Transfer of CLassified information, coordination between DoD departments

[mfinch1789]

We have a contract for an Army system that is under development, and the Navy currently has their version of the system (hardware) with developed programs of instruction (POI) and the classified data about the system. The Army wants the contractor to observe the system with the Navy and develop a POI for the Army now, so that by the time the Army has the system physically they have a working POI. How do you arrange for the contractor to be able to observe classified data on a Navy base and transfer it to an Army base? Who should be the points of contact? Field Security Officers (FSO)? Base commanders?

To satisfy the government standards of care, it seems the contractors either must have their own SCIFs at both Navy and Army locations, or must be able to use the SCIF of the Navy and Army; if the second option is the only available option, how do you coordinate between different DoD departments AND put that coordination in a government contract so the contractor has guaranteed access to the proper security infrastructure and data?
 

[Neil Roberts]

Those are good questions. As the contractor, you should ask the Army to issue a contract change that covers the answers to these questions and/or provides contract direction that accomplishes these tasks, such as government furnished classified information.

Edited December 22, 2023 by Neil Roberts
posted in draft form

[General.Zhukov]

On 12/20/2023 at 3:01 PM, mfinch1789 said:

. How do you arrange for the contractor to be able to observe classified data on a Navy base and transfer it to an Army base? Who should be the points of contact? Field Security Officers (FSO)? Base commanders?

I can say from personal experience in the Army, that this does happen, or at least did happen for me, and it was pretty routine.  My Army unit had access to stuff that was in advanced development state by other USG entities, ranging from moderately to very classified, and we got training and tech support by contractors who worked for those other guys.  There was, in my case, an on-site uniformed officer overseeing it all.  So, it happens.   Contract-wise, I don't know, wasn't my job at the time.

On 12/20/2023 at 3:01 PM, mfinch1789 said:

The Army wants

Its the Army's job to figure it out and coordinate, specifically it's the Commanding Officer's job.  Easy.  Not joking.  The details and execution may be quite complicated and delegated down many levels from the commander, but ultimately, it's their responsibility.   

If it's not happening despite the fact that everyone wants it to happen, because nobody knows who goes first, or who has the authority to make actual important binding decisions, or general inertia and passivity, or lack of money, or whatever, then it's then the commander's responsibility to fix things.

For many (not all) things in the Army, this is the PEO.

What should happen: The uniformed boss of your particular contract/project tells his uniformed boss (PEO) "we want in on what the Navy is doing."  The PEO agrees, then tells her staff to make it happen.  Then it happens.