The revised FIS established a new investigative model that aligns requirements into how many tiers?

• A. Four tiers
• B. Five tiers
• C. Six tiers
• D. Three tiers

Answer: (B)

This item asks you to understand how the revised FIS organizes its requirements using a tiered investigative approach. The model uses five tiers, providing a graduated path from baseline to more rigorous levels of review. This five-tier structure allows investigators to scale the depth of assessment to risk and context: lower tiers cover essential elements applicable to all programs, while higher tiers introduce additional criteria, documentation, and evidence requirements for more complex or sensitive situations. Five tiers strike a balance between enough granularity to differentiate levels of effort and manageability in administration. Four tiers would miss some distinctions, six tiers could add unnecessary complexity, and three tiers might be too coarse to address varying risk profiles—so five is the most effective choice for organized, scalable oversight.