News

Agency News

June 17, 2022

Renaming of the DOD CAF

The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) is renaming the Department of Defense Consolidated Adjudications Facility (DOD CAF) to better reflect personnel vetting into the future. DoD CAF is now DCSA Consolidated Adjudication Services (CAS). The renaming to DCSA CAS does not change any internal or external organizational reporting relationships, missions, resources or support functions. DCSA, through the CAS, will continue to deliver informed and timely adjudicative decisions for the Federal Government to enable operational readiness in keeping with risk management principles. In 2019, the DOD CAF transferred to DCSA, and was part of the broader re-alignment of personnel vetting responsibilities. DCSA CAS, led by DCSA Assistant Director Marianna Martineau, supports the military services, Department of Defense agencies, cleared industry in the National Industrial Security Program, and certain legislative and judiciary branch entities. The DCSA CAS executes approximately one million personnel security, suitability, and credentialing actions. DCSA CAS executes 99% of all DOD National Security Eligibility determinations, 92% of federal government-wide National Security Eligibility determinations, and 10% of federal government-wide Civilian Suitability and Credentialing decisions. The DCSA CAS is the largest adjudication facility across government and the only adjudications facility covering all three branches of government.

May 26, 2022

DoD CAF (Adjudications) FY21 Year In Review Annual Report now available

The DoD Consolidated Adjudications Facility (DOD/CAF) announces its second annual report covering FY21. The Annual Report highlights Adjudications many accomplishments and continuous efforts to improve DoD-assigned adjudications and related personnel security eligibility determinations-in terms of business processes and streamlining security clearance processing timeliness. The Annual Report can be found here. Click the title for more information.

May 12, 2022

The Pathway for NBIS Industry Onboarding

As part of Industry onboarding into the National Background Investigation Services (NBIS) system, the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) will leverage a ServiceNow platform, to host a NBIS Industry Onboarding Portal.  ServiceNow is the same platform used for Secure Web Fingerprint Transmission (SWFT) and Defense Information Security System (DISS) statuses, notifications and support services. The NBIS Industry Onboarding Portal will enable Industry Partners to conveniently and effectively onboard into the NBIS system where they have access to an interactive onboarding readiness checklist; training repository; streamlined system access request process, and support. DCSA is currently testing and preparing the portal for Industry Onboarding. Please check back for additional updates or for additional information on NBIS Industry Onboarding, please visit the NBIS Industry Onboarding website.

May 6, 2022

Enterprise Mission Assurance Support Service Computer Based Training

The National Industrial Security Program (NISP) Authorization Office (NAO) is pleased to announce that the Enterprise Mission Assurance Support Service (eMASS) Computer Based Training (CBT), Course DISA100.06, is now available on the Center for Development of Security Excellence (CDSE) Security Training, Education, and Professionalization Portal (STEPP) (https://cdse.usalearning.gov/login/index.php). Industry users can now complete this NISP eMASS account prerequisite on the CDSE STEPP site. This capability enables ease of access for our industry partners. For more information on obtaining a NISP eMASS, please reference the NISP eMASS User Account Request guide located here: https://www.dcsa.mil/mc/isd/tools/. Please contact the DCSA NAO eMASS Team, dcsa.quantico.dcsa.mbx.emass@mail.mil, with any questions.

May 6, 2022

NBIS guidance: Industry personnel in DISS SMOs

Accurate and streamlined data migration from legacy systems to the National Background Investigation Services (NBIS) system is critical to minimize mission impact. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) continues Data Quality Initiatives (DQIs) to ensure accurate data is transitioned from the Defense Information System for Security (DISS) data prior to the National Background Investigation Services (NBIS) system transition. To prepare for data migration, DCSA recommends Industry Facility Security Officers (FSO) verify that all employees with clearance eligibility are listed within associated DISS Security Management Offices (SMOs) prior to transition to NBIS. It is requested that Industry Partners continue to properly manage their employee populations in DISS as this will aid with data migration and transition to NBIS. For more details on SMO consolidation, refer to the DISS to NBIS Industry Hierarchy Preparation Guidance available on the NBIS Industry Onboarding website, https://www.dcsa.mil/is/nbis/onboarding/ind_onboarding/.

