INDUSTRIAL SECURITY AS A BARRIER TO NON-TRADITIONAL VENDOR PARTICIPATION
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Authors
Astafan, Stephen L.
Browning, Michelle S.
Bushong, Brent W.
Rienstra, Geoffrey S.
Subjects
industrial security
facilities clearance
small business participation
DD254
sub-contractor
prime contractor
facilities clearance
small business participation
DD254
sub-contractor
prime contractor
Advisors
Dew, Nicholas
Mortlock, Robert F.
Date of Issue
2023-12
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
The Department of Defense (DOD) aims to increase small business participation within the industrial base and has boosted its involvement in providing goods, services, and research and technology to support national defense. However, significant obstacles persist that dissuade non-traditional vendors from entering the defense ecosystem of contracting and acquisition. Prominent among them is the complex industrial facility security clearance (FCL) process. Our research seeks to utilize discussions, data analysis, and validation from a trusted network to identify and remove industrial security process obstacles that dissuade non-traditional vendor participation and engagement within the DOD for classified projects. We discovered that a convoluted process, disaggregated resources, outdated policy, governmental-specific jargon, and a too-common tendency for smaller companies to work for larger prime contractors all reduce small businesses’ desire to produce on the government’s behalf. The outcomes of this research provide a three-tiered solution consisting of process, technical, and policy recommendations that streamline the application and provide a simple-to-understand framework for small business industrial clearance application and approval that fosters a more inclusive and diversified industrial base in support of national defense.
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Thesis
Description
Includes Supplementary Material
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Joint Applied Projects
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NPS Report Number
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Distribution Statement
Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.