The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) will collect data to project Personnel Security Investigation (PSI) requirements for cleared industry from March 3-28 through the National Industrial Security System (NISS) submission site. This annual data collection is critical for Department of Defense (DoD) program planning and budgeting for National Industrial Security Program (NISP) security clearances.
 
The NISS Survey is a key tool for projecting the security clearance needs of U.S. government-cleared industry partners. Conducted every year at the end of the fiscal year’s second quarter, the survey is open for about four weeks. Depending on industry partner participation, the survey may be extended to allow additional time for data collection. In previous years, extensions have been used to boost participation and ensure the necessary data is gathered. The data is used (along with other analyses) to help project security clearance needs of cleared industry for the next three fiscal years.
 
Facility Security Officers (FSOs) should expect the survey to take about 20 to 30 minutes to complete if all required data has been gathered prior to starting the survey. The survey might take slightly longer for FSOs who are responsible for multiple cleared facilities, but the 20-to-30-minute range is generally the norm.
 
The NISS support team works to ensure the survey is tested, updated annually, and accessible to industry partners. The team also publishes a “Job Aid” to assist FSOs in completing the survey. This tool walks the FSO through the survey so they can see exactly what they need to report before they begin the process. This helps the FSO complete the survey accurately and quickly.
 
DCSA emphasizes that industry participation in this survey does matter. The data gathered directly influences the ability to project security clearance needs for cleared industry partners. “We ensure that the proper number of people have the proper level of clearances,” said Patrick Young, analyst at the DCSA Office of the Chief Financial Officer. “In coordination with Adjudication and Vetting Services (AVS), we track when these clearances are required so the government can provide us with the necessary funding. This is necessary for people to have the appropriate clearances to accomplish work for DoD moving forward. In other words, we are projecting as accurately as possible the number of clearances required for industry partners to be cleared for access while supporting government activities.”
 
In preparation for this data collection, Industry partners are highly encouraged to register for their NISS accounts as soon as possible. Registration instructions are found on the NISS website under the Registration section (https://www.dcsa.mil/is/niss/).
 
For any questions about the survey, industry partners can email the NISS support team at dcsa.ncr.dcsa.mbx.psiprogram@mail.mil, which is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST. The team's goal is to answer any questions within 48 hours.