Security Executive Blog

Facility Security Clearances A defense contractor is a business entity that has registered to contract with the US Government and has registered with the Central Contractor Registration. A Cleared Defense Contractor (CDC) is the designation of a U.S. Government Contractor facility that has been granted a Facility Clearance, authorizing them to perform on classified contracts. An uncleared defense contractor may bid on a classified contract without possessing an FCL. However, they must be cleared before getting access to the classified contract. Many defense contractors may find it difficult to find and compete for classified contracts. They may have a unique skill that is hard to identify contracts requiring those skills. But this should not be a showstopper as uncleared defense contractor may partner with or team with an existing CDC for sponsorship. For example, suppose a major defense contractor is performing on a classified contract for engineering support. Their core compe...

Add caption How are security clearances granted? Why does the Government grant them? How does the Government assign classification levels? Who is eligible? First of all, classified information must be protected. Part of the protection is to ensure only properly investigated and vetted cleared employees with need to know get access granted. According to the latest Executive Order, employees should not be granted access to classified information unless they possess a security clearance, have a need to know to get it, received an initial security briefing and have signed a nondisclosure agreement.  Some clarifications should be made concerning who actually gets them. Those granted include the businesses and their employees. Defense contractor are business entities and employees are the people who work there. When a defense contractor gets granted access to classified information, they are then called Cleared Defense Contractors (CDC). Once they have their clearance, then the e...

Opportunities abound in the defense industry where every job discipline requires a security clearance to perform on the contracts. Classified contracts require services that include staffing, janitorial, graphic design, accounting, finance and more. Technical experience is needed as well with mechanics, software designers, engineers, program managers and their support. For the unfamiliar the security clearance process may seem daunting. The lack of information of how to get started, the required forms, interviews, waiting, and expectations can make the entire experience out of the individual's control. However, there is a well-established and efficient process that the government undertakes and you can be in as much control of the experience as possible. A Little Background Whether or not in college, gainfully employed outside of the defense industry, or starting a business, as the reader, you are interested in gaining a security clearance and starting a profession with t...

Study for certification with our latest study guide. http://www.redbikepublishing.com/ispcertification/ Jeffrey W. Bennett, ISP is the owner of Red Bike Publishing Red Bike Publishing . He regularly consults, presents security training, and recommends export compliance and intellectual property protection countermeasures. He is an accomplished writer of non-fiction books, novels and periodicals. Jeff is an expert in security and has written many security books including: "Insider's Guide to Security Clearances" and "DoD Security Clearances and Contracts Guidebook", "ISP Certification-The Industrial Security Professional Exam Manual", and NISPOM/FSO Training".

Check out our new video and then pre-order your book on security clearances. http://www.redbikepublishing.com/insidersguide/ Jeffrey W. Bennett, ISP is the owner of Red Bike Publishing Red Bike Publishing . He regularly consults, presents security training, and recommends export compliance and intellectual property protection countermeasures. He is an accomplished writer of non-fiction books, novels and periodicals. Jeff is an expert in security and has written many security books including: "Insider's Guide to Security Clearances" and "DoD Security Clearances and Contracts Guidebook", "ISP Certification-The Industrial Security Professional Exam Manual", and NISPOM/FSO Training".

http://www.redbikepublishing.com/dodsecurityclearancesandcontracts/ Once a defense contractor is granted a facility clearance, they can begin to prepare to perform on the  classified contract . This preparation could identify potential additional costs. The costs associated with performing on classified contracts will vary by contract and depends on whether or not the Cleared Defense Contractor (CDC) is a possessing or non-possessing facility. The possessing facility is one that performs classified work at the CDC location and may require the storage of classified documents or material on site.  Depending on the contract, this could involve purchasing multiple security containers or acquiring large storage areas for oversized material such as weapons systems or computers. For non-possessing facilities, this does not require the storage of classified information at the CDC. However, the organization will provide cleared employees to perform classified work at loc...

