Facility Security Clearances and the Federal (User) Agencies

The National Industrial Security Program (NISP) is essentially a program that safeguards classified

national security information that federal agencies entrust to industry. These federal agencies (also

known as User Agencies) procure goods and services from companies and other organizations. The

elements within those User Agencies that handle those acquisition (i.e. contracting) functions are called

Government Contracting Activities (GCAs).

When a GCA issues a contract to an organization that involves accessing classified national security

information, a government agency must work with that organization to ensure the proper protection of

that classified information. Those government agencies with security cognizance (called Cognizant

Security Agencies in the NISP) consist of the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory

Commission, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Department of Defense (DoD). The first three

CSAs have their own procedures for protecting classified information. This Web site focuses on the

procedures used by the Department of Defense. The Department of Defense delegates security oversight

of its classified contracts to the Defense Security Service. In addition to all Department of Defense

components, the following federal/user agencies delegate security oversight to the Defense Security

Service:

• Department of Justice (DoJ)

• Federal Reserve System

• General Accounting Office

• Department of State

• General Services Administration

• Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

• Department of Treasury

• Department of Commerce

• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

• Department of Labor

• Small Business Administration

• National Science Foundation

• Department of Transportation

• Department of the Interior

• Department of Agriculture

• Environmental Protection Agency

• Department of Education

• U.S. Trade Representative

• U.S. International Trade Commission

• U.S. Agency for International Development

• Department of Health and Human Services

• Federal Communications Commission

• Nuclear Regulatory Commission

• Office of Personnel Management

• National Archives and Records Administration

• Overseas Private Investment Corporation

• Department of Housing and Urban Development • Millenium Challenge Corporation