Security Clearance Justification and FSO training

We are having a security clearance webinar. FInd more information here:
https://www.redbikepublishing.com/securityclearanceseminar/

This podcast is based on information from our NISPOM fundamentals course at https://www.bennettinstitute.com

Podcast discusses:
Holding a security clearance is a privilege. The awardee is able to perform on classified contracts where they would not otherwise be able. However, some defense contractors mistakenly assume that they can request a Facility Security Clearance (FCL) for business development purposes or to better position themselves future classified contract opportunities. Though that is not how FCLs are awarded, there is a process and methodology to justify the FCL. 

 The FSO has marching orders to develop and implement security programs to protect classified information. But, how effective is security policy if it is written by security and posted only in the security office?     Identify items, events, and issues that security can help withLook at upcoming contracts, business development goals, program requirements and then implement NISPOM guidelines.

Conduct NISPOM training, and maintain classified documents. The FSO is designated to approve and implement policy that supports administrative requirements.–     .See more in our books "Insider's Guide to Security Clearances" and "How to get U.S. Government Contracts and Classified Work"
Required training – This instruction helps the FSO establish an ongoing training program designed to create an environment of security conscious cleared employees.

More in depth online and residence NISPOM training is available in each above mentioned topic.

NISPOM Central
Providing security clearance books, training, and resources for cleared defense contractors.

Clearance, NISPOM, and FSO Consulting
Thrive Analysis Group Inc is your resource for security clearance, NISPOM, and FSO consulting.

