Tracking Security Clearance Requests.

This report is the third in a series of audit reports addressing security clearance and access issues. During our audit to determine the status of actions taken within DoD relating to access reciprocity between special access programs, we identified problems with obtaining security clearances that affected individuals access to special access programs and other DoD operations. As a result, this report addresses the effectiveness of the Defense Security Service process for tracking security clearance requests. We also reviewed the adequacy of the management control program as it applied to the specific audit objective. We addressed the impact of obtaining background investigations for security clearances on three special access programs in Inspector General, DoD, Report No. D-2000-072, Expediting Security Clearance Background Investigations for Three Special Access Programs U, January 31, 2000 SECRET, and whether security clearances were being obtained and updated for personnel in the most critical and high-risk positions in the draft report for Inspector General, DoD, Project No. 9AD-0046.03, Security Clearance Investigative Priorities, January 31, 2000. Future audit reports will cover the adjudication process, the impact of security clearances on all special access programs and access reciprocity, and the acquisition of the Case Control Management System.