Two-day intensive for Facility Security Officers and personnel security teams at cleared defense contractors. Covers NISPOM Rule (32 CFR Part 117) requirements, DISS workflows, SF-86 processing, continuous evaluation, foreign contact reporting, and DCSA security review preparation. Includes recent NISP enforcement trends.
This two-day intensive gives Facility Security Officers and personnel security professionals a structured, practitioner-level command of the requirements that govern cleared contractor workforces. Instruction moves from regulatory foundation through operational execution, with direct application to the tools and workflows your program runs on every day.
The course opens with a thorough examination of the NISPOM Rule (32 CFR Part 117) as the governing document for the National Industrial Security Program. Participants work through the rule's structure, understand how it supersedes prior NISPOM editions, and map its requirements to program-level obligations. Recent NISP enforcement trends are examined so your team understands how DCSA is actually applying the rule — not just what the rule says on paper.
Significant hands-on time is devoted to the Defense Information System for Security (DISS), covering the end-to-end lifecycle of a personnel security case. Topics include initiating and managing requests, reading and acting on adjudicative outcomes, handling visit requests, and maintaining accurate roster data. Common workflow errors that generate DCSA findings are identified and corrected.
Participants learn how to guide cleared employees and candidates through accurate SF-86 completion, identify discrepancies before submission, and manage resubmissions. The session covers the FSO's role in educating applicants, common omissions that delay investigations, and how submission quality affects adjudication timelines.
The course addresses the Continuous Evaluation (CE) program — how it works, what automated record checks it involves, and what it means when CE surfaces derogatory information on a current cleared employee. Participants leave knowing how to respond to CE notifications inside DISS and how to counsel employees on their ongoing reporting obligations.
Foreign contact reporting requirements under the NISPOM Rule are covered in depth, including what constitutes a reportable contact, the FSO's role in receiving and documenting reports, and the mechanics of submitting reports through DISS. Real-world scenarios drawn from enforcement cases illustrate where programs routinely fall short.
The final section prepares your team for a DCSA security review. Participants learn what DCSA inspectors examine, how to conduct an internal pre-review against the DCSA assessment criteria, which records and artifacts must be current and accessible, and how to close gaps before an inspection rather than after. Recent inspection findings across the NISP community are used to calibrate your program's risk posture.
This course is built for Facility Security Officers (FSOs), assistant FSOs, and personnel security specialists at cleared defense and federal contractors — particularly those carrying direct responsibility for DISS case management, employee reporting programs, and DCSA interaction. It is equally valuable for Security Managers who oversee an FSO function and need to evaluate program health, and for HR and Talent Acquisition professionals at cleared facilities who process SF-86 submissions or advise candidates on the clearance process.
If your organization is approaching a DCSA security review, has recently received findings, or is standing up a new cleared facility, this training addresses your most immediate operational needs. Managers approving this investment will recognize their direct reports' daily responsibilities throughout the curriculum — this is not a survey course; it is a working session for people who own these processes.
Personnel security does not operate in isolation. If your team is also working through cybersecurity or regulatory requirements, Cleared Systems offers a full range of support — from compliance program development tailored to defense contractors to CMMC, CUI, and DFARS compliance services that address the adjacent obligations cleared facilities routinely carry. Explore the full services catalog to see how each discipline connects.
Ask about group rates, private delivery of this curriculum for your team, or whether this session fits your compliance roadmap.
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