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Transcript

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SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to DOD Secure, and I'm your host, Jeff Bennett. We appreciate you joining us again today. If this is your first time, welcome. If you're a repeat customer, we're so glad to have you. Today we're going to discuss a few things that might be important to managing security clearances or security programs to protect classified information. The first one we're going to look at three ways that FSOs can justify facility security clearances. And this goes with assisting with the justification or the sponsorship. When a facility is sponsored for security clearance, they need to provide justification to their sponsor. This will show you how to do that. Also, there's a three-pronged attack, FSO should consider in getting a seat at the decision-making table at their enterprise. And finally, we'll be looking at required training for FSOs. What the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency requires their FSOs to go through. So if you're a facility security clearance disappointed or desiring to be an FSO or a clear defense contractor, one of the requirements you have is to be trained and have that Facility Security Officer Program Management training under your belt. And so this discussion will show you what is required in that training. So welcome and we will get started. Now, a well-documentation justification indicates that the contractor is or will be required to work on those classified contracts. The justification should include information regarding the nature of the work to be performed that requires the company to have access to that classified information. So some ways to justify include using the DD Form 254. Now this lists exactly what a cleared company is going to be expected to do and how they're expected to perform on the contract. It provides the name of the company, the organization uh from DCSA that's covering it, the storage level, the clearance level, the place that the classified performance will be performed, and much more. This provides specific information on how that contractor will be performing on those classified contracts. Another way to justify is to provide a statement of work. Now, this statement of work provides great justification because it states how the contractor will perform. The administrative details may not be as much as found in the DD Form 254, but the S SOW, the statement of work, does list that technical and security-related tasks. Another way is to uh use a request for proposal. So when a prime contractor or government agency has a need, they send a request for that proposal to uh to meet that need and those performance standards. The intent is to find the competent contractors or vendors to compete and win that contract. Now, if the work requires access to classified information, this can be used to strengthen that justification. So these are just a few things to consider that could cause the DCSA to reject an FCL request. So, for example, if a Prime was con was going to sponsor a contractor or a government entity was going to contract a contractor to perform on a classified contract, they need a strong justification. If you are a defendant's contractor or a government contractor or would like to become one, I recommend you get these justifications in order and assist your sponsor with filling them out. The requester and sponsor should review these packets for accuracy and make the corrections as necessary so that these submissions or the submittal documents are thorough, complete, and precise. Through comprehensive training, support, and customer resources, we transform our clients into security professionals with the know-how to defend their organizations and maintain comprehensive security programs. For more information or ways we can help, visit mathcraft.com or call 703-729-9022. At MathCraft, we support the mission of FSOs, CSOs, and other security professionals who stand at the front line of our nation's battle against foreign and domestic threats. With software designed to the latest federal security standards, we help them strategize, speed up self-auditing processes, create new workflows, generate reports, and receive technical information at a moment's notice. And again, if you're interested in some of the Mathcraft's products and services, check our show notes for a link to Mathcraft. Alright, so the next topic we're going to discuss is that three-pronged attack FSO should consider as they protect classified information. So one thing I remember from my many years in the Army is that you can't force people to be motivation. To be motivated. You can't make people be motivated. Motivation comes within. So, you know, I've done my share of push-ups and flutter kicks ordered by my drill sergeants who thought I needed some incentive, but you know, I didn't do them out of my own initiative. They made me do it. It just made them feel better when I did it. So the point is that most of what it takes to contribute to and become a sought-after member of a leadership team comes down to professional motivation and the initiative. In past articles or past podcasts, I've addressed some important tasks that FSOs should undertake to add value to the enterprise. It's all tied to the leadership effort and initiative. For example, the FSO has marching orders to develop and implement security programs that protect that classified information. But how effective is security policy except if it is written by security and posted only in the security office? You know, unless the security requirements are incorporated into the overarching policy of the enterprise and adapted by all business units, for example, HR, safety, other security offices, business development, operations, contracts, program management, engineering, well, they won't be very successful. So tying policy into each business unit allows for your security to be owned by other individual requirements. Policy is better enforced, you know, this when published globally, but initiated locally. So there are three plans of attack that FSOs should consider to win a seat at the enterprise's decision table. How to become more influential? Well, understand the enterprise elements. Align your professional priorities with the company mission statement, delegate responsibilities and co-opt others. So, here are three things that you can do. One is understand the enterprise elements. Everyone has a job to do, and all tasks should be performed with the company's success in mind. Imagine a large company with HR, safety, security, business development operations, and much more. Though each department might operate autonomously, all need to function together with the enterprise goals in mind. So each department has policies, but these policies should be in line with the overarching enterprise policies, right? So you can learn what other parts of the enterprise do and how they do it. This is important as you can better align your goals with the company purpose. Seek to understand how each business unit operates and better prepare for your requirements. You can form working groups, have meetings, solve problems, join committees, and engage in, for example, in Lean Six Sigma activities. These are just a few things you can do. Another thing is to identify items, events, and issues that security can help with. For example, look at upcoming contracts, business development goals, program requirements, and then implement those NISPOM guidelines. This is a forward thinking and we'll position you as an FSO to be that go-to person. What other opportunities do FSOs have? You know, think beyond the NISPOM and PLI protection skills that reduce probability of theft, protect personal identifiable information, intellectual properties, and so much more. You have a lot of transferable skills that other people can benefit from. Another one is to align professional priorities with the company mission statement. So defense contractors provide products and want to make a profit in return. All government contractors do. This hinges on the amount of resources they can afford to spend on protection. So FSOs can answer the tough questions. How can security help reduce expenses while effectively protecting classified information? There's one question. What is an acceptable balance? That's the second. So policy should align with the enterprise and complement other elements' roles. And the easier to implement, the better. Two good rules of thumb. So the third thing that you can do is delegate responsibilities and co-opt others. So the appointed FSO also reserve can serve as a senior