DoD Personnel Clearances: Funding Challenges and Other Impediments Slow Clearances for Industry Personnel

Abstract

The Department of Defense (DOD) is responsible for about 2 million active personnel security clearances. About one-third of the clearances are for industry personnel working on contracts for DOD and more than 20 other executive agencies. Delays in determining eligibility for a clearance can heighten the risk that classified information will be disclosed to unauthorized sources and increase contract costs and problems attracting and retaining qualified personnel. On April 28, 2006, DOD announced it had stopped processing security clearance applications for industry personnel because of an overwhelming volume of requests and funding constraints. GAO has reported problems with DOD's security clearance processes since 1981. In January 2005, GAO designated DOD's program a high-risk area because of longstanding delays in completing clearance requests and an inability to accurately estimate and eliminate its clearance backlog. For this statement GAO addresses: (1) key points in the billing dispute between DOD and OPM and (2) some of the major impediments affecting clearances for industry personnel.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 17, 2006
Accession Number
AD1157049

Entities

People

  • Derek B. Stewart

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accountability
  • Business Administration
  • Commerce
  • Computer Programs
  • Congress
  • Contracts
  • Counterterrorism
  • Department Of Defense
  • Department Of Homeland Security
  • Government Procurement
  • Governments
  • Homeland Security
  • National Governments
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Security
  • United States Government

Readers

  • Aerodynamics.
  • Defense Technology Research and Development.
  • Government Contracting/Procurement.