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We join with those who mourn the loss of life,  the injuries, and the disruption of lives caused  by the attacks  against Washington,  DC, and  New York, N.Y.    All those effected -- the brave people who helped in rescue efforts, those involved in America's response to terror and in the war with Iraq-- are in our thoughts and prayers.

As we noted on 10/24, Defense Security Service is considered to be the responsible DoD component for projecting defense industry PSI requirements across the Future Years Defense Plan (FYDP).  Investigative projections for defense industry prior to this point have been based primarily on an analysis of historical data. While this information has proven useful, and will continue to play a role in future projections, it obviously does not account for the year to year variances that defense industry experiences in its investigative and clearance  requirements. Industry's assistance is crucial to the development of accurate investigative/clearance projections for defense industry and the completion of timely PSIs. A more accurate forecast benefits industry and the Department of Defense. During the meeting, it was indicated that many firms already do some type of projections for business purposes that could be a starting point in providing this data.

I've included below background information for you on the status of the process to date. Initially, we will be asking the largest facilities over which DSS exercises cognizance to provide projections as described below, but plan to expand the data collection effort in future years to include all cleared facilities. That process will not begin until DSS receives the appropriate regulatory/statutory approvals from OSD/OMB as noted below. Please let me know if you have any questions. We appreciate your support in this initiative and in future years as we institutionalize the process.

Valerie L. Heil
DSS Industrial Security Program Manager
(703) 325-6050

DSS' initial efforts to project these requirements with industry's direct input are going to target a sampling of the cleared facilities: the 240-250 of the largest defense contractors (what we refer to as Category AA, A, or B).  We are having our Regions reconfirm the CAGE Code, Category and mailing address of those facilities over the next week and a half.

We are working with OSD to ensure that we comply with all aspects of the Paperwork Reduction Act for this initial and future years' efforts.

We anticipate all the appropriate statutory approvals being in place by mid-late December. At that time, we would begin this voluntary data collection by sending a letter to the largest defense contractors with a request for their voluntary participation in providing the data shown on the attached file by no later than February 2, 2001. The primary reason for such a short timeframe to reply for this initial effort is because of our need to compile and analyze the data and to include historical projections based on the other approximately 11,000 cleared facilities in sufficient time to include the data in the DSS Program Objective Memorandum (POM) submission for FY 03 in late February/early March 01, as well as to develop more accurate workload projections as we plan for FY02.

NOTE: DSS will not begin this process for data collection until we have received the appropriate OSD/OMB approvals.

I've also included for your information below some of the Questions & Answers that we will be including with each letter including the instructions on how to download the form/spreadsheet from the DSS website once they receive the letter.

The request for data will be by CAGE Code for just the largest defense contractors. In future years, we intend to expand the process for collecting industry investigative projections to all cleared facilities. The projection process would occur annually, allowing cleared facilities an opportunity to adjust their projections and add the new end year projection as well. As an FYI, the future process is tentatively slated to begin through a letter/request to all cleared facilities in July 01 with a 90 day request for response. That future timeline will provide both industry and DSS a more effective timeline for industry to project its requirements and DSS to analyze the data and include it in the POM.  For the future process, DSS will also be working with OSD and OMB to ensure that we comply with the terms of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

Having the largest facilities' projections for each of the fiscal years over the DoD budget cycle along with historical projections for the other 11,000 cleared facilities, (initially fiscal years 2002 through 2007 for the FY 03 POM), will assure that the Department considers your needs in planning and resourcing, and will facilitate development of credible projections of the investigative and clearance needs for all of defense industry.

To assist the largest facilities in documenting their projections, we have developed an automated spreadsheet.  They will be able to download it from the DSS website (the address will be included in the letter) or they will be able to request a diskette containing the spreadsheet from their Industrial Security Representative after DSS receives the appropriate approvals for this data collection (approximately mid/late December). The data will be requested by February 2, 2001.
 
 

1. FACILITY: Facility Name, Cage Code, City and State, Facility Point of Contact and Phone Number (ALSO, email address, if available)

2. NUMBER PROJECTIONS: (By each FY, 2002 through 2007) 

SSBI
SSBI-PR
SECRET
SECRET PR
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL PR
NAC-Trustworthiness

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS INDUSTRY INVESTIGATIVE PROJECTIONS that will be included with the letter when it is sent out in mid/late December.

