Q0032_Attachment_FCL_Sponsorship_Ins..pdf

FACILITY CLEARANCE (FCL)

SPONSORSHIP INSTRUCTIONS

If you wish to expedite your FCL request, please note that in the majority of cases, the longest avoidable delays are caused by submission of incomplete or incorrect FCL sponsorship requests. The sponsorship should be a collaborative effort between the sponsoring Government Contracting Activity (GCA) or Cleared Defense Contractor (CDC) and the company being sponsored to ensure all information provided is accurate and up-to-date.

Please read the following instructions prior to submitting your sponsorship request. The FCL process has changed and requests will be rejected upon receipt if they do not meet all applicable NISPOM requirements. Submitting numerous incomplete requests will result in delays to the overall FCL process timelines.

If inconsistencies in the sponsorship request are identified at any point during the FCL process, it may become impossible to meet deadlines established in the FCL Orientation Handbook (see http://www.dss.mil/isp/fac_clear/fac_clear_check.html).

This may result in discontinuation of the FCL process and valuable lost time in the process for obtaining an FCL.

Failure to provide requested information WILL delay the FCL process or result in rejection of your request. Please visit our website at http://www.dss.mil/isp/fac_clear/fac_clear.html, or contact the DSS Knowledge Center at 888-282-7682 (option 3) if you have questions.

A complete sponsorship request must include the following:

1. SPONSORSHIP LETTER: Please use the most up-to-date version of the Sponsorship Letter available on our website at http://www.dss.mil/isp/fac_clear/fac_clear_check.html in the Sponsorship section under “Facility Clearance (FCL) Sponsorship Request Letter.” This document has been created to assist you in providing the necessary information and includes notes to help you avoid the most common rejection reasons.

Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code: DSS uses CAGE codes to track FCL information. A CAGE code is required for an FCL to be issued. Please visit www.sam.gov for instructions for obtaining a CAGE code.

2. JUSTIFICATION: The justification for an FCL must demonstrate a bona fide procurement requirement to access U.S. Government classified information. It must validate the FCL and safeguarding levels requested as well as any special access requirements or caveats. Please note: background investigation or clearance requirements for access to secure locations or to meet position requirements is not the same as access to classified information and is not justification for an FCL. The justification should clearly indicate what ACCESS is required. The most common form of justification is a DD 254 issued from the sponsor to the facility being sponsored. All attachments and addendums referenced in the DD 254 must be provided with your request. For assistance in completing the DD 254, please see http://www.cdse.edu/documents/cdse/DD254.pdf and https://stepp.dss.mil/courseware/dd254/ddform254fillable.pdf.

3. GCA AUTHORIZATION: Written GCA or Intelligence Community authorization is REQUIRED by the NISPOM to subcontract certain types of information. This may be in the form of an appropriate Government representative’s signature in section 13 of a subcontract DD 254 or any other written communication indicating the appropriate Government entity is aware that the sponsoring company will subcontract the specific type of information requiring concurrence to the sponsored company in performance of that contract. It is strongly encouraged that all sponsorship requests based on a subcontract include written GCA authorization.

4. STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) AND/OR PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS): It is HIGHLY recommended that a contract- or subcontract-specific SOW or PWS be included with all sponsorship requests.

Failure to provide an SOW or PWS may delay the request or result in rejection of the request. Please note that requests submitted by a CDC to sponsor a subcontractor must include a description, quantity, end-item, and classification of the information related to the proposed subcontract if safeguarding is required. See NISPOM 7-101b(2) at http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/522022M.pdf for more information.

http://www.dss.mil/isp/fac_clear/fac_clear_check.html http://www.dss.mil/isp/fac_clear/fac_clear.html http://www.dss.mil/isp/fac_clear/fac_clear_check.html http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.cdse.edu/documents/cdse/DD254.pdf https://stepp.dss.mil/courseware/dd254/ddform254fillable.pdf http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/522022M.pdf

DSS FCL SPONSORSHIP LETTER, MAY 2016

FACILITY CLEARANCE (FCL) REQUEST

Date of Request: ___________ Defense Security Service (DSS) ATTN: Facility Clearance Branch (FCB) 27130 Telegraph Road Quantico, VA 22134

Email complete FCL sponsorship requests to: DSS.FCB@mail.mil

Please review the notes provided in red throughout the sponsorship letter. These address the most common reasons for rejection. If a note applies to your request, please ensure that your sponsorship package fully addresses any questions this may raise regarding the company’s eligibility to be processed for an FCL. Supporting documentation or additional information may be included as an attachment to or in the body of your sponsorship email.

Detailed instructions for submitting an FCL sponsorship request are available at http://www.dss.mil/isp/fac_clear/fac_clear_check.html in the “Facility

Clearance (FCL) Sponsorship Request Letter” document.

Please contact the DSS Knowledge Center at 888-282-7682 (option 3) if you have any questions.

SPONSORED FACILITY INFORMATION

Please process the following facility for an FCL:

1. Legal Name of Facility

2. CAGE Code

Note: A CAGE code is required before an FCL can be issued. The CAGE code registration should match the information provided in this request. If it does not, please explain all discrepancies. Please visit www.sam.gov to obtain or update a CAGE code.

3. Physical Street Address (no P.O. Boxes) City, State, and Zip Code

4. Company Website

5. State and date of Incorporation/Organization

6. Business Structure (Corporation, LLC, etc.)

This is a branch/division office. The home office CAGE code is:

Note: Where a viable security program exists at a home office within a multiple facility organization, DSS does not process new FCLs for division or branch offices that do not require possession of classified material for contract performance, unless there is a sufficient contractual or critical need.

