In collaboration with multiple industry leaders, NAMFS spearheaded the creation of a centralized background check solution — a standardized, trusted process endorsed for all NAMFS members.

The original working group brought together NAMFS, Wells Fargo, First Advantage, and Aspen Grove Solutions, uniting expertise across lending, compliance, and technology. NAMFS recognized the critical importance of leading this effort to represent the best interests of our members and the broader field services community — then, now, and into the future.

A Single, Unified Standard

The primary objective was clear: to establish one universal background check process that could be adopted across the industry. This unified approach eliminates redundant screenings and inconsistent requirements that often burden national, regional, and local providers. It also ensures that varying compliance levels from individual clients are captured within a single, industry-wide standard.

While background checks are just one element of a strong vendor management program, this initiative significantly enhances professionalism, accountability, and trust within the mortgage field services supply chain. By adopting the Industry Standard Background Check, members demonstrate their commitment to maintaining a safe, reliable, and transparent industry. NAMFS remains actively engaged in managing and evolving this program through ongoing communication and issue monitoring to keep members informed and compliant

Transition from Aspen Grove to ShieldHub

In early 2024, the long-standing Aspen Grove background check platform transitioned to ShieldHub, marking a major modernization of the industry’s compliance and credentialing infrastructure. This evolution reflects a move from a single-vendor model toward a technology-driven, vendor-neutral hub that emphasizes portability, scalability, and efficiency.

What Changed and Why It Matters

The familiar Aspen Grove ABC# has been replaced with a new digital credential — the ShieldID™ — which maintains your verified background check while streamlining how credentials are shared and managed. ShieldHub itself is not a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA). Instead, it partners with accredited background check providers to manage verification workflows and issue ShieldIDs. Contractors now benefit from a “buy once, use everywhere” model — a single background check that can be shared with all participating clients and partners without redundant re-screenings. The new ShieldScore™ feature provides continuous monitoring and real-time credential visibility, helping servicers and vendors maintain compliance with less administrative overhead. Legacy users from Aspen Grove have been guided through a seamless transition, with tools for account transfer, renewal, and data continuity to ensure uninterrupted credential verification.

A Modernized Compliance Framework

With ShieldHub’s adoption, the NAMFS Industry Standard Background Check enters a new era — one centered on interoperability, data integrity, and member efficiency.  This change reinforces the shared commitment across the mortgage field services community to maintain high ethical and operational standards, protecting both clients and contractors through transparent, unified compliance practices.