Hand Carrying Classified Information

This article continues the series covering the Self-Inspection Handbook For NISP Contractors and guidance found in the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) Incorporating Change 2.

Question:
Are couriers, hand carriers, and escorts properly briefed?

Answer:
NISPOM 5-410. Use of Couriers, Hand Carriers, and Escorts. Contractors who designate cleared employees as couriers, hand carriers, and escorts shall ensure:

a. They are briefed on their responsibility to safeguard classified information.

b. They possess an identification card or badge which contains the contractor's name and the name and a photograph of the employee.

Classified information should not be hand carried unless approved by the government. When authorized to do so, cleared defense contractors should designate or appoint a cleared employee and enable them to hand carry the material. However, before transporting the classified information, there are some requirements the courier must meet prior to the event.

Hand carrying classified information may be convenient, but should be well thought out and planned prior to execution and known risks should be considered. Some questions the FSO should ask and answer are:

When does information have to be accessed by the receiver? (Overnight, in a week, the day after tomorrow?)

What mode of transportation will be used? (Private vehicle, commercial bus, plane, train, or other?)

Who will hand carry the information?

How long will the transportation take?

The mode of transportation, length of travel, skill level of cleared employee, and other factors should be included in the risk equation.

Prior to using cleared employees, the FSO should also:

Ensure the cleared employee has the security clearance and need to know and is briefed on how to protect the classified material while it is in their custody.

The briefing can leverage information found in the initial security briefing and annual security refresher briefing. These briefings address fundamental security subjects such as classification levels and reporting requirements and would need to be enhanced with information from the risk assessment. Additional information should include how to wrap and prepare the classified information for transport, numbers to call in case of emergency, where to store classified information if overnight stay is required, how to pass through security at airports, and who to deliver that classified information to.

In short the courier should understand that classified information is in their control at all times and not relinquished until receipts are exchanged at the destination.

Validation:

Review list of designated or appointed couriers

Review training of all designated couriers

Review courier briefing topics

Review and compare signatures of couriers who have attended training and briefings

                                                           

NISPOM and Classified Shipments

This article continues the series covering the Self-Inspection Handbook For NISP Contractors and guidance found in the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) Incorporating Change 2.  

Prior to sending classified information via commercial carriers, the holder of the classified information should gain approval of the intent to ship and the method of shipment.  Once the approval is gained, the shipper should properly prepare the product and coordinate the shipment with the government, shipper, and receiver.

Question:

Are classified shipments made only in accordance with the NISPOM or instructions from the contracting authority?

Answer:

NISPOM 5-408 addresses SECRET Transmission by Commercial Carrier.  In an earlier article, “shipping Classified Information with Commercial Carriers”, we discussed the coordinating shipping with the DSS, government customer, and carriers. We also covered the GSA website listing approved commercial carriers. This article assumes approval to ship by commercial has been coordinated and begins the process of preparing the classified information for shipment.

Discussion:

Classified material should be prepared for transmission to provide protection against compromise. Consider the requirements for packaging classified information for shipment as discussed in the article, “Preparing Classified Information for Shipment”, for those details.

Preparation:

As with smaller packages that are easily wrapped in envelopes and boxes, larger items such as weapon systems, vehicles, equipment and etc. should be prepared similarly with hardened containers or equivalent unless the government authorizes an alternate solution.

The shipper should request and receive all necessary approvals from the government. The government should provide the shipper with the approved carrier and routing instructions from the point of classified material pick up to the destination. Finally, the shipper should coordinated the shipment with the carrier and the intended receiver

Where the classified item(s) constitute a full, load, compartment, crate, vehicle or other final packaging that segregates items from other items in a shipment, numbered seals are required.  The numbers are also written on the bill of lading for tracing and accountability at the receiving end. Any discrepancies with seals, bills of lading, or inventory should be further investigated and reported consistent with receiving any classified information.

According to NISPOM 5-408 the BL should be annotated with the following wording: DO NOT BREAK SEALS EXCEPT IN CASE OF EMERGENCY OR UPON PRIOR AUTHORITY OF THE CONSIGNOR OR CONSIGNEE. IF FOUND BROKEN OR IF BROKEN FOR EMERGENCY REASONS, APPLY CARRIER'S SEALS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY BOTH THE CONSIGNOR AND THE CONSIGNEE.