7. Is this a Joint Venture (JV)? Yes No

Note: In order to be eligible for an FCL, a JV must also be a legal entity (e.g. a Corporation or an LLC) and must be populated as required by NISPOM 1-201, 2-102b, and 2-104.

mailto:dss.quantico.dss-hq.mbx.occ-facilities@mail.mil http://www.dss.mil/isp/fac_clear/fac_clear_check.html http://www.sam.gov/

CONTRACT INFORMATION

Note: Justification for the FCL must be included with your request and must validate the FCL and Safeguarding levels requested. The most common form of justification is a DD Form 254 issued from the Sponsor to the Sponsored Facility. For assistance with completing the DD254, please visit https://stepp.dss.mil/courseware/dd254/ddform254fillable.pdf

8. Is the Facility located on a Government installation?

Yes (sponsorship request must include a signed letter from the Commander or Head of the installation) No

9. Does the Facility hold an FCL with another Government agency? Yes No 9a. If yes, please specify which Government agency and the level of the FCL:

10. Sponsored Facility’s Primary Type of Business

11. Sponsored Facility’s Principal Product/Service

12. Intended Facility Security Officer (FSO) (must be knowledgeable of FCL sponsorship request) FSO Legal Name (do not use nicknames) FSO Email FSO Phone FSO Address (if different than Facility address)

Note: It is highly recommended that the person listed as FSO be the person who is actually intended to be the FSO. The initial contacts during the FCL process are designed to prepare the FSO to successfully complete the FCL process and switching FSOs during the process or immediately after the company is cleared will put the company behind.

13. Alternate Point of Contact (POC) at Sponsored Facility Alternate POC Legal Name Alternate POC Title Alternate POC Email Alternate POC Phone

14. This request is based on a bona fide procurement requirement to access classified information for work on the following contract number(s):

14b. Program Name(s):

15. Level of Clearance Required

16. Level of Safeguarding Required (at Sponsored Facility)

17. Total number of employees at Sponsored Facility (approx.)

https://stepp.dss.mil/courseware/dd254/ddform254fillable.pdf

18. Does the Sponsored Facility currently have two or more employees who will work on the classified contract?

Yes No (see note)

Note: An FCL is not typically required for self-incorporated consultants where the consultant and members of his/her immediate family are the sole owners of the consultant’s company, and only the consultant requires access to classified information. All requests indicating a No response to #18, must explain why the owner of the Sponsored Facility cannot work as a consultant.

19. Primary Industrial Base Technology category applicable to this contract (see http://www.dss.mil/documents/ci/2015_DSS_Trend _Report.pdf, pg. 48-50 for additional information) If multiple categories are applicable, please list them here:

20. Is this sponsorship request based on a contract that is in a pre-award stage?

Yes (must answer 20a.) No

20a. If yes, is access to classified information required during the pre-award stage?

Yes No (The company cannot be processed for an FCL at this time. See note.)

Note: A company must have a valid procurement need to access classified information at the time of FCL sponsorship. If the sponsored company is in the pre-award stage, access to classified information must be required during the pre-award stage in order for DSS to accept this request and this should be clearly indicated on the request. For a subcontract, Government Contracting Activity (GCA) written approval must be provided to confirm that access to classified information is required for the subcontractor during the pre-award stage.

21. Is access to classified information required in performance of this contract? Yes No

Note: A requirement to have background investigations is not the same as a requirement to have access to classified information. The GCA is responsible for funding, submitting, and managing investigations for purposes other than access to classified information (such as access to secure area, unclassified IT positions). Companies that do not require access to classified information are not eligible for an FCL and these investigations should not be processed under the National Industrial Security Program (NISP). If an FCL is being requested for a service contract in which access to classified information cannot be precluded by implementing basic security procedures, a compelling need letter from the GCA clearly explaining the rationale for the request must be included with the sponsorship package.

22. Provide a brief, unclassified description of the type of information, material, or systems the sponsored company will require access to that is classified at the FCL level being requested in performance of this contract:

http://www.dss.mil/documents/ci/2015_DSS_Trend_Report.pdf http://www.dss.mil/documents/ci/2015_DSS_Trend_Report.pdf 1085841056C Highlight

1085841056C Highlight

SPONSOR INFORMATION

25. Sponsoring GCA or Cleared Defense Contractor

23. Is this request based on a subcontract issued to the Sponsored Facility? Yes (must answer 23a.) No

23a. If yes, will CNWDI, SCI or non-SCI Intelligence, COMSEC, or NATO information be disclosed to the subcontractor/Sponsored Facility? This must be supported in the justification (e.g. section 10a, 10c, 10e1/10e2, and 10g of the DD254). Yes* No

*If this is a subcontract that will involve the disclosure of CNWDI, COMSEC, or NATO information to the subcontractor, you must obtain written GCA authorization to share this information with the Sponsored Facility in accordance with NISPOM requirements. If it involves the disclosure of Non-SCI or SCI Intelligence information, written authorization from the originating Intelligence Community element is required. A copy of the applicable authorization(s) must be included with your sponsorship request. If concurrence is not provided, the request will be rejected. Please see NISPOM 9-204, 9-300, 9-407, and 10-711 at http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/522022M.pdf.

24. GCA POC (must be knowledgeable of program requirements) Program-specific GCA POC Name Program-specific GCA POC Title Program-specific GCA POC Email Program-specific GCA POC Phone

CAGE Code (if applicable) Company Name (if applicable) POC Name POC Title POC Email POC Phone POC Signature http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/522022M.pdf

FACILITY CLEARANCE (FCL) REQUEST

OR AGENCY LETTERHEAD

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