Global Investigative Services
Global Investigative Services is a PBSA-accredited background screening provider founded in 1993, offering criminal checks, drug testing, social media screening, and tenant screening via a TazCloud-based SaaS platform integrated with 50+ ATS/HRIS systems, serving employers across 9+ verticals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersRockville, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Global Investigative Services does
Global Investigative Services, Inc. is a privately held background screening provider founded in 1993 and headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The company delivers pre-employment and post-hire screening services including criminal and civil background checks, identity verification, employment and education verification, drug testing, driving record searches, DOT/FMCSA-compliant screening, social media screening, tenant screening, and international searches spanning 200+ countries. Its core delivery platform is built on TazCloud infrastructure (TazWorks, a Meridianlink company), providing cloud-based SaaS access with integrations into 50+ ATS, HRIS, and PMS systems, enabling clients to order checks directly from their existing software workflows. The company supplements its core screening with a proprietary Background Check Cleared Program (workforce certification badge with monthly monitoring), a consumer-facing Self Check product ($29.99–$79.99 tiers), and a Strategic HR Solutions advisory sub-brand.
The company's revenue model combines per-check transaction fees (enterprise and self-check), recurring subscription revenue from continuous criminal monitoring, and professional services fees from HR consulting. It serves a diversified vertical base including education, healthcare, transportation, staffing, financial services, government, hospitality, construction, retail, and residential property management. The firm holds PBSA accreditation (since 2017) and certifications including GDPR, EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, PCI DSS, and SOC. Marc Linchuck acquired 100% ownership and became CEO on July 23, 2021, after previously co-leading the company's digital transformation beginning in 1996-1998.
Global Investigative Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Global Investigative Services
- Legal name
- Global Investigative Services, Inc.
- Website
- https://gispi.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Global Investigative Services is a PBSA-accredited background screening provider founded in 1993, offering criminal checks, drug testing, social media screening, and tenant screening via a TazCloud-based SaaS platform integrated with 50+ ATS/HRIS systems, serving employers across 9+ verticals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Global Investigative Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Background Screening Services
- NAICS
- Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611), Investigation and Security Services (5616)
- SIC
- Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Global / International Background Screening (BPACALAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Investigations & Background Screening Services (IMAIAEAK), Digital/Online Investigations & OSINT (Non-cyber) (BPAKAEAF)
Keywords
Where Global Investigative Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rockville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Global Investigative Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Background Screening Services: Core revenue stream from conducting background checks on job applicants and employees. Services include criminal background checks, civil searches, identity verification, employment verification, education verification, drug testing, driving record searches, and social media screening. Revenue generated on a per-search or per-package basis.
- Self-Check Packages: Individual background check packages sold directly to consumers for personal use (not employment screening). Packages range from Basic ($29.99) to Advanced ($54.99) to Secure ($79.99) with additional fees of $1.00 to $96.00 for county-specific court fees.
- Strategic HR Solutions: Professional services including HR strategy consulting, recruitment optimization, training and development programs, leadership development, performance management systems, employee engagement initiatives, benefits administration, and recognition programs.
- Ongoing Criminal Monitoring: Continuous criminal monitoring services for enrolled employees, alerting clients to new criminal information and changes to existing records. Typically billed on a subscription or per-employee per-month basis.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Self-Check Basic - Social Security Verification, Address History, National Criminal Database Search, National Sex Offender Search |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Self-Check Advanced - All Basic searches plus Global WatchList and County Criminal Search based on current residence |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Self-Check Secure - All Advanced searches plus Federal Criminal search and National Wants & Warrants Search |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Enterprise Background Screening - Custom pricing based on volume, service mix, and client requirements |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Global Investigative Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Global Investigative Services is a PBSA-accredited background screening firm founded in 1993 that delivers cloud-based pre-employment and tenant screening services. Its offerings span criminal and civil background checks, identity verification, employment and education verification, driving record searches, drug testing, DOT-compliant screening, social media screening, tenant screening, and international searches across more than 200 countries, all delivered through a TazCloud-based SaaS platform that integrates with major ATS, HRIS, and PMS systems.
Product overview
Global Investigative Services offers a unified cloud-based background screening platform built on TazCloud infrastructure, integrating with applicant tracking systems and HRIS software. The core product portfolio centers on Criminal & Civil Background Checks, Identification Screening Services, Reference and Credentialing Verification, Driving Record Searches, Drug Testing and Physicals, DOT Background Checks, Social Media Screening, Tenant Screening, and International Screening Searches spanning over 200 countries. The platform is supplemented by the Background Check Cleared Program (a certification add-on enabling businesses to display workforce screening badges), Self Check (a consumer-facing individual background check service with Basic, Advanced, and Secure tiers), and Strategic HR Solutions (a sub-brand offering HR advisory services including talent attraction, development, and retention programs). All services are delivered via a SaaS platform that processes thousands of requests daily through thousands of connections to data sources, court researchers, and third-party providers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Criminal & Civil Background Checks
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 90% of candidates complete the background check application process once started
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Global Investigative Services
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments10 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Global Investigative Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration47 records
AI capability8 records
Feature5 records
Global Investigative Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PBSA (Professional Background Screening Association)coreGlobal is an accredited member of PBSA (formerly NAPBS), which serves to represent the interest of companies offering employment and background screening. PBSA offers opportunities to participate in shaping the body of knowledge and regulations impacting the industry. PBSA accreditation is a widely-recognized seal of approval for commitment to excellence through high professional standards.
- SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management)coreSHRM promotes the role of HR as a profession and provides education, certification, and networking to its members while lobbying Congress on issues pertinent to labor management.
