30 January 1998 Source: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [Federal Register: January 30, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 20)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 4580-4582] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr30ja98-11] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary 32 CFR Part 148 RIN 0790-AG55 National Policy on Reciprocity of Facilities and Guidelines for Implementation of Reciprocity AGENCY: Department of Defense. ACTION: Interim final rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This rule is published to make physical facilities available for reciprocal use in the storage of classified information. Once a facility has been certified as suitable for classified use by one organization, it may also be used by another for like purposes. No impact on the public is foreseen. DATES: This rule is effective September 16, 1997. Comments must be received by March 31, 1998. ADDRESSES: Forward comments to the Security Policy Board Staff, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1101, Arlington, VA 22202. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. T. Thompson, 703-602-9969. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review It has been determined that this interim rule (32 CFR part 148) is not a significant regulatory action. The rule does not: (1) Have an annual effect to the economy of $100 million or more or adversely affect in a material way the economy; a section of the economy; productivity; competition; jobs the environment; public health or safety; or State, local, or tribal governments or communities; (2) Create a serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with an action taken or planned by another Agency; (3) Materially alter the budgetary impact of entitlements, grants, user fees, or loan programs, or the rights and obligations of recipients thereof; or (4) Raise novel legal or policy issues arising out of legal mandates, the President's priorities, or the principles set forth in this Executive Order. Public Law 96-354, Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601) It has been certified that this rule is not subject to the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601) because it would not, if promulgated, have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. This part will streamline personnel security clearance procedures and make the process more efficient. Public Law 96-511, Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) It has been certified that this part does not impose any reporting or recordkeeping requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. List of Subjects in 32 CFR Part 148 Classified information, Investigations, Security measures. Accordingly, Title 32 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter I, subchapter C is amended to add part 148 to read as follows: PART 148--NATIONAL POLICY AND IMPLEMENTATION OF RECIPROCITY OF FACILITIES Subpart A--National Policy on Reciprocity of Use and Inspections of Facilities 148.1 Interagency reciprocal acceptance. 148.2 Classified programs. 148.3 Security review. 148.4 Policy documentation. 148.5 Identification of the security policy board. 148.6 Agency review. Subpart B--Guidelines for the Implementation and Oversight of the Policy on Reciprocity of Use and Inspections of Facilities 148.10 General. 148.11 Policy. 148.12 Definitions. 148.13 Responsibilities. 148.14 Procedures. Authority: E.O. 12968 (60 FR 40245, 3 CFR 1995 Comp., p. 391.) Subpart A--National Policy on Reciprocity of Use and Inspections of Facilities Sec. 148.1 Intergency reciprocal acceptance . Interagency reciprocal acceptance of security policies and procedures for approving, accrediting, and maintaining the secure posture of shared facilities will reduce aggregate costs, promote interoperability of agency security systems, preserve vitality of the U.S. industrial base, and advance national security objectives. Sec. 148.2 Classified programs. Once a facility is authorized, approved, certified, or accredited, all U.S. Government organizations desiring to conduct classified programs at the facility at the same security level shall accept the authorization, approval, certification, or accreditation without change, enhancements, or upgrades. Executive Order, Safeguarding Directives, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM), the NISPOM Supplement, the Director of Central Intelligence Directives, interagency agreements, successor documents, or other mutually agreed upon methods shall be the basis for such acceptance. Sec. 148.3 Security review. After initial security authorization, approval, certification, or accreditation, subsequent security reviews shall normally be conducted no more frequently than annually. Additionally, such reviews shall be aperiodic or random, and be based upon risk management principles. Security reviews may be conducted ``for cause'', to follow up on previous findings, or to [[Page 4581]] accomplish close-out actions. Visits may be made to a facility to conduct security support actions, administrative inquiries, program reviews, and approvals as deemed appropriate by the cognizant security authority or agency. Sec. 148.4 Policy documentation. Agency heads shall ensure that any policy documents their agency issues setting out facilities security policies and procedures incorporate the policy set out herein, and that such policies are reasonable, effective, efficient, and enable and promote interagency reciprocity. Sec. 148.5 Idenfification of the security policy board. Agencies which authorize, approve, certify, or accredit facilities shall provide