People often ask the question: "How do I get a security clearance? Or how can my business get a security clearance?" My first response is market yourself. There's nothing you can do about getting a security clearance until somebody sees value in your product or your service and sponsors the business for a security clearance.  Value is simply someone who has a tangible need for a particular product or service and they want to put you on contract already classified contract to be able to use your products or services.  There are many jobs that require security clearance or services and some of those jobs include janitorial services, engineering services, secretarial, you name it. There are many opportunities out there to get a security clearance. However, one cannot just get a security clearance in preparation for the work. The work offer comes first.  The first step is to be sponsored by a federal government entity, a government contracting agency  (GCA) or ...

Red Bike Publishing is excited about adding a new resource to assistant you with your NISPOM studies. It's an online test of 110 random NISPOM questions with a 2 hour time limit. Though this is not guaranteed to give you a passing grade, this can be used as a practice test for the ISP Certification or the ISOC certification exam. Just visit the link and sign up for the online exam . All you need is to register for the practice test and have a pdf copy of NISPOM available and you are ready to go.  The practice exam has 110 multiple choice NISPOM questions and is timed for 120 minutes. You can take it up to 20 times in a six month period as you study for the actual exam day. Each time you test, the questions and answers will appear in random order. Give it a try . For practice purposes, download the electronic version of the NISPOM and use it to help search the answers to the provided test questions. Use a timer to count down 120 minutes for each practice exam. Register for...

We recently spoke with Rhonda of Safe Renewal about their new business model of restoring security containers and giving them bold new lives. “We prefer to call them safes as opposed to security container”, she reminds me again. “The word, safe just provides a more comforting tone than the more clinical description of GSA Approved Security Container. Because we are providing a “safe” place to keep classified documents.” In fact she shows me a banner with the Safe Renewal mission printed in fancy lettering: Refurbishing old safes for new purposes. Safe Renewal is looking for customers, in the Facility Security Officer (FSO) discipline who would like to provide security containers a zippy new look. “The traditional metallic and gray safes are so drab. That’s why I found it very hard to work in the FSO and security environment. Drab grays, oranges, blues, and reds, traditionally reflective of classified environments and markings always made me feel, well, blue.”  Rhond...

The skill of storytelling is one of the most successful methods of conveying a message. Public speakers, teachers, and mentors draw on personal experience to relate to their audiences. Performed with skill and confidence a story can enhance training by making tasks teachable and relatable to the audience. However when the message is misrepresented or poorly delivered with bad storytelling, the messenger becomes the focus as they lose credibility and the good message is obscured. Storytelling for the purposes of this article does not necessarily mean creating a work of fiction or spinning a tale. The term storytelling is used as an example to assist with creating a logical flow of tasks conducted to complete a function. For example, a bad story teller may say, “protect classified information or else you could be fired or worse.” A good story teller will convey the task of introducing, using, storing, and destroying classified information throughout its lifecycle in a logical sequ...

We spoke with former Counter-Spy and Author John W. David about his experiences with cold war espionage and applying it to counter the insider threat . John has written two books, Rainy Street Stories and Around the Corner . Both are essays of his experiences with the cold war, terrorism, and espionage. John offers several anecdotes and shares past experience of how he has recognized spies and those who would recruit insiders. He weaves relevant stories in the podcasts that are still applicable to a successful insider threat program. Listen to the podcast to hear two of many major points on running Insider Threat Programs. Here are two points to get started: 1. Develop a culture of security by walking around. Security managers should get away from their desks and meet the employees that can work as risk management and security force multipliers. The employees should be comfortable with the office staff and understand what expectations are. One of the primary results o...

Cleared defense contractors provide the technology and know-how that delivers products and services to our defense industry. CDCs and be a prime contractor or subcontractor and are contracted to support government organizations. The designation of CDC indicates that the organization is a government contractor with a facility clearance and is made up of employees with personnel security clearances. With classified contracts, the CDCs are required to protect their government customer’s classified information while performing on classified contracts. The CDCs are part of the National Industrial Security Program (NISP). The National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) provides guidance on how to perform on classified contracts. The guidance includes topics such as employee responsibilities, required training, continuous evaluation, maintaining security clearance, and much more. The Defense Counter-Intelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formally known as DSS provid...