- Rockville Chamber of CommerceminorThe Rockville Chamber of Commerce works to promote a healthy and vibrant economy while protecting and advancing the interest of their members and the community as a whole.
- Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce (MCCC)minorMCCC provides an effective voice for a diverse, innovation-driven economy to ensure business success. Through effective advocacy, programs and events, MCCC helps its members succeed in business.
- TazWorkscoreTazWorks, a Meridianlink company, is a leading provider of software, third-party integrations and intelligence tools for the background screening industry. The TazWorks Software runs on TazCloud, a state-of-the-art cloud-based technology infrastructure that is scalable, sure and efficient. Global's platform integrates with TazWorks for screening applications.
- Form I-9 CompliancecoreForm I-9 Compliance was the first federally-approved Designated Agent of the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration for electronic Form I-9 employment verifications. Provides error-detecting electronic Form I-9, secure online storage, proactive notifications of expiring work authorizations, and comprehensive I-9 consulting services.
- Quest DiagnosticscoreQuest Diagnostics provides clients with a network of drug testing collection sites and whose labs are certified to meet all government requirements for testing and collection by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
- LabcorpcoreLab Corp provides clients with a network of drug testing services and whose labs are certified to meet all government requirements for testing and collection by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
- CIP GroupminorCIP Group is a dynamic force in Employee Benefits, Retirement, HR Consulting, and Payroll Services, committed to excellence and innovation.
- EANE (Employers Association of the NorthEast)minorEANE is the go-to resource for employers seeking practical solutions to help build engaged, well-managed and low-risk workplaces through human resources and management advice, survey data, ready-to-use HR templates, training and consulting.
- CompLyonsHRminorCompLyonsHR provides tailored Human Resources Services to clients throughout every phase of the employee journey.
- BMI HR AdvisorsminorBMI HR Advisors provides expert level HR leadership to improve execution and establish scalable operations. They help organizations reduce risk, improve performance, and prepare for growth.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Global Investigative Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Accurate Background: Accurate Background is a mid-market background screening company serving employers, staffing agencies, and property managers with comparable services including criminal checks, verifications, and drug testing. Similar positioning to GIS with broader national reach.
- Checkr: Checkr is a venture-backed, API-first background screening platform serving employers, staffing firms, and the gig economy. Directly comparable to GIS because both deliver criminal, employment, and identity checks integrated into ATS/HR systems, though Checkr operates at vastly greater scale.
- HireRight: HireRight is a global background screening, drug testing, and workforce solutions provider serving employers across multiple verticals. Directly comparable to GIS in product mix and customer profile, with deeper international scale and corporate backing.
- Sterling (Sterling Talent Solutions): Sterling provides enterprise background screening, identity, and credentialing services across regulated industries including healthcare and transportation. Closely comparable to GIS in product breadth, PBSA accreditation, and vertical coverage, but with much larger enterprise footprint.
Emerging players
- Certn: Certn is an emerging background screening platform focused on developer-friendly APIs and fast turnaround. Comparable product positioning to GIS for SMB and mid-market employers, but with more modern technology and venture backing.
- Truv: Truv provides consumer-permissioned employment and income verification, listed as a partner of GIS. Overlaps with the employment verification portion of GIS offerings and represents a more modern, API-first approach to verification.
- Ferretly: Ferretly is a social media background screening provider using AI and human review, listed as a GIS technology partner. Directly comparable on the social media screening product line and serves similar compliance use cases under FCRA.
Broad incumbents
- ADP Screening & Selection Services: ADP offers background screening as part of a much broader HR and payroll suite. Comparable background check product but bundled into a dominant HR services platform; competes in RFPs against GIS for mid-market employers.
- First Advantage: First Advantage is a large, publicly relevant background screening and identity verification provider with global scale across enterprise and government. Overlaps extensively with GIS in regulated verticals but operates as a broad incumbent with far more resources.
Others
- TazWorks: TazWorks (MeridianLink company) is the underlying software platform GIS uses via TazCloud. It is a technology infrastructure peer/enabler; smaller screening agencies license TazWorks rather than build competing platforms.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Global Investigative Services social profiles
Digital presenceGlobal Investigative Services compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Global Investigative Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Global Investigative Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Global Investigative Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Global Investigative Services M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Global Investigative Services
What does Global Investigative Services do?
Global Investigative Services is a PBSA-accredited background screening firm founded in 1993 that delivers cloud-based pre-employment and tenant screening services. Its offerings span criminal and civil background checks, identity verification, employment and education verification, driving record searches, drug testing, DOT-compliant screening, social media screening, tenant screening, and international searches across more than 200 countries, all delivered through a TazCloud-based SaaS platform that integrates with major ATS, HRIS, and PMS systems.
Is Global Investigative Services a public or private company?
Global Investigative Services is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Global Investigative Services founded?
Global Investigative Services was founded in 1993. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Global Investigative Services based?
Global Investigative Services is headquartered in Rockville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Global Investigative Services make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Background Screening Services are the primary driver. The others are self-Check Packages, strategic HR Solutions and ongoing Criminal Monitoring.
Who are Global Investigative Services's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Accurate Background, Checkr, HireRight and Sterling (Sterling Talent Solutions). Emerging players are Certn, Truv and Ferretly. Broad incumbents are ADP Screening & Selection Services and First Advantage. TazWorks is listed as an others.
Does Global Investigative Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for Global Investigative Services.
What industry is Global Investigative Services in?
Global Investigative Services's product category is Background Screening Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACALAI, Global / International Background Screening, with a secondary code of IMAIAEAK, Investigations & Background Screening Services. Its NAICS code is 561611 and its SIC code is 7381.