to the Security Policy Board Staff a points of contact list to include names and telephone numbers of personnel to be contacted for verification of authorized, approved, certified, or accredited facility status. The Security Policy Board Staff will publish a comprehensive directory of points of contact. Sec. 148.6 Agency review. Agencies will continue to review and assess the potential value added to the process of co-use of facilities by development of electronic data retrieval across government. As this review continues, agencies creating or modifying facilities databases will do so in a manner which facilitates community data sharing, interest of national defense or foreign policy. Subpart B--Guidelines for the Implementation and Oversight of the Policy on Reciprocity of use and Inspections of Facilities Sec. 148.10 General. (a) Redundant, overlapping, and duplicative policies and practices that govern the co-use of facilities for classified purposes have resulted in excessive protection and unnecessary expenditure of funds. Lack of reciprocity has also impeded achievement of national security objectives and adversely affected economic and technological interest. (b) Interagency reciprocal acceptance of security policies and procedures for approving, accrediting, and maintaining the secure posture of shared facilities will reduce the aggregate costs, promote interoperability of agency security systems, preserve the vitality of the U.S. industrial base, and advance national security objectives. (c) Agency heads, or their designee, are encouraged to periodically issue written affirmations in support of the policies and procedures prescribed herein and in the Security Policy Board (SPB) policy, entitled ``Reciprocity of Use and Inspections of Facilities.'' (d) The policies and procedures prescribed herein shall be applicable to all agencies. This document does not supersede the authority of the Secretary of Defense under Executive Order 12829 (58 FR 3479, 3 CFR 1993 Comp., p. 570); the Secretary of Energy or the Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended; the Secretary of State under the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Anti-Terrorism Act of 1986; the Secretaries of the military departments and military department installation Commanders under the Internal Security Act of 1950; the Director of Central Intelligence under the National Security Act of 1947, as amended, or Executive Order 12333; the Director of the Information Security Oversight Office under Executive Order 12829 or Executive Order 12958 (60 FR 19825, 3 CFR 1995 Comp., p. 333); or substantially similar authority instruments assigned to any other agency head. Sec. 148.11 Policy. (a) Agency heads, or their designee, shall ensure that security policies and procedures for which they are responsible are reasonable, effective, and efficient, and that those policies and procedures enable and promote interagency reciprocity. (b) To the extent reasonable and practical, and consistent with US law, Presidential decree, and bilateral and international obligations of the United States, the security requirements, restrictions, and safeguards applicable to industry shall be equivalent to those applicable within the Executive Branch of government. (c) Once a facility is authorized approved, certified, or accredited, all government organizations desiring to conduct classified programs at the facility at the same security level shall accept the authorization, approval, certification, or accreditation without change, enhancements, or upgrades. Sec. 148.12 Definitions. Agency. Any ``executive agency,'' as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105; any ``Military department'' as defined in 5 U.S.C. 102; and any other entity within the Executive Branch that comes into possession of classified information. Classified Information. All information that requires protection under Executive Order 12958, or any of its antecedent orders, and the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended. Cognizant Security Agency (CSA). Those agencies that have been authorized by Executive Order 12829 to establish an industrial security program for the purpose of safeguarding classified information disclosed or released to industry. Cognizant Security Office (CSO). The office or offices delegated by the head of a CSA to administer industrial security in a contractor's facility on behalf of the CSA. Facility. An activity of a government agency or cleared contractor authorized by appropriate authority to conduct classified operations or to perform classified work. Industry. Contractors, licensees, grantees, and certificate holders obligated by contract or other written agreement to protect classified information under the National Industrial Security Program. National Security. The national defense and foreign relations of the United States. Senior Agency Official. Those officials, pursuant to Executive Order 12958, designated by the agency head who are assigned the responsibility to direct and administer the agency's information security program. Sec. 148.13 Responsibilities. (a) Each Senior Agency Official shall ensure that adequate reciprocity provisions are incorporated within his or her regulatory issuances that prescribe agency safeguards for protecting classified information. (b) Each Senior Agency Official shall develop, implement, and oversee a program that ensures agency personnel adhere to the policies and procedures prescribed herein and the reciprocity provisions of the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM). (c) Each Senior Agency Official must ensure that implementation encourages