MCC_52.204-70_Security_Requirements_for_Contractor_Personnel_-_May_2013.pdf

MCC 52.204-70 SECURITY REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL

(MAY 2013)

Contractor employees and/or subcontractor personnel, while on MCC premises, shall be subject to and abide by all safety and security regulations of the MCC and shall be required to meet the same personnel security background requirements as MCC employees as outlined in MCC policies and procedures, including MCC’s Background Investigations and Clearances (Security Clearances and Facility Access Clearances) for Federal Employment, Contract Service and/or Volunteer Service at the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC’s Background Investigations and Clearance policy).

A. Contractor Personnel Facility Access Requirements (including offsite MCCNet access)

Contractor candidates hired to work under contracts awarded by MCC and require access to MCC Headquarters, MCCNet, Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU), Foreign Government Information (FGI) or other MCC-Sensitive information must be U.S. citizens or have Permanent Resident Status in the U.S. Contractor candidates will undergo a background investigation for a facility access clearance (a.k.a. a “favorable suitability” determination per MCC’s Background Investigations and Clearance policy. The screening will determine the candidate’s suitability and fitness for work under MCC contracts. The background investigation will consist of a National Agency Checks with Law and Credit (NACLC) for a Moderate Risk Public Trust (MRPT) position and fingerprint imaging to be reported to FBI national databases and reported to MCC’s Security & Office Services-Security Office (MCC/Security).

For contract positions with and in support of an MRPT position, a non-U.S. citizen foreign national (FN) who has Permanent Resident Status in the U.S. (a.k.a. holds a valid Alien Registration Card, commonly referred to as a “green card,” although the actual card is no longer green), the contractor candidate must have been residing, working and/or attending school in the U.S. for the last two (2), preferably three (3), years in order for a meaningful background investigation to be conducted and the contractor candidate will be required to report all residences, work venues and/or school registrations for the last seven (7) years. Processing a MRPT background investigation for a foreign national with Permanent Resident Status may require waiting for receipt of a final Report of Investigation, at the discretion of MCC/Security, which might take up to 120 days after the candidate’s reviewed background submission is released by MCC/Security for assignment to an investigator.

MCC/Security can only make a determination of a contractor candidate’s eligibility to meet facility access clearance requirements when the candidate completes an on-line Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions (SF-85P) and Supplemental Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions (SF- 85PS) via OPM’s electronic Questionnaire for Investigations Processing (e-QIP) which MCC/Security initiates and e-mails instructions to the candidate.

Contractor is required to have all affected personnel execute appropriate security forms, starting with MCC/Security’s Personal Information Request Form (which must be completed, signed by the candidate and faxed to MCC/Security at 202-521-3590) as well as theSF85P/SF-85PS, related signature releases and supplemental forms and submit to fingerprint imaging) as well as the SF-85P/SF-85PS, signature releases and supplemental forms and submit to fingerprint imaging) to MCC/ Security within seven (7) days after MCC/Security e-mail request is sent before a determination will be made with regard to the contractor candidate’s access to MCC Headquarters or overseas RCD offices and/or MCCNet is approved. Contractor candidates may be permitted to work under the contract while the background investigation is being conducted at the discretion of MCC/Security. MCC/Security will provide the necessary background investigations forms – which must be submitted via OPM’s on-line system – to each contractor candidate, whose Privacy Act protected rights will be protected in that details regarding a negative determination with regard to suitability will only be revealed to the individual contractor candidate by MCC/Security. (Also see “Contract Award” below.)

Contractor candidates for whom unfavorable or derogatory information is developed and/or reported during the background investigation process will be presented to the contractor candidate by MCC/Security and offered an opportunity to refute, explain, clarify or mitigate the information in question. If an ineligibility determination is made by MCC/Security, the contractor candidate will be ineligible to further render services under the contract and access to MCC headquarters and/or any overseas MCC/Resident Country Director offices and/or MCCNet will be immediately terminated if the contractor candidate has been permitted to work in advance of completion of his/her background investigation

The initial ineligibility decision will be communicated by the MCC/Security through the contracting officer and COR to the contractor. The specific reasons for the ineligibility determination will be made available only to the affected contractor candidate directly by MCC/Security.

