Oct. 1, 2021

National Center for Credibility Assessment transfers to DCSA

The Defense Intelligence Agency officially transferred operational control of the National Center for Credibility Assessment (NCCA) to DCSA on Oct. 1. The transfer of NCCA to DCSA marks two years to the day that the Defense Security Service (DSS), National Background Investigations Bureau and DOD Consolidated Adjudications Facility were consolidated into DCSA. It’s exactly one year since the National Background Investigation Services, legacy information technology systems from the Office of Personnel Management and the Defense Manpower Data Center joined DCSA. Although the smallest of the 2019, 2020 and this year’s transfers, with roughly 75 government and contractor employees, the move is no less significant, bringing a unique mission and capability to DCSA and the Training Directorate. As the government's premiere educational center for polygraph and other credibility assessment technologies and techniques, NCCA assists federal agencies in the protection of U.S. citizens, interests, infrastructure, and security by providing the best education and tools for credibility assessment. NCCA determines the standards related to polygraph initial and continuing education in addition to polygraph countermeasures education and research. The center audits federal polygraph programs to ensure that they are compliant with federal policy, practices and standards. Moreover, NCCA conducts continuous research and development of credibility assessment technologies, processes, and instrumentation in addition to supporting warfighter requirements for the employment of the Preliminary Credibility Assessment Screening System. The center also advises the directors of DIA, DCSA and National Intelligence as well as the under secretary of defense for intelligence and security on federal polygraph technical matters, policies and standards. We welcome NCAA staff and students to our DCSA team as we work as gatekeepers to ensure our national security is continually protected.

Oct. 1, 2021

DCSA enrolls all DOD clearance holders in CV

The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) has successfully enrolled all DOD clearance holders in Continuous Vetting (CV). This brings the agency and the federal government one step closer to its Trusted Workforce (TW) 2.0 goal of providing CV for all U.S. security clearance holders. Find out more here. Click title for more information.

Sept. 23, 2021

DCSA’s New Field Structure

The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) is establishing a new regional field structure on October 1, 2021. The new structure merges existing field mission areas into a four-region structure that includes Western, Central, Eastern, and Mid-Atlantic jurisdictions. With this new structure in place, for some stakeholders, DCSA points of contact (POC) may change. If your DCSA POC is changing, your current Counterintelligence Special Agent (CISA), Industrial Security Representative (ISR), or Information Systems Security Professional (ISSP) will notify you and ensure there is no break in support. Address any questions about changes to your current CISA/ISR/ISSP. More information can be found here: click the title for more information

Sept. 23, 2021

Register now for the SEAD 3 Question and Answer Webinar

“Reporting Requirements for Personnel Who Access Classified Information or Those Who Hold a Sensitive Position,” Question and Answer Webinar. DCSA Critical Technology Directorate will host a joint DCSA CTP and cleared industry panel to address industry questions associated with the implementation of SEAD 3 as outlined in Part 117 of Title 32 CFR, “the NISPOM Rule,” and the SEAD 3 Industrial Security Letter. Cleared industry under DOD cognizance should email their questions to dcsa.quantico.dcsa-hq.mbx.policyhq@mail.mil. Questions must be submitted by October 4, 2021, to allow time for coordination. The webinar, as well as the questions and answers, will be recorded and posted to the DCSA NISPOM Rule webpage after the event. Click the title for more information.

Sept. 14, 2021

NCCS Update Notice

Due to community feedback relating to system challenges impacting NISP Contracts Classification System (NCCS) implementation, DCSA has made the decision to sunset the current NCCS application effective October 1, 2021, and will be coordinating with the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security to update the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Over the next few months DCSA will be developing NCCS 2.0 which has a tentative release date of the 2nd Quarter of Fiscal Year 2022. Learn more: https://www.dcsa.mil/is/nccs/.

Sept. 14, 2021

DCSA Security Reviews

Effective September 1, 2021, DCSA began conducting Security Reviews based upon the refined and communicated security review approach that incorporates best practices from previous security review models. DCSA personnel are scheduling and visiting on-site contractor personnel to review 32 CFR Part 117 NISPOM compliance. The Security Review determines if measures are in place to counter potential threats, identify vulnerabilities and administrative findings, and advise the contractor on how to achieve and maintain an effective security program. The complimentary security rating process is a compliance first model that eliminates enhancements, utilizes a whole company approach based on analysis of the corporate culture, management support from the top, employee awareness, and cooperation within the security community. For more information on the rating process, click here (https://www.dcsa.mil/mc/ctp/srrp/).

Sept. 13, 2021

Join DCSA for a DISS training webinar Sept. 14.

DCSA’s DISS team is hosting a webinar on SMO Consolidation and PII Data Management for government and industry DISS users at 2:00 p.m., Sept. 14. Click here to join the webinar. Seating is limited to 200 participants so join early and watch the DISS site for additional webinars coming soon. Click the title for more information.

Sept. 2, 2021

Industry CV Enrollment Guidance

The Vetting Risk Operations is leading the implementation effort to have the national security population enrolled in a compliant Continuous Vetting (CV) Program. The guidance, found here, provides steps that should be taken by Industry Facility Security Officers to ensure their employees are enrolled into CV. Click title for more information

Aug. 18, 2021

DCSA DEPLOYS NBIS RELEASE 3.1

DCSA has successfully deployed Release 3.1 of the National Background Investigation Services (NBIS). A follow up to Release 3.0, this release adds capability expansion on the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communication System (JWICS) and enables high side case management for Continuous Vetting (CV). Now considered an initial minimal viable product (MVP), this release builds a foundational infrastructure for NBIS, bringing with it a speed to market of unprecedented capabilities delivered in an unprecedented delivery window. This release is part of an ongoing rollout of iterative, frequent releases to ensure that all functionalities receive appropriate user acceptance testing with adequate feedback loops. Read the latest on NBIS here www.dcsa.mil/is/nbis/. Click title for more information.

Aug. 17, 2021

DCSA Releases ISL 2021-02, “SEAD 3,"

Clarification and Guidance on Reportable Activities for cleared contractors under DoD cognizance. The ISL provides clarity on reporting requirements for all covered individuals who have access to classified information. The ISL additionally advises that cleared contractors under DoD cognizance must implement the change in 32 Code of Federal Regulation Part 117, “National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual,” Rule effective August 24, 2021. Click title for more information.