Also on the BL: CARRIER TO NOTIFY THE CONSIGNOR AND CONSIGNEE (Telephone Numbers) IMMEDIATELY IF SHIPMENT IS DELAYED BECAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT. IF NEITHER CAN BE REACHED, CONTACT (Enter appropriate HOTLINE Number). USE HOTLINE NUMBER TO OBTAIN SAFE HAVEN OR REFUGE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE EVENT OF A CIVIL DISORDER, NATURAL DISASTER, CARRIER STRIKE OR OTHER EMERGENCY.

And,

PROTECTIVE SECURITY SERVICE REQUIRED, on all copies of the BL and maintain the in a suspense file to follow-up on overdue or delayed shipments.

Consistent with any classified transmission (mail, fax, courier) the contractor (sender) notifies the consignee (receiver and any U.S. Government Transhipper) of the shipment details including the 5 W’s, specifically:

·         nature of the shipment

·         transportation

·         numbers of the seals, if any

·         anticipated time and date of arrival by separate communication at least 24 hours in advance

As with classified mailing (see article “Preparing Classified Information For Shipment”) the notification should be provided to the address as found in the Industrial Security Facilities Database; identifying the organization, office, entity and not a person.

Reception:

Request that the consignee activity (including a military transshipping activity) notify the consignor of any shipment not received within 48 hours after the estimated time of arrival indicated by the consignor.

Validation:

1. Keep copies of the following government documents:

• Approval to ship
• Routing instructions
• Approved carriers

2. Keep signed shipping receipts and bills of lading

ISP Certification and NISPOM Questions

Get your copy @ www.redbikepublishing.com

If you are serious about advancing in your field, get ISP certified. Some are reluctant to take the test, but they just need the confidence earned through practice. Here's a way to get 440 practice questions.

First, to meet minimum test requirements an applicant should have five years experience working in the NISPOM environment. If that’s you, then you are a technical expert and know the business of protecting classified information.

Second, study the NISPOM and use sample questions to practice, practice, and practice. It can help you prepare for the test. Using practice tests to augment your ISP exam preparation can help. According to reader comments and emails to the author, many who have bought our book, NISPOM flashcards, and ISP Test Tips to augment their preparation have performed very well on the exam.

Taking practice tests is the best way to prepare for an exam. Successful students in grade school and college study using guides and exam preparation questions based on the test subject material. This same successful methodology can also help prepare for professional exams like ISP Certification and SPeD Certification. DSS has study material and tests available for those who enrol, NCMS has test study material as well.

Practice tests augment certification exam preparation. Red Bike Publishing's Unofficial Study Guide features four complete test length practice exams based on NISPOM. It could help you pass the ISP and SPeD certification exams.

Try these questions to see how you do:

1. Required training under the Initial Security Briefing will include which of the following:
a. Threat awareness
b. Reporting obligations
c. Cleared Facility Orientation
d. A and b 
e. All the above


2. All contractor requests for interpretations of the NISPOM shall be forwarded through the _____ to the _____.
a. FBI, CSA
b. DSS, CSA
c. DSS, FBI
d. CSA, DSS
e. CSO, CSA (NISPOM 1-106)


3. FSO qualifications include being a _____ and _____.
a. U.S. Citizen, cleared as part of FCL 
b. U.S. Citizen, exempt from clearance
c. U.S. Citizen, certified as ISP
d. U.S. Citizen, attended college

e. U.S. Citizen, cleared to SCI

Scroll Down For Answers

1.    Required training under the Initial Security Briefing will include which of the following:

a.            Threat awareness

b.            Reporting obligations

c.             Cleared Facility Orientation

d.            A and b (NISPOM 3-106)

e.             All the above

2.    All contractor requests for interpretations of the NISPOM shall be forwarded through the _____ to the _____.

a.            FBI, CSA

b.            DSS, CSA

c.             DSS, FBI

d.            CSA, DSS

e.             CSO, CSA (NISPOM 1-106)

3.    FSO qualifications include being a _____ and _____.

a.            U.S. Citizen, cleared as part of FCL (NISPOM 1-201)

b.            U.S. Citizen, exempt from clearance

c.             U.S. Citizen, certified as ISP

d.            U.S. Citizen, attended college

e.             U.S. Citizen, cleared to SCI

So how did you do? These questions and more can be found in Red Bike Publishing's Unofficial Guide to ISP Certification, DoD Security Clearance and Contracts Guidebook, as well as in NISPOM Training. Both resources provide excellent study material that may help with passing the ISP and SPeD certification exams.

According to reader comments and emails to the author, many who have bought this book, the ISP Test Tips, and used our techniques to augment their preparation have performed very well on the exam.