MoD Security Clearance

[malvolio]

Is clearance renewal something we can pay for ourselves on a business justification?

Does anyone know how much it costs to renew SC clearance?

As a budgetary figure, around £600. But you can't get it without a sponsor, and you won't have a sponsor without a job to be sponsored for.

Believe me, we have tried every possible avenue, including setting up a separate, funded X-list company to manage the clearances of contractors who are not working on secure sites.

Until we get the prime contractors to realise they have now run out of good people, the clients to understand that it costs no more to support an uncleared contractor than it does an uncleared permie, and the Cabinet Office to realise they are actually breaching their own rules, this is going nowhere, and a huge part of the market will remain closed to the majority of contractors.

I wish everyone affected would write and complain to their MP; that's the only way we'll get serious attention paid to the whole issue.

[TheFaQQer]

Is clearance renewal something we can pay for ourselves on a business justification?

Does anyone know how much it costs to renew SC clearance?

You need a List X or non-List X sponsor to do it for you. You can't do it through your own company (unless you are on the list), or everyone would be doing it and it would be worthless.

[Ardesco]

Nope,

You have to be sponsored by a company that is doing work that require security clearance. As your LTD Co is not directly doing work that requires security clearance you cannot be sponsored by your LTD Co.

It's all stupid red tape tbh. There are the lucky few that get sponsored but generally speaking if you don't have it your screwed and it is very difficult to get somebody to sponsor you to get it. I've been security cleared 4 times in the past 12 years but I have been knocked back for every security clearance job I have applied for as my SC is not current. I have pointed out to a couple of agents that this is illegal, but they recently changed the wording on the MOD site if I remember correctly so that it doesn't explicitly say that it is illegal to knock back people without SC now.

The sad fact is that the government doesn't really give a tulip and are ignoring the fact that the system is being abused. As a result it's something that is hard to break into unless you are lucky or know somebody.

[Ardesco]

You need a List X or non-List X sponsor to do it for you. You can't do it through your own company (unless you are on the list), or everyone would be doing it and it would be worthless.

The fact is that it should be worthless. SC is not supposed to be used as a bargaining chip, or a way to increase your rate.

One way to get it would be to join the TA. Once you join the TA you get security cleared and while you remain in the TA your security clearance is active and renewed when required.

However the downside is that you may get kicked out to Iraq or Afghanistan.....

[Peter Loew]

The fact is that it should be worthless. SC is not supposed to be used as a bargaining chip, or a way to increase your rate.

One way to get it would be to join the TA. Once you join the TA you get security cleared and while you remain in the TA your security clearance is active and renewed when required.

However the downside is that you may get kicked out to Iraq or Afghanistan.....

What about joining the voluntary police force... Special Constable in between contracts?

[Ardesco]

What about joining the voluntary police force... Special Constable in between contracts?

I have no idea if specials are security cleared or not, I wouldn't have thought so but I could be wrong.

[TheFaQQer]

You would probably get Baseline Standard, or maybe Extended Baseline Standard. Can't see you getting SC for being an SPC, to be honest.

[fzbucks]

Keep working for people who require SC?

Seriously that's the only answer. I've been cleared four times to SC in the last 13 years (and how stupid is that...), the last time I was given the usual 5 years but haven't been on a secure site for two years, so if I go back I would need to be cleared all over again. Except that won't happen since now I can't even get to the interview stage.

Also, EDS and others are actually complaining now that they can't find the quality of contrators they require to do the jobs they need doing because of the clearnce rules limiting them to 10% of the market. Go figure...

Perhaps EDS could pay towards the cost of clearing somebody rather than expect the clients to - I think that's what causes the catch 22 situation.

If an agency has someone on th ebooks they know they can place them in a lot more places, yet a client who pays for the clearance may only get a few months out of that person.

[matey]

I have no idea if specials are security cleared or not, I wouldn't have thought so but I could be wrong.

Police Officers including Specials, PCSO etc are BC (Basic Check) on appointment. Clearance is upped to CTC (Counter Terroism Check) when required.

[Sundance]

I am a PM with SC clearance which expires in 2009. I am concerned that I will be less in demand when it expires.

Is there anything I can do, or any steps I can take to try to get it renewed before then? What do contractors normally do if there SC is about to expire?

P

Sounds to me like you're in a very strong position, rather than be 'concerned'. 2009? Too early to even worry about it, in my opinion!

Make sure you get another SC contract before it expires, would be my way of thinking.

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez a job; I'll even pay for my own SC clearance