My opinion of CIO review being final is based on THEIR words in the PER they sent everyone:
"Based on a review of the information you have provided, your application has received a positive final determination of eligibility for processing"
You note that sentence does not have the suffix "unless we decide to change our minds again when we send it to our other office, in which case it's not final".
As I say, I think they are on potentially dodgy legal grounds, and certainly on dodgy grounds with regards procedural fairness, in saying someone passed a final eligibility review, mailing it to another office, and then saying they failed.
Wayne.