I  took a polygraph with the secret service.  several months later after no response from them, I received a letter in the mail that makes no reference to a polygraph and reads:

"This letter is to inform you that your application for XX  position with the U.S. Secret Service has been processed.   

Your application was reviewed along with those of other candidates who applied for the XX position. I regret to advise you that, after careful evaluation, you were not selected for further consideration.  I realize that non-selection may be a disappointment but wish to emphasize that it is not necessarily a negative reflection of your qualifications.  We appreciate....."

What type of letter is this?  Do people not passing the polygraph get this type of letter?  Or did they compare me to other and I was not qualified enough?
I' later polygraphed for another agency..and this may have affected the other agency I polygraphed because I told them I did not pass the SS.  I was honest, calm and answered all the questions but they sent me a letter about "not being within parameters".

Your advice/experience would help.

Thank you,

Yoda

Yoda,

I am sorry to learn of your experience.

The letter you describe above is the famous "Better Qualified Applicants" or BQA letter. This is the only written communication that the Secret Service sends to applicants expelled from the process for failing the polygraph.

If you have yet to do so already, I would read the sections on how to appeal your dismissal in The Lie Behind the Lie Detector. Although you will likely have little success in your appeal, you do not want the last thing left in your HQ file to be paperwork describing how you failed the polygraph with no letter of appeal following it. Although the Secret Service is not widely known to share information regarding your failed polygraph with other agencies, it's still not a good idea to let this go uncontested.

The terms “not being within parameters” appear to imply that the second agency you applied with was the FBI. I would file a written appeal here as well.