May 4, 2022

Mental Health and your Security Clearance Eligibility

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about mental health, which is an important part of a person's overall health. Behavioral mental health treatment is not an automatic disqualifier for a security clearance. DCSA Adjudications looked at the 5.4 million adjudicative actions taken between 2012-2020, and found that 97,000 cases dealt with psychological-related issues. Of those cases, only 62 were denied or revoked for psychological concerns, which equates to 0.00115% of the total adjudicative actions. DCSA Adjudications is working to raise awareness that seeking mental health services does not affect one’s ability to gain or hold clearance eligibility. Get more information in the DCSA Adjudications "Mental Health and Security Clearances" fact sheet at: https://www.dcsa.mil/Portals/91/Documents/pv/DODCAF/resources/DCSA-FactSheet_Mental-Health_SecurityClearances-Oct21.pdf, or by watching the Center for Development of Security Excellence-hosted webinar, "Mental Health and Your Security Clearance Eligibility," at: https://www.cdse.edu/Training/Webinars-and-Conferences/Webinar-Archive/Mental-Health-and-Your-Security-Clearance-Eligibility/.

March 25, 2022

Looking for DCSA Adjudications Information and Resources

Check out our latest resource on SCI Eligibility Process for Denials and Revocations located on the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency website at https://www.dcsa.mil/mc/pv/dod_caf/resources/ The SCI one-pager provides steps to assist the facility security officer or security manager when SCI is denied or revoked for cleared industry personnel. In addition, we offer a robust section of Frequently Asked Questions on 'Who issues a security clearance' to 'How does the CAF determine if an individual can be granted eligibility for access to classified information and/or assignment to duties that have been designated national security sensitive' located at https://www.dcsa.mil/mc/pv/dod_caf/FAQs/ We also have a variety of Adjudications communication products to include DCSA Adjudications Services, Reciprocity Guide and Program one pagers, and fact sheets covering Mental Health and Security Clearances. These informational documents are for your convenience and can easily be downloaded and printed at https://www.dcsa.mil/mc/pv/dod_caf/resources

March 17, 2022

Transitioning industry hierarchy data from DISS to NBIS

The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) will begin to transition Industry hierarchy data from the Defense Information System for Security (DISS) to the National Background Investigation Services (NBIS) system on April 1, 2022. As part of this data migration, DCSA will move information from the National Industrial Security System (NISS)—the authoritative source for facility clearances, and DISS—the personnel security system of record and source of hierarchy used to manage personnel security programs. To prepare the NBIS data transition, DCSA recommends Industry partners who hold facility clearances to review DISS Security Management Offices (SMO), and determine if SMOs need consolidation into one SMO per CAGE code, to align with the cleared facility in NISS by March 31, 2022. For more information and tips on how to prepare, please visit the Industry Onboarding (https://www.dcsa.mil/is/nbis/onboarding/ind_onboarding/) website to review the DISS TO NBIS Industry Hierarchy Preparation Guidance.

March 4, 2022

DCSA oversight of NISPOM Rule’s SEAD 3 requirements began March 1

Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DSCA) Industrial Security Representatives (ISRs) began incorporating the assessment of compliance with Security Executive Agent Directive (SEAD) 3 reporting requirements into scheduled security reviews, DCSA announced on March 1.

Feb. 8, 2022

New CUI resources available

The DCSA CUI Program Office has posted several new resources to support Industry in developing its CUI programs. These products include a Roadmap to Compliance, SPP template, sample training presentation, self-inspection tool, and more. These resources, details about DCSA's CUI implementation, and more useful information can be found at: https://www.dcsa.mil/mc/ctp/cui/.