MCC/Security will follow USG-wide reciprocity mandate per The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA) of 2004, Title III, Sec. 3001 (12/06/2004) and may accept, via reciprocity, a previous investigation meeting or exceeding the MCC required investigation standard (NACLC and fingerprinting) and a related adjudication for a clearance meeting or exceeding the MCC-required clearance. Per IRTPA, the investigation must have been completed within the previous two calendar years. Contractor candidates may be required to submit updated security forms.

MCC/Security’s decision to grant a facility access clearance to a contractor candidate will be communicated via the STARS Sharepoint New Hires database and CGM will communicate the requirement for each contractor candidate to the contractor for attend MCC’s Orientation Program, which takes place on alternating Mondays at the start of each pay period. All contractor candidates who require on-site facility access and/or MCCNet access are required to attend MCC’s Orientation Program which includes a Security Briefing, a badging appointment and an IT Briefing. After attending MCC’s Orientation Program, MCC/Security will issue an HSPD-12 compliant MCC Photo ID Badge which will permit the contractor candidate with physical site access to MCC headquarters and will indicate on the face of the badge, the contractor candidate’s status as a contractor who does not have access to national security classified information.

B. Contract Employees Not Requiring Facility, MCCNet, or Sensitive Information Access

Contractor candidates hired to work under contracts awarded by MCC who do not require access to MCC Headquarters are preferred to be U.S. citizens or have Permanent Resident Status in the U.S. Employment of any foreign national (FN) working within the U.S. must have been lawfully admitted into the U.S. in accordance with immigration laws with eligibility to work within the U.S. Employment of a FN by MCC outside of the U.S. is subject to applicable security and legal requirements established by the Chief of Mission (a.k.a. Ambassador of the U.S. to the foreign country where the non-U.S. citizen FN will be engaged as an MCC contractor) and the U.S.

Department of Treasury. Each Chief of Mission is selected by the Secretary of State at the U.S.

Department of State in consultation with The White House Office of Presidential Personnel.

The contractor must provide to MCC/Security the full name, date of birth, place of birth, social security number (except for FN contractors not issued a social security number), home address, work telephone number and a home and/or personal cell telephone number via fax submission of MCC/Security’s Personal Information Request Form. MCC/Security will use a contractor candidate’s Privacy Act protected Personally Identifiable Information (PII) to screen each contractor candidate through various government databases to determine their suitability and fitness for work under MCC contracts. Additional forms and background information may be requested to verify each contractor candidate’s suitability. Contractor personnel may be permitted, at the discretion of MCC/Security, work under the contract while the background investigation is being conducted.

Contractor candidates on whom unfavorable, derogatory or questionable information has been developed will be given an opportunity to refute, explain, clarify or mitigate the information with MCC/Security. If an ineligibility determination is made by MCC/Security, the contractor candidate will be ineligible to further render services under the contract.

The ineligibility determination will be communicated by MCC/Security through the contracting officer and COR to the contractor. The specific reasons for the ineligibility determination will be made available only to the affected individual directly by MCC/Security.

C. Personal Services Contractor Security Clearance Requirements

The number of Personal Services Contractors (PSCs) cleared for access to national security classified information will be limited only to those PSCs encumbering a Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Federal employee position, based on operational needs requiring the specific PSC to access national security classified information or systems in consultation with MCC’s Human Resources Division and only with approval of the Vice President, Department of Administration & Finance. The level of access approved will relate directly to the level of national security classified information (secret = noncritical-sensitive FTE position or top secret = critical-sensitive FTE position) the PSC candidate requires in order to perform their official USG functions.

1. Personal Service Contractors (PSC). MCC/Security is responsible for investigation and clearance actions associated with PSC candidates who are directly compensated by MCC.

MCC/Security will process the appropriate level of background investigations and grant appropriate level security clearances for all PSCs where MCC makes payment directly to the individual. The level of background investigation and clearance (secret = noncritical-sensitive or top secret = critical-sensitive) granted will be based on the duties to be performed by the PSC as compared with the position of an MCC Federal employee in a similar position.