officer and they should consider delegating the administrative duties to someone more available. FSO doesn't necessarily mean doing everything all by yourself. So consider delegated administrative functions while maintaining authority for major decisions. For example, some of your employees can make input to the to the Defense Information Security Service. They can or the DIS they can conduct NISPOM training. They can maintain classified documents. The FSO does not have to do each of those themselves. They can be delegated. The FSO is designated to approve and implement that policy that other people can execute. So the best security measure is to educate and engage that workforce. Train cleared employees to make to take on these security tasks and that'll significantly reduce an FSO's workload. It also co-opts an entire organization to own and exercise these requirements. The FSO isn't the only cleared employee and this resolution may reside with the cleared employees who actually perform on classified contracts, like the engineers, the program managers, or other employees. With the employee input comes employee endorsement and ownership, instant implementation, and there you have your force multipliers that can help. So in conclusion, my drill sergeant made me do a lot of push-ups to get me to perform the standard. He gave my work ethic a quick start, a kick start. You know, in other words, the more I performed, the better I performed, the fewer push-ups I had to do. However, after basic training, it was up to me to maintain that standard. I learned how to take initiative and motivation, it had to come from within. So likewise, FSOs and security professionals should be proactive in identifying their problems, creating their solutions, and providing security policy. To become a sought-after member of the team, the FSO should be thinking in teamwork terms. This requires a high level of motivation and initiative. So using these three recommendations, I hope that you're able to create the right atmosphere to gain your seat at the decision table. If you'd like more information about this or you could use my help, contact me. I'll put my contact information in here, and I'd be happy to help you out. I also have more information in my book, The Insider's Guide to Security Clearances and How to Get U.S. Government Contracts and Classified Work. And I'll put links to those books as well. Alright, I would like to tell you now, give you a special message from Sims Software, S-I-M as a Mike S Software. As Clear Defense contractors, you represent the backbone of innovation, the front line of our national security and protectors of all that we hold dear. SimS Software is proud to be your ally in these endeavors. As most trusted name in Industrial Security Information Management for over 38 years, Sim Software equips you with the tools to protect the lifeblood of your organization. Our flagship Sims Suite provides all the features and functionality you need to run an automated, paperless industrial security program. Gain a 360-degree view of every physical, virtual, and human asset inside your security domain, from classified documents and materials to cleared personnel, facilities, visitor control, information systems, and more. SIMS supports requirements within all security communities. Visit Sims at simsoftware.com or call 858-481-9292 or see our show notes for more information. But the FSO is then authorized to provide it to the cleared employees. This means that the cleared contractor should be prepared to provide a designated FSO the opportunity for that training, either in person or online. So the DCSA provides excellent training designed for FSOs of both possessing and non-possessing facilities. Those FSOs can coordinate with their DCSA representative to determine the training that's right for them. Now the training is designed to prepare the FSO to implement and direct that NISPPOM-based security program in their cleared contractor facilities. And this training is including, but not limited to the following products. The classification management and protecting of classified material. This covers the receiving, accountability, storage, dissemination, and destruction of classified information. Another training topic is what the FSO is required to provide to cleared employees. And this is initial security clearance training, security awareness training refresher, derivative classifier training, insider threat program training. Now this instruction helps the FSO establish an ongoing training designed to create an environment of security conscious, cleared employees. The personnel security clearance is another training, and you know how the FSO um should maintain facility and personnel clearances. Foreign ownership, control, and influence is another training topic where organizations analyze their foreign investments, sales, and ownership on a regular basic basis. Certificates pertaining to foreign interests is a form that FSOs fill out, and they learn to interact with management and provide guidance and direction in preventing a foreign entity from unauthorized access to or controlling work involving classified and export controlled information. Another training topic is export compliance and international operations. So the FSO receives instructions on how to prevent unauthorized disclosure of critical technology, classified and export-controlled information. Another training topic is security classification guides. That's what the DD254 provides authorizations to execute a classified contract. The SEG provides the how-to part. The contract security classification specification or DD Form 254 is another training that the FSOs take. And the clear contractor is allowed to access classified contracts based on the DD Form 254 specification. The FSO learns how the F the D D Form 254 is constructed and how to provide input to better meet security requirements. So the security administration record keeping is another topic. This teaches the maintenance of facility and personnel security clearance information as well as other accountability issues. The FSO is expected to provide information on personnel clearances, original documentation for their facility clearances, and demonstrate classified information accountability during the DCSA annual security inspection. Another topic is subcontracting. When approved to subcontract classified work, the prime contractor will provide a DD Form 254 to that subcontractor. And so the FSO will learn how to be involved in that process. So training comes with a certificate, which should be presented during security audits. This certificate says that the FSO has graduated the SO program management course. The FSO training shouldn't end with this course, of course. There are is our career enhancing training available through various security management courses. So we also provide NISPPOM training, which is a walkthrough of the NISPOM that the FSO can take. Other agencies may offer more training certification and special access programs, COMSEC and Intelligence Protection. Courses are also available in colleges, professional organizations, vendor websites, and through some of the books that we have at Red Bike Publishing. Another thing you might want to know is that when it comes to required training, that's NISPOM required, Red Bike Publishing, and I'll put links to it, has training that's already written out that the FSO can just download and present. And we'll put a link to that training as well. Now I'd like to tell you about our other sponsor sponsored, mission-driven research. They're there to glorify God by empowering employees to fulfill their mission. Their vision statement is that every employee finding fulfillment and joy by actively engaging in the mission. Their core values are to go the extra mile for their customers, grow our employees personally and professionally, and give generously to our community. And their website, they describe themselves as a growing company providing technical services to the U.S. federal government. If you'd like to know more about mission-driven research, find them at missiondrivenresearch.com. And also in our show notes, I'll include a link to their website and how to contact them. Stay tuned for more episodes coming up. We try to do these a couple times a month, and so we hope you join us next time. As always, if you ever need any assistance with your security clearances or facility clearances or setting up programs to protect classified information, I'm the facility security clearance coach. And feel free to contact me or look at our products and services that are available at Red Bike Publishing. And one last thing I'd like to notify you of.