Information from the DSS webpage: http://www.dss.mil/psco/psco.html 

Processing an
   Applicant for a
   Personnel Security
   Clearance

* Eligibility
   Determinations

* Security Clearance
   Updates (Periodic
   Reinvestigations)

* Maintaining a
   Personnel Security
   Clearance

* Reciprocity of
   Clearances

* Contact Us

* References

* FAQs
DISCO

* Organization Chart

* Limited Access Authorizations    (LAAs) for Non-U.S. Citizens

* DISCO International Branch


Additionally, below we have information from the Defense Security Services Academy.
They produce some outstanding booklets that you can download.



While this information has a focus on contractor clearances, there is little difference between military or government security clearances.

Roles and Responsibilities for Personnel Security: A Guide for Supervisors (December 2010)

While each employee is responsible for the protection of national security information, the security supervision of a workforce remains the responsibility of each supervisor. While there is no single formula for ensuring that employees apply sound security practices, this guide provides some suggestions that may assist supervisors in developing efforts in the security area.
21 pages. 2.9 MB.

 Roles and responsibility for personnel security.

Glossary Definitions, Acronyms & Abbreviations for Security Professionals (August 2009)

This document is a comprehensive list of definitions, acronyms, and abbreviations broken down by letter for easy reference and searching.
234 pages. 4.1 MB.

 Glossary definitions and acronyms

How to Receive and Maintain Your Security Clearance (July 2009)

This handbook breaks down the process involved in granting an applicant a security clearance, from start to finish. The guide begins with clearance eligeability, addresses adjudication guidelines, and details continued responsibility should a clearance be authorized.
16 pages. 2.6 MB.

 How to receive and maintain your security.

Self Inspection Handbook for NISP Contractors (November 2008)

The National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) requires all participants in the National Industrial Security Program (NISP) to conduct their own security reviews (self-inspections). The Self-Inspection Handbook is designed as a job aid to assist in compliance with this requirement. It also suggests various techniques to help enhance the quality of self-inspections.
30 pages. 999 KB.

 Self inspection handbook for NISP

Procedural Guide for Conducting Classified Conferences (July 2008)

This guide outlines procedures for preparing, processing, providing security, and approving requests for DoD-sponsored classified conferences. Security professionals may find this reference tool useful when they are involved in hosting/ coordinating DoD classified conferences.
12 pages. 119 KB.




Personnel Security Clearances Office

News

  • (3/22/2010) Recording of Dual Adjudication Actions in JPAS Concludes: - Since August 24, 2009 users of the Joint Personnel Adjudication System (JPAS) may have noticed that the Defense Industrial Security Clearance Office (DISCO) began issuing two adjudications for individual cases. This procedure was a necessary temporary "fix" to generate eligibility change notifications while DISCO began using the Case Adjudication Tracking System (CATS) to adjudicate electronic investigations. We are proud to announce that, effective February 27, 2010 a JPAS modification has been completed eliminating the need for dual entry of actions.
  • (11/20/09) Foreign Passport: Disposition Influences Personnel Clearance Eligibility: - DISCO will not grant or continue a personnel clearance if the clearance applicant or cleared individual possesses a current foreign passport. In instances where the foreign passport is the sole potential disqualifying factor in the personnel clearance adjudication, DISCO will send a Joint Personnel Adjudication System (JPAS) message to the Facility Security Officer (FSO) stating that if DISCO receives reliable documentary evidence that the foreign passport has been destroyed, invalidated, or surrendered, DISCO will grant or continue the clearance. The passport holder may surrender the foreign passport to the FSO for safekeeping, but the FSO is not required to perform this service. If the FSO does accept the surrendered passport and the FSO subsequently returns the passport to the cleared individual while the passport is current, the FSO must submit an incident report in JPAS with details concerning the return of the passport. Reasons for the return of the employee's foreign passport should be provided in the incident report, even if the reasons are compassionate (e.g., when the passport is returned because the individual states that he or she needs it in order to visit a sick relative in another country). An incident report must be submitted even if the passport is returned at the time of the individual's employment termination.

    An example of the documentary evidence sufficient to establish surrender of the passport (when the passport is surrendered to the FSO), includes a statement signed by the FSO on company letterhead, stating that the applicant has surrendered his or her passport, providing details about the passport [i.e., identifying the issuing country, passport number, date of issuance and expiration date], and stating that the company will report any return of the passport to the passport holder, by submission of an incident report explaining the action.

  • (07/24/09) Bond Amendment

  • (11/21/08) Notice to Cleared Contractor Facilities Regarding Top Secret Investigations: - The Defense Industrial Security Clearance Office (DISCO) notes that some facilities request Top Secret eligibility soon after Secret eligibility was granted for the same individual. There is an appearance that contractors take this action because of the belief that Secret eligibility is granted much faster than Top Secret eligibility. When Top Secret eligibility is requested, DISCO reviews the Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) package to determine if interim Secret eligibility can be granted. This review for interim Secret eligibility is conducted just as quickly as when only a Secret clearance has been requested. In many cases, an interim Top Secret eligibility is subsequently granted after completion of the National Agency Check (NAC) portion of the SSBI. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has significantly reduced completion times for the average SSBI. If an individual requires Top Secret eligibility, it is more efficient for contractors to initially request Top Secret eligibility rather than making a request for Secret eligibility. Following this practice will result in efficient processing, less work and expense for the facility, DISCO and OPM.

