Personnel with an active National Security clearance granted through the Personnel Security Division (PSD) shall complete a debriefing prior to leaving the position. The debriefing is a reminder of the clearance holder’s responsibility to protect Classified National Security Information (CNSI) in perpetuity, as introduced during the clearance activation training. Signing the security debriefing section of the SF-312 Classified Information Nondisclosure Agreement serves as an acknowledgment that access to CNSI has been removed and is subsequently recorded within the Department’s System of Record, Security Manager. PSD will then update the status of the clearance within the Office of Personnel Management database.

The Department’s separation process uses the CD-126 Separation Clearance Certificate to track the withdrawal of access to elements requiring an active National Security clearance. The CD-126 Security Debriefing section is not completed until access to CNSI, materials, and networks is no longer needed and the signed SF312 is executed  by the cognizant Bureau Security Office. Personnel with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) activated by the Department Special Security Office (DSSO) must schedule a debriefing for SCI or other special access and collateral CNSI by emailing [email protected].

Additional out-processing requirements are identified by bureau operations to account for the status of authorized users. All Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards or Common Access Cards (CACs) issued for unescorted access and keys are managed through the cognizant Bureau Security Office supplying the resources.

U.S. Department of Commerce Manual of Security Policy and Procedures.

Contractor Personnel Attached to Unclassified Contracts

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) use the Contractor Out-Processing Form to create an out-processing record for uncleared contractor personnel. Once completed, the form should be submitted to the cognizant bureau’s Personnel Security (PERSEC) Office for final processing.

Contractor Personnel attached to Classified Contracts:

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) shall use the Contractor Out-Processing Form to create an out-processing record for cleared contractor personnel. The authorization to work with CNSI is processed through the Information Security Division’s (ISD), Industrial Security Program (ISP) ([email protected]). ISP receives the Initial and subsequent annual Visitor Access Request (VAR) memo from the contracting company’s Facility Security Officer (FSO) confirming the collateral clearance, employer, and contract number to be recorded in the Department’s SOR, Security Manager. The COR notifies the ISP of any changes to the status of a contractor personnel, period, operating location, contract number or clearance type or access level. After notification from the COR, the ISP administratively withdraws the cleared contractor’s VAR prior to their separation.

SCI access requires annual training and debriefing from the ISD which is coordinated through the Department Special Security Office (DSSO). Cleared contractor personnel requiring access to SCI are scheduled for initial access and deactivation briefings from the Special Security Officer (SSO). For debriefings, the cleared contractor’s name and separation date are sent to the SSO. In addition, the COR shall notify National Security Solutions & Services (NS3), [email protected], to ensure classified network access is removed. Container combinations are changed, keys, PIV and CAC cards collected, and the Department email closed at the end of the contract service.