> Begin forwarded message: > > Pentagon Establishes Program Increasing Contractor Access to Classified > Information > The department expects 20 to 30 corporations to join the group, a spokesman > said. > > By Mila Jasper > JANUARY 7, 2021 01:00 PM ET > https://www.nextgov.com/cio-briefing/2021/01/pentagon-establishes-program-increasing-contractor-access-classified-information/171217/ > > <https://www.nextgov.com/cio-briefing/2021/01/pentagon-establishes-program-increasing-contractor-access-classified-information/171217/> > > The Defense Department formalized a pilot program that gives defense > contractors broader access to special access programs in order to spur > technology developments, according to a DOD memo. > > First reported Monday in Air Force Magazine, DOD Undersecretary of Defense > for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord announced the establishment of the > DOD Special Access Program Corporate Portfolio Program, in a memo to the > defense industrial base Dec. 15. > > Special access programs, or SAPs, are used to secure sensitive, classified > projects. Lord in the memo indicated the rapid pace of technological > innovation means more protection is needed to maintain the U.S. competitive > edge. > > “This increased protection, resulting in many activities being secured in > special access programs (SAPs), challenges the DOD’s ability to share > critical information and to collaborate with the [defense industrial base] to > deliver capability to the warfighter,” Lord wrote in the memo. > > The Corporate Portfolio Program, or CPP, solves this problem by giving > corporations on contract for SAPs greater access to the SAP itself, according > to the memo, which outlines four main purposes for the program: > > Improve integration of related efforts to increase technology development and > cost efficiencies. > Help companies better tailor research and development projects to DOD needs. > Give industry security experts SAP access so they can better protect > sensitive information they handle. > Enable DIB corporations to fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities. > Participation in the CPP is voluntary, but only corporations with 15 or more > SAP contracts are eligible. The preceding pilot program began in 2016 and > included nine corporations, DOD Spokesperson Jessica Maxwell told Nextgov in > an email. > > Maxwell said the department expects 20 to 30 corporations will eventually > sign on to participate and added the program is structured to be available to > smaller and non-traditional companies in addition to the typical defense > juggernauts. > >
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