposure outweighs any price advantage.
Accreditation & compliance0 / 18 pts
Data quality & sources0 / 18 pts
Turnaround & operations0 / 14 pts
Technology & integrations0 / 12 pts
Candidate experience0 / 10 pts
Security & privacy0 / 12 pts
Support & service model0 / 8 pts
Pricing & contract terms0 / 8 pts
Detailed scoring
Evaluator: —
Accreditation & compliance (18 pts)
NBSAB Accreditation (current, verifiable) — Not scored
Documented FCRA compliance program — Not scored
Adverse action workflow built into the platform — Not scored
State and local law layer maintained — Not scored
Data quality & sources (18 pts)
Primary-source county court research, not database-only — Not scored
Direct court access breadth — Not scored
Identity-matching and accuracy controls — Not scored
Specialty searches available in-house — Not scored
Turnaround & operations (14 pts)
Published turnaround averages by search type — Not scored
Verified performance against the published number — Not scored
Escalation path for stalled searches — Not scored
Volume capacity and seasonal surge handling — Not scored
Technology & integrations (12 pts)
Native ATS/HRIS integration for your stack — Not scored
Documented API and XML/webhook ordering — Not scored
Usable dashboard, roles, and permissions — Not scored
Analytics and exportable program reporting — Not scored
Candidate experience (10 pts)
Mobile-first applicant flow — Not scored
Multi-language disclosures and support — Not scored
Candidate status visibility — Not scored
Fast, documented consumer dispute handling — Not scored
Security & privacy (12 pts)
SOC 2 Type II report available under NDA — Not scored
Encryption in transit and at rest — Not scored
Data retention and destruction policy — Not scored
State privacy law readiness — Not scored
Support & service model (8 pts)
Named account representative — Not scored
Live support hours matching your hiring hours — Not scored
Implementation and training plan — Not scored
Client references in your industry and size band — Not scored
Pricing & contract terms (8 pts)
Transparent, itemized pricing — Not scored
No platform, seat, or minimum-volume fees — Not scored
Reasonable term and exit terms — Not scored
Insurance and indemnification — Not scored
Export or share the report
How to run the assessment
Send the same questions to every finalist. Use the criteria below as your RFP question set so answers are comparable side by side.
Ask for artifacts, not assurances. The PBSA certificate, the SOC 2 Type II report under NDA, a 90-day turnaround export, and the written dispute SOP.
Score independently, then reconcile. Have HR, legal, and IT score separately and discuss any criterion where scores differ by two or more points.
Attach the export to the file. Save the PDF or Word report with your procurement record — it documents a reasoned vendor selection if your program is ever challenged.
Frequently asked questions
What should a background check vendor score to be shortlisted?
Treat 80 as the shortlist floor and 90 as ready-to-contract. Anything under 70 has material gaps in accreditation, accuracy controls, or security that will surface later as disputes, delays, or liability.
Which categories should carry the most weight?
Accreditation and data quality carry 18 points each here because those two drive report accuracy and FCRA exposure. Price carries 8 — the cheapest vendor is rarely the cheapest outcome once re-runs, disputes, and delayed starts are counted.
Can I change the weights?
The tool uses a fixed 100-point model so results stay comparable across vendors and across teams. If your program has an unusual driver — heavy DOT volume, for example — note it in the evaluator notes and weight the specialty-search criterion in your own discussion.
Is the emailed report stored anywhere?
The scorecard is scored entirely in your browser. Emailing sends only the summary you see above to the address you enter, and nothing is retained for marketing.
