ISOO’s project to assess, modernize, and streamline the Classified National Security Information program data and methods used for collecting that required data from agencies has been a top priority of the Director of ISOO for over two years. This effort began during preparation of ISOO’s FY 2017 Annual Report to the President when staff started discussing more efficient and effective ways to collect and analyze the data that agencies are required to submit annually to ISOO.
Rather than attempting to reform or change existing policy requirements, this effort was solely based on current mandates and responsibilities found in Executive Orders 13526, “Classified National Security Information” and 12829, as amended, “National Industrial Security Program”, as well as their implementing regulations at 32 CFR Parts 2001 and 2004. The overall effort was briefed to and supported by the Records Access and Information Security (RAIS) Policy Coordination Committee (PCC) at the National Security Council. ISOO staff conducted extensive, deep-dive research on all past data collections and oversight requirements to determine what data elements would best enable ISOO to perform its oversight role while decreasing the burden as much as possible to agency personnel.
ISOO’s goals for this effort were as follows:
- Consolidate all questions and ISOO data collections (i.e., SF 311, SF 716, Self-Inspection Reporting, OCA counts, and NISP cost data) into a single predictable data call.
- Eliminate redundant and ineffective questions.
- Move as many questions as possible away from narrative responses.
- Significantly reduce the number of data elements.
In the coming weeks, this blog will include further details on this effort, culminating with the way ahead, as determined by the Director of ISOO and included in ISOO’s FY 2019 Annual Report to the President. Stay tuned!