Security Clearance (SC) Q&A Read first before asking questions

[SimonMac]

Hello everyone. New on this forum, hoping to learn a lot.

I am currently studying to attain the CCNA qualification and have recently become aware that I will require SC clearance in many jobs I will eventually apply for.

I have had CTC clearance previously in my previous career (not IT related, I was in the police service) but this was in 2007.

I recently resigned from my role in the police after 8 years due to a misconduct investigation (which has now ended due to my resignation). My reference from the police is an adverse one and mentions I resigned whilst subject to misconduct.

On top of this, I recently became bankrupt due to my resignation having acquired a significant amount of debt (£35k+). I will be discharged from my bankruptcy in January 2016. I have no convictions or cautions for anything.

What I want to ask is considering I resigned due to misconduct in the police (with adverse references) AND I will be a discharged bankrupt, will I still be able to gain SC clearance? I wouldn't be applying for jobs that would sponsor SC clearance for at least a year (when my bankruptcy will be discharged).

I would like to think as a discharged bankrupt my bribery risk would be extremely low as my debts have all been cleared due to the bankruptcy?

Advice please....should I give up my potential new career due to never being able to get SC clearance?

Each application is based on its own merits, so unfortunately no one knows, the main purpose of SC is to evaluate your integrity, your previous misconduct could go against you as it raises questions that are now unanswerable, also your financial difficulties could go against you as you have a history of money problems so are likely to struggle again.

On the other hand being honest is what people want, so if you are honest with the process and declare everything you will have a better chance of gaining the clearance than if you hide it.

Good luck either way, but don't worry about it, lots of networking jobs will not require SC so it won't be a blocker to your career

[SimonMac]

Hmmmmm, filling out the NSV portal and its asking for my employment supervisor, not sure if I can put my own name in there!

[hopefulsam]

SC clearance transfer challenges

Hi all,
I'm looking for some advice from those who may know.
I was first SC cleared in Jul 2005 by the DVA and this was for 10 years.
I was working on contract with Fujitsu on MOD and other HMG work. They held my clearance. Then in 2011 I moved to BT on contract. BT failed to request transfer of my clearance from FJ and and only after 2 years did this become apparent. BT as its own DSO then cleared me to SC until 2021 this was finally done in February 2014.

Well I've now left BT and have interviewed for a role in my specialist field with another Defence organisation. I have been told that my SC clearance is an issue as I don't appear on the DBS central register (which I wouldn't as I would appear on the BT register). I have explained to the agency that all the client needs to do is request a transfer. I've spoken to BT who confirm all is in order and they just need an email from the sponsor organizations security group and they will initiate a transfer of my clearance to DBS.

The recruitment agency are telling me the client has no transfer request process and then at the back end of last week I received a mail from the agent with a statement from the client security group saying that...

"DBS will not action transfers from BT, Bank of England, FCO, GCHQ or any government departments to non-government departments (of which company xx is one)"

The recruitment agent is not really trying to solve this he's hoping I go away as he doesn't want to rattle any client cages.

But BT vetting tell me that DBS do this regularly from them.

Now my job offer is disappearing and I am unable to move forward.
Does anyone know the truth here?

I have written to DBS customer help - who were surprised by the claim. They said they Will pass my mail to the transfers department but they hadn't come across this issue before.

I really want the role and don't want my SC clearance to be a stumbling block. The implication being I suddenly have no clearance.

I've read all threads I can find on this but nothing covers my position.

All help, advice, and comment is truly appreciated

thanks,
Sam

[SimonMac]

Hi all,
I'm looking for some advice from those who may know.
I was first SC cleared in Jul 2005 by the DVA and this was for 10 years.
I was working on contract with Fujitsu on MOD and other HMG work. They held my clearance. Then in 2011 I moved to BT on contract. BT failed to request transfer of my clearance from FJ and and only after 2 years did this become apparent. BT as its own DSO then cleared me to SC until 2021 this was finally done in February 2014.

Well I've now left BT and have interviewed for a role in my specialist field with another Defence organisation. I have been told that my SC clearance is an issue as I don't appear on the DBS central register (which I wouldn't as I would appear on the BT register). I have explained to the agency that all the client needs to do is request a transfer. I've spoken to BT who confirm all is in order and they just need an email from the sponsor organizations security group and they will initiate a transfer of my clearance to DBS.

The recruitment agency are telling me the client has no transfer request process and then at the back end of last week I received a mail from the agent with a statement from the client security group saying that...

"DBS will not action transfers from BT, Bank of England, FCO, GCHQ or any government departments to non-government departments (of which company xx is one)"

The recruitment agent is not really trying to solve this he's hoping I go away as he doesn't want to rattle any client cages.