1. QUESTION: Why is the Defense Security Service (DSS) requesting investigative projections from defense industry?

ANSWER: The data is needed to more accurately project investigative requirements in future years, thereby providing a more accurate basis on which to determine the investigative and clearance granting resources that will be needed to meet the future demand. This is the first time DSS has enlisted the assistance of defense industry in projecting industry investigative requirements. In prior years, DSS projected these requirements based on an analysis of historical data.

2. QUESTION: How will the information I provide be used? 

ANSWER: All information provided by industry will be compiled, analyzed and used by DSS in determining the industry investigative workload requirements for Fiscal Years 2002-2007. Such investigative workload requirements will be included in our annual Budget Submission and Program Objective Memorandum (POM) to the Office of the Secretary of Defense that determines the resources DSS will be provided in the outyears. If any information submitted is considered sensitive or proprietary, it should be marked as such, and DSS will treat it as confidential commercial information.

3. QUESTION: Is my facility required to participate in this initiative?

ANSWER: No. Your participation is voluntary.  However, the information requested from your facility is crucial to the development of more accurate investigative projections for defense industry. Such projections will be used to assist in meeting the future demand for personnel security investigations and clearances.

4. QUESTION: Must my projections be submitted electronically? If so, how do I receive an electronic version of the spreadsheet?

ANSWER: Electronic submission of your investigative projections is strongly preferred, though not required. You may download the spreadsheet from the DSS website (ADDRESS WILL BE INCLUDED HERE) or request a diskette containing the spreadsheet from your Industrial Security Representative. Electronic submissions should be emailed to (ADDRESS WILL BE INCLUDED HERE). If you are unable to transmit your spreadsheet electronically, we ask that you return the diskette with the completed spreadsheet to Defense Security Service, (PHYSICAL ADDRESS WILL BE INCLUDED HERE) or transmit it via facsimile at (FAX NUMBER WILL BE INCLUDED HERE).

5. QUESTION: Why is DSS only requesting this information from the largest defense contractor facilities?

ANSWER: This is the first time DSS has solicited the support of industry in projecting investigative requirements. Therefore, it was decided to first request investigative projections from the largest contractor facilities since they account for a large percentage of investigative requests, and also likely have an established capability for forecasting future investigative requirements. Within the next year, we intend to expand the process for collecting industry investigative projections to all cleared facilities.

6. QUESTION: How can I accurately project my investigative requirements so far in advance since there is no way of knowing for certain what new contracts we may be awarded, or existing contracts we may no longer retain?

ANSWER: It is recognized that it will be difficult for you to provide completely accurate projections. However, we ask that you, in consultation with company management, provide the best information possible, given your company's current forecast for future work and continuance of existing contracts. Any relevant issues/comments that you feel we should know about your projections should be included in the comments field of the spreadsheet.

7. QUESTION: What if my projections concern clearances that likely duplicate or parallel future requirements other contractors may have for the same reason, e.g., the Concept Demonstration Program for the Joint Strike Fighter?

ANSWER: You should note in the comments what portion of the future projection may be redundant to those of other contractors and cite the particular program or contract. We would expect you to do this only if the number of related requests were substantial, i.e., more than 200 per year.

8. QUESTION: What if the issues or comments provided would constitute information requiring classification?

ANSWER: Do not submit classified information. However, if you consider the added information essential to your response or to satisfy the survey, please contact your IS Rep and a determination will be made as to how the information will be provided.

9. QUESTION: Since this data will be used to assist in projecting resources, why shouldn't I inflate the projected number of PSIs?

ANSWER:  Please do not inflate your projected number of PSIs. The relationship between the DSS and cleared defense industry is a partnership ensuring that classified information is properly protected. Part of that teamwork is the careful forecasting of cleared industry PSIs to minimize any possibility of another backlog of PSIs.  We ask that the numbers be based upon your facility's projections taking into account your best judgment of business plans and upcoming contractual efforts. Since your data will be analyzed, inflation of the projections will be noted as an anomaly in comparison to historical data. Then, DSS would likely request further clarification of your projections.

10. QUESTION: Do the investigative and clearance projections my company submits become a future quota for investigative and clearance submissions for our facility?

ANSWER: No. The information you provide is a projection only. It is recognized that projecting investigative and clearance submissions for future years is only an estimate based on the information you have available at the time of the submission.

Historical data can not be used as the sole basis for budgeting and resourcing determinations because previous projections have not met actual workload requirements. Previous reliance on historical data did not accurately address the year to year variances in personnel security clearance and investigative demands by defense industry. This data collection effort is the first step in building a process that will eventually allow DSS to survey all contractors participating in the NISP on an annual basis.