Feature: Security clearance for contractors

Contractors looking to take on projects in some Government departments will first need security clearance, which is issued by the UK Defence Vetting Agency (DVA). UKTECH looks at the different types of security accreditation needed by contract workers in this sector and the process of obtaining them...

With 140,000 checks and clearances every year, the UK Defence Vetting Agency (DVA) is the largest Government organisation to carry out security checks in the country.

The agency has recently merged into one central unit based in York, whereas before it consisted of four separate units based in central London, Portsmouth, Woolwich and Corsham. The move was part of a Government modernisation drive which will also include the introduction of a new vetting process specifically for IT contractors.

'A number of commercial organisations advertise for staff with security clearances. This practice is unnecessary and is strongly discouraged by the MOD' - The Defence Vetting Agency

However, this new process is still some time away, so IT contractors will still need to apply for one of the existing levels of accreditation depending on the project they hope to undertake, in the meantime. These are:

• Basic Check (BC)

  To confirm the identity of a person, although the recruiting authorities or Defence Industry companies themselves usually do these. A BC is an essential pre-requisite for all three levels of security clearance.

• Security Check (SC)

  This is the most widely held clearance. It is needed for jobs involving long-term, frequent and uncontrolled access to SECRET, and occasional and controlled access to TOP SECRET assets and information. This clearance is reviewed every ten years.

• Counter-Terrorist Check (CTC)

  This check gives people access to Government buildings where there is a specific threat from terrorism, but not to protectively-marked assets such as classified documents.

• Developed Vetting (DV)

  This higher level of security clearance is needed for the most sensitive jobs and tasks, involving long-term and uncontrolled access to TOP SECRET information. DV clearances are regularly reviewed.

To obtain DV clearance you must first:

complete a DV supplement questionnaire;

undergo a 'financial check' to assess whether you (or your dependants where applicable) are, or have been, in serious financial difficulty or show signs of financial irresponsibility to the extent that you could become vulnerable to financial inducement.

The DVA elaborates: 'There is no need to worry about mortgage and credit card debts that are in line with your income as long as you are able to manage the repayments properly. At the opposite end of the financial scale, unexplained wealth may result in further inquiries being made.'

have your references from personal friends, tutors and employers checked out either by letters, by telephone or by interview;

have a detailed interview with an investigating officer.

The DVA adds: 'You should expect to be questioned about your family background, past experiences, health, personal life, drinking habits, experience (if any) of drug taking, finances, general political views (though not what Party you support), hobbies, foreign travel, etc... All these questions are asked for a purpose and you should try to be as frank as possible. The interview will be searching and intrusive, but it is not a harsh interrogation and should not feel like one.'

'We find that most of the people who need clearances are reliable and responsible, but sometimes we do spot people who have problems and so could be a risk. These problems can be things such as a known association with a terrorist group, severe financial problems, personal problems that might make the person vulnerable to outside pressure, certain medical conditions, or a history of breaking the law.'

Tendering for Ministry of Defence (MOD) contracts & Competitive Advantage

Contractors and their companies do not have to have security clearance prior to bidding for MOD contracts advertised in the 'Official Journal of the European Communities' or the MOD contracts bulletin.

The MOD has tried to make sure there is no competitive advantage in having prior security clearance throughout the contracting procedure and requests that any clearances required are only raised during the contractual process.

The DVA says: 'A number of commercial organisations advertise for staff with security clearances. This practice is neither necessary nor desirable, and is strongly discouraged by the MOD.'

Sponsorship

The first step to gain accreditation is to get a sponsor. Individuals and companies cannot ask for a security clearance unless they are sponsored, and they will not be sponsored unless they are contracted (or are in the process of being contracted) to work on one or more specific MOD classified projects. For large contracts, an officer in the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) or Defence Logistics Organisation (DLO), typically a Project Officer, will act as the sponsor. For workers in sub-contracted organisations, sponsorship will be provided through the prime contractor.

A contractor who works on high-level Government projects and has been accredited with top-level DV clearance told UKTECH about his experience of the work.

He said: "In practice, the system is designed for employees who undertake sensitive Government work, rather than contractors.

"The clearance is held by the company you are going to be doing the work for (not necessarily the client) and application for accreditation is required to be sponsored, usually by the company, so as not to diminish the Government agency's limited resources.

"Getting confirmation of accreditation can take several weeks and once you have it, if you go away and do unaccredited work, you will more than likely have to re-apply again. You also have to re-apply for accreditation every time you change companies or if you take a different project with the same client via another company or agent.

"If you do not have the necessary accreditation and the client still allows you access to the site, you have to be accompanied by someone who does: from the entrance gate, to the canteen and in extreme cases, even to the toilet!

"Having up-to-date clearance for contractors can be very valuable if a project comes up that requires it for an immediate start. The company I work through keeps my accreditation current on a permanent basis. Sometimes there are backlogs and waiting lists which can change the amount of time it takes to get yourself re-accredited.

"For my standard 'secret' clearance, I was asked about my family, parents, etc... But for higher levels of clearance they wanted to see financial records (much like setting up a mortgage) and I had to declare my total income. I was also asked about any political groups I had previously been involved with and even about the details of any extra-marital affairs I might have had, to minimise the chances of being blackmailed.

"You will normally be asked for references as part of the course of obtaining most levels of accreditation, though your friends are not normally involved to the extent that DV requires. At this level they can bring your friends in and interrogate them about their knowledge of you as a person."