  • PSC Update June 20, 2008 - The PSC document, Maintaining a Personnel Security Clearance, Incident Reports – what, when and why, has been updated. Click here to view it.

  • Pilot of Secure Web Fingerprint Transmission (SWFT) (6/09/08)
    DSS will conduct a pilot of its Secure Web Fingerprint Transmission (SWFT) system from June 30, 2008 through October 31, 2008. Click here for more details.

  • Initial results of annual PSI survey

    DSS conducted its annual survey of personnel security investigation (PSI) projections for industry clearances from April 14 - May 9, 2008. DSS sent the survey to 10,953 participants, responsible for the PSI projections of over 12,000 active, cleared facilities.

    Preliminary results reflect an 83% completion/submission rate, an increase from the 70% completion/submission rate from the fall 2007 survey.

    The increase in the submission rate is due to increased efforts by the Personnel Security Clearance Office to provide advanced notice of the survey as well as the efforts of the PSC-ISP survey team, in coordination with Industrial Security Representatives and Field Office Chiefs, to correct email addresses before and during the survey.

    Analysis by the Clearance Oversight Office of the survey results will provide further data on the submission rate and cleared population represented for planning and budgeting.

Requesting Clearances and Investigations

Maintenance & Other Items

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SETA

Security-related Handbooks
Click on the link or the image to download the PDF.

Roles and Responsibilities for Personnel Security: A Guide for Supervisors (December 2010)

While each employee is responsible for the protection of national security information, the security supervision of a workforce remains the responsibility of each supervisor. While there is no single formula for ensuring that employees apply sound security practices, this guide provides some suggestions that may assist supervisors in developing efforts in the security area.
21 pages. 2.9 MB.

 Roles and responsibility for personnel security.

Glossary Definitions, Acronyms & Abbreviations for Security Professionals (August 2009)

This document is a comprehensive list of definitions, acronyms, and abbreviations broken down by letter for easy reference and searching.
234 pages. 4.1 MB.

 Glossary definitions and acronyms

How to Receive and Maintain Your Security Clearance (July 2009)

This handbook breaks down the process involved in granting an applicant a security clearance, from start to finish. The guide begins with clearance eligeability, addresses adjudication guidelines, and details continued responsibility should a clearance be authorized.
16 pages. 2.6 MB.

 How to receive and maintain your security.

Self Inspection Handbook for NISP Contractors (November 2008)

The National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) requires all participants in the National Industrial Security Program (NISP) to conduct their own security reviews (self-inspections). The Self-Inspection Handbook is designed as a job aid to assist in compliance with this requirement. It also suggests various techniques to help enhance the quality of self-inspections.
30 pages. 999 KB.

 Self inspection handbook for NISP

Procedural Guide for Conducting Classified Conferences (July 2008)

This guide outlines procedures for preparing, processing, providing security, and approving requests for DoD-sponsored classified conferences. Security professionals may find this reference tool useful when they are involved in hosting/ coordinating DoD classified conferences.
12 pages. 119 KB.

SETA

Security-related Handbooks
Click on the link or the image to download the PDF.

Roles and Responsibilities for Personnel Security: A Guide for Supervisors (December 2010)

While each employee is responsible for the protection of national security information, the security supervision of a workforce remains the responsibility of each supervisor. While there is no single formula for ensuring that employees apply sound security practices, this guide provides some suggestions that may assist supervisors in developing efforts in the security area.
21 pages. 2.9 MB.

 Roles and responsibility for personnel security.

Glossary Definitions, Acronyms & Abbreviations for Security Professionals (August 2009)

This document is a comprehensive list of definitions, acronyms, and abbreviations broken down by letter for easy reference and searching.
234 pages. 4.1 MB.

 Glossary definitions and acronyms

How to Receive and Maintain Your Security Clearance (July 2009)

This handbook breaks down the process involved in granting an applicant a security clearance, from start to finish. The guide begins with clearance eligeability, addresses adjudication guidelines, and details continued responsibility should a clearance be authorized.
16 pages. 2.6 MB.

 How to receive and maintain your security.

Self Inspection Handbook for NISP Contractors (November 2008)

The National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) requires all participants in the National Industrial Security Program (NISP) to conduct their own security reviews (self-inspections). The Self-Inspection Handbook is designed as a job aid to assist in compliance with this requirement. It also suggests various techniques to help enhance the quality of self-inspections.
30 pages. 999 KB.

 Self inspection handbook for NISP

Procedural Guide for Conducting Classified Conferences (July 2008)

This guide outlines procedures for preparing, processing, providing security, and approving requests for DoD-sponsored classified conferences. Security professionals may find this reference tool useful when they are involved in hosting/ coordinating DoD classified conferences.
12 pages. 119 KB.