PSC candidates will be required to execute background investigation forms, starting with MCC/Security’s Personal Information Request Form (which must be completed, signed by the candidate and faxed to MCC/Security at 202-521-3590) as well as a Questionnaire for National Security Positions (SF-86), signature releases and supplemental forms and submit to fingerprint imaging to be reported and reviewed by FBI national databases) and submit to MCC/Security before access to the facility or MCCNet is approved. PSC candidates may be permitted to work, at the discretion of MCC/Security, under the contract while the background investigation is being conducted. MCC/Security will provide the necessary forms to the contractor candidate, will process the background investigation and grant, if interim name checks, credit check and fingerprint report permit, an interim secret-level security clearance and will adjudicate the PSC candidate’s final security clearance within twenty (20) days of receipt of the PSC candidate’s Report of Investigation (ROI).

Being granted either an interim and/or final security clearance (the latter of which may be granted via reciprocity, per IRTPA, if the PSC candidate has already been investigated and granted a security clearance by another Federal agency) require each PSC candidate to attend an MCC/Security Clearance Briefing and signature on a Classified Information Nondisclosure Agreement (SF-312) before MCC/Security will grant the PSC candidate a security clearance.

MCC/Security’s decision to grant an interim or final security clearance to a PSC candidate will be communicated via the STARS Sharepoint New Hires database and CGM will communicate the requirement for each PSC candidate to attend MCC’s Orientation Program, which takes place on alternating Mondays at the start of each pay period. All PSC candidates who require on-site facility access and/or MCCNet access are required to attend MCC’s Orientation Program which includes a Security Briefing, a badging appointment and an IT Briefing. After attending MCC’s Orientation Program, MCC/Security will issue an HSPD-12 compliant MCC Photo ID Badge which will permit the PSC candidate with physical site access to MCC headquarters and will indicate on the face of the badge, the PSC candidate’s status and level of security clearance granted.

2. Secure Contract Classification. Classified contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements with organizations must comply with the National Industrial Security Program (NISP). Under the provisions of NISP, the Defense Security Service (DSS) will investigate and adjudicate security clearances required for contractor employees to have access to classified information.

Organizations (contractors and recipients) and their employees not currently participating in NISP which much conduct classified business with MCC must be sponsored by MCC, another agency, or by company that has been previously cleared. Once the secure contract is awarded, MCC Contracting Officer, in consultation with MCC/Security, will be responsible for completing the Department of Defense Contract Security Classification Specification, DD Form 254.

D. Exceptions to Investigations Requirements

Contractor candidates are exempt from investigative requirements when working in temporary Low Risk Public Trust (LRPT) positions that are intermittent and when not working on an MCC contract in excess of 180 days in either a single continuous assignment or a series of assignments within a 365 day period. LRPT positions involve duties and responsibilities of limited impact on an agency or program mission, with potential for limited impact on the efficiency of the service.

Persons occupying these positions will not have unescorted access to the Department of State or its Embassies, Sensitive But Unclassified, Foreign Government Information, MCC-Sensitive information, or require logon access to MCC’s computer information network.

Contractor candidates are exempt from investigative requirements when working in a part-time Moderate Risk Public Trust (MRPT) position, as defined in Section 4.18.2 of MCC’s Background Investigations and Clearances policy:

Moderate Risk Public Trust (MRPT) Position - Public trust positions in which an incumbent has the potential to have a moderate to serious impact on the integrity and efficiency of the service. Duties involved are considerably important to the agency or program mission with significant program responsibility or delivery of service. Positions include assistants to policy development and implementation;

mid-level management duties or assignments; any position with responsibility for independent or semi-independent action; and delivery of service positions that demand public confidence or trust. At this time, MCC staffing of contractor and intern positions are all MRPT positions.

In addition, no part-time MCC MRPT contractor positions may exceed an aggregate of 1,200 hours within a 365 day period in either a single continuous appointment or series of appointments. If a contractor has not been investigated and has not been granted a facility access clearance by MCC/Security and the contractor’s compensated hours approach 1,150 within a 365 day period, the contractor’s hours must be closely monitored by contracting officer and COR so as not to exceed 1,200 hours. MCC will not be required to compensate any individual who has not been investigated and who has not been granted a clearance by MCC/Security for hours in excess of 1,200 hours. If work is required in excess of 1,200 hours, the work assignment must be re-advertised and all candidates must re-compete for any additional assignments not to exceed 1,200 hours within another 365 day period.