reporting of instances of non-compliance, without fear of reprisal, and each reported instance is aggressively acted upon. (d) The Director, Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO), consistent with his assigned responsibilities under Executive Order 12829, serves as the central point of contact within Government to consider and take action on complaints and suggestions from industry concerning alleged violations of the reciprocity provisions of the NISPOM. (e) The Director, Security Policy Board Staff (D/SPBS) or his/her designee, shall serve as the central point [[Page 4582]] of contact within Government to receive from Federal Government employees alleged violations of the reciprocity provisions prescribed herein and the policy ``Reciprocity of Use and Inspections of Facilities'' of the SPB. Sec. 148.14 Procedures. (a) Agencies that authorize, approve, certify, or accredit facilities shall provide to the SPB Staff a points of contact list to include names and telephone numbers of personnel to be contacted for verification of the status of facilities. The SPB Staff will publish a comprehensive directory of agency points of contact. (b) After initial security authorization, approval, certification, or accreditation, subsequent reviews shall normally be conducted no more frequently than annually. Additionally, such reviews shall be aperiodic or random, and be based upon risk-management principles. Security Reviews may be conducted ``for cause'', to follow up on previous findings, or to accomplish close-out actions. (c) The procedures employed to maximize interagency reciprocity shall be based primarily upon existing organizational reporting channels. These channels should be used to address alleged departures from established reciprocity requirements and should resolve all, including the most egregious instances of non-compliance. (d) Two complementary mechanisms are hereby established to augment existing organizational channels: (1) An accessible and responsive venue for reporting and resolving complaints/reported instances of non- compliance. Government and industry reporting channels shall be as follows: (1) Governnment. (A) Agency employees are encouraged to bring suspected departures from applicable reciprocity requirements to the attention of the appropriate security authority in accordance with established agency procedures. (B) Should the matter remain unresolved, the complainant (employee, Security Officer, Special Security Officer, or similar official) is encouraged to report the matter formally to the Senior Agency Official for resolution. (C) Should the Senior Agency Official response be determined inadequate by the complainant, the matter should be reported formally to the Director, Security Policy Board Staff (D/SPBS). The D/SPBS, may revisit the matter with the Senior Agency Official or refer the matter to the Security Policy Forum as deemed appropriate. (D) Should the matter remain unresolved, the Security Policy Forum may consider referral to the SPB, the agency head, or the National Security Council as deemed appropriate. (ii) Industry. (A) Contractor employees are encouraged to bring suspected departures from the reciprocity provisions of the NISPOM to the attention to their Facility Security Officer (FSO) or Contractor Special Security Officer (CSSO), as appropriate, for resolution. (B) Should the matter remain unresolved, the complainant (employee, FSO, or CSSO) is encouraged to report the matter formally to the Cognizant Security Office (CSO) for resolution. (C) Should the CSO responses be determined inadequate by the complainant, the matter should be reported formally to the Senior Agency Official within the Cognizant Security Agency (CSA) for resolution. (D) Should the Senior Agency Official response be determined inadequately by the complainant, the matter should be reported formally to the Director, information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) for resolution. (E) The Director, ISOO, may revisit the matter with the Senior Agency Official or refer the matter to the agency head or the National Security Council as deemed appropriate. (2) An annual survey administered to a representative sampling of agency and private sector facilities to assess overall effectiveness of agency adherence to applicable reciprocity requirements. (i) In coordination with the D/SPBS, the Director, ISOO, as Chairman of the NISP Policy Advisory Committee (NISPPAC), shall develop and administer an annual survey to a representative number of cleared contractor activities/employees to assess the effectiveness of interagency reciprocity implementation. Administration of the survey shall be coordinated fully with each affected Senior Agency Official. (ii) In coordination with the NISPPAC, the D/SPBS shall develop and administer an annual survey to a representative number of agency activities/personnel to assess the effectiveness of interagency reciprocity implementation. Administration of the survey shall be coordinated fully with each affected Senior Agency Official. (iii) The goal of annual surveys should not be punitive but educational. All agencies and departments have participated in the crafting of these facilities policies, therefore, non-compliance is a matter of internal education and direction. (e) Agencies will continue to review and assess the potential value added to the process of co-use of facilities by development of electronic data retrieval across government. Dated: January 22, 1998. L.M. Bynum, Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense. [FR Doc. 98-1956 Filed 1-29-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 5000-04-M