E. Issuing MCC Access Badges

A Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 (HSPD-12) compliant MCC Photo ID Badge Federal credential (badge) will be issued to contractors, Personal Services Contractors and Personal Services Contractor-FTEs with a permanent duty station assignment at MCC Headquarters or at an overseas MCC/Resident Country Director Office. Requirements before being issued a badge include submission of required background investigation forms for processing a facility access for a contractor of PSC or a security clearance for a PSC and mandatory attendance at an MCC Orientation Program/Security Briefing which are scheduled on the first business day of the pay period and alternate weeks as determined by MCC’s Human Resources Division, and are generally held from 8:45 to 10:00 am, immediately followed by an IT Briefing. In addition, all PSCs whose position has been determined as one which requires access to classified information and whose investigation is sufficient to meet that requirement must attend an MCC/Security Clearance Briefing prior to being granted a security clearance and issued a badge. Due to HSPD-12, visitor badges are no longer available and all newly hired contractors, and PSC-s will require assistance from co-workers until their badge is issued by MCC/Security.

Contractors and PSCs who have undergone a background investigation (or who are in the process of undergoing a background investigation) and who are U.S. citizens may be eligible for 24/7 access to MCC headquarters. All non-U.S. citizen foreign nationals, who hold Permanent

Resident Status, who have undergone a background investigation (or who are in the process of undergoing a background investigation) will only be provided unescorted access during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 6:30 pm, excluding Federal holidays and other U.S. government closings).

Contractor and PSC candidates who have not submitted the required background investigation forms and attended the required MCC/Security Briefing(s) will not be issued a badge nor building access cards and their access to MCC headquarters will require them to have an appointment which is documented in MCC’s Workspeed Access Control System and must be escorted at all times while in MCC headquarters.

F. Work Performance

The contractor shall prescreen all candidates covered under this clause to ensure they initially possess the necessary investigative and clearance requirements. In addition, the contractor is responsible to periodically, at least annually, review their employees’ clearance status to ensure that nothing has occurred which may negatively impact their employees’ eligibility for a clearance.

Unless otherwise provided herein in no event will the need to process background investigations and clearances (including physical on-site access at MCC facilities) from MCC/Security be considered an excusable delay under the contract. In addition, the need to replace contract personnel determined by the MCC/Security to be ineligible will not be considered an excusable delay.

Failure to comply with the contractor personnel background investigation and clearance requirements herein may result in termination of the contract for default.

G. Contract Award

Within two (2) business days after notice of award from the contracting officer, contractor shall provide a list of all contractor candidates (and subcontractor candidates) working under the contract (unless otherwise stated in the contract) including the information and documentation required herein. This requirement does not include clerical or administrative support staff (unless otherwise stated in the contract).

The list shall include individual’s full name, work and home addresses, work and personal e-mail addresses, work and personal telephone numbers and personal cell telephone numbers. This list shall state and justify the level of access each contractor candidate will require; that is, MCC facility access, access to non-classified sensitive information, MCCNet access, or no access privileges. In addition, the contractor will provide a central point-of-contact regarding background investigation and clearance issues. If the contractor has documentation which evidences an individual contractor candidate’s previous/current background investigation and/or clearance status, the contractor will provide the individual contractor candidate’s PII and investigations/clearance status to MCC/Security via fax to 202-521-3590 in the form of a Visit Letter. Upon a request from the contractor, a sample Visit Letter template will be made available to a contractor via e-mail from MCC/Security. The contracting officer will ensure that a STARS Sharepoint New Hires entry is made for each contractor candidate to ensure that MCC/Security is aware of future on-boarding of each contractor candidate. The contracting officer or COR is responsible to provide MCC/Security’s Personal Information Request Form to the contractor with instructions to have each contractor candidate complete, sign and fax to MCC/Security at 202-521-3590 so that their background investigation and clearance process can begin. All involved should be cautioned that the completed and signed Personal Information Request Form not be scanned/e-mailed to anyone at MCC. Once the Personal Information Request Form has been provided to the contractor and/or contractor candidate, it is the contractor’s responsibility to assure that the Personal Information Request Form is faxed to MCC/Security at 202-521-3590 within three (3) business days. Once the Personal Information Request Form is received by MCC/Security, the individual contractor candidate’s eligibility for a clearance will be determined within three (3) business days. If a contractor candidate does not have a previous background investigation and clearance, MCC/Security will initiate an e-QIP and e-mail instructions to the contractor candidate to complete the investigative requirements (including fingerprinting) within seven (7) calendar days.

(End of clause)