But BT vetting tell me that DBS do this regularly from them.

Now my job offer is disappearing and I am unable to move forward.
Does anyone know the truth here?

I have written to DBS customer help - who were surprised by the claim. They said they Will pass my mail to the transfers department but they hadn't come across this issue before.

I really want the role and don't want my SC clearance to be a stumbling block. The implication being I suddenly have no clearance.

I've read all threads I can find on this but nothing covers my position.

All help, advice, and comment is truly appreciated

thanks,
Sam

If you don't use your SC for 12 months it lapses, so although you were "cleared" to 2021, it's now no longer valid.

Didn't read the rest after that bit

[stek]

Hi all,
I'm looking for some advice from those who may know.
I was first SC cleared in Jul 2005 by the DVA and this was for 10 years.
I was working on contract with Fujitsu on MOD and other HMG work. They held my clearance. Then in 2011 I moved to BT on contract. BT failed to request transfer of my clearance from FJ and and only after 2 years did this become apparent. BT as its own DSO then cleared me to SC until 2021 this was finally done in February 2014.

Well I've now left BT and have interviewed for a role in my specialist field with another Defence organisation. I have been told that my SC clearance is an issue as I don't appear on the DBS central register (which I wouldn't as I would appear on the BT register). I have explained to the agency that all the client needs to do is request a transfer. I've spoken to BT who confirm all is in order and they just need an email from the sponsor organizations security group and they will initiate a transfer of my clearance to DBS.

The recruitment agency are telling me the client has no transfer request process and then at the back end of last week I received a mail from the agent with a statement from the client security group saying that...

"DBS will not action transfers from BT, Bank of England, FCO, GCHQ or any government departments to non-government departments (of which company xx is one)"

The recruitment agent is not really trying to solve this he's hoping I go away as he doesn't want to rattle any client cages.

But BT vetting tell me that DBS do this regularly from them.

Now my job offer is disappearing and I am unable to move forward.
Does anyone know the truth here?

I have written to DBS customer help - who were surprised by the claim. They said they Will pass my mail to the transfers department but they hadn't come across this issue before.

I really want the role and don't want my SC clearance to be a stumbling block. The implication being I suddenly have no clearance.

I've read all threads I can find on this but nothing covers my position.

All help, advice, and comment is truly appreciated

thanks,
Sam

You don't have any clearance now, move on.

In fact I suspect at least three of my clients didn't bother transferring SC, despite SC being mandatory, luckily they were only short term ones so no matter.

[NotTheGuyYouAreLookingFor]

[Didn't read every response, so apologies if a dupe]

Just to add to the OP...

There are certain organisations/bodies that require (at least) joint/shared ownership of your clearance before accepting you on-site for an extended period. In my case, my SC had to be transferred to the new organisation before they would accept it as valid. I'm not sure of the process behind the scenes but it took several weeks (I was assured this was fast) and much to-and-fro with the old holder.

Frankly, the team at the company who originally sponsored my clearance required a kick in the backside before they would communicate with the new organisation and share appropriate details.

[hopefulsam]

Thanks for your comments so far. Perhaps I wasn't clear enough.. apologies for that. I have just left BT so I've been working under my clearance until mid April 2015 so its not a case of a lapsed SC clearance.
I have still got a fully valid SC clearance at this time.
All the best,
Sam

[Quokka]

If you don't use your SC for 12 months it lapses, so although you were "cleared" to 2021, it's now no longer valid.

Didn't read the rest after that bit

Obviously you didn't read on, or you'd have got to the bit where a new clearance was granted last year.

In any event, SC *does not* lapse automatically after 12 months - that is merely a rule of thumb used as guidance to the sponsoring department, and it is up to the DSU whether they transfer in a clearance that has been dormant for longer.

If you are in commercial/List C world, then DBS make the risk decisions, and you'll find they tend to me more rigid on applying the guidance.

[Quokka]

BT has its own DSO then cleared me to SC until 2021 this was finally done in February 2014.

I have been told that my SC clearance is an issue as I don't appear on the DBS central register (which I wouldn't as I would appear on the BT register).

"DBS will not action transfers from BT, Bank of England, FCO, GCHQ or any government departments to non-government department"

A bit of technical background: only a DSO (generally through their team, the DSU) can make a decision to grant a clearance, as it is a decision in risk acceptance.

Central government departments and the very largest government agencies have DSO status, as does BT and Telefonica (for very weird historical reasons). Oh, and the Royal Household and Parliament too, if we're being picky.

Smaller agencies would have vetting decisions made via their parent department. Commercial companies are a slightly different scheme, as they are nearly always managed under List X, which is an MOD scheme (in some limited cases a government department may grant clearances directly to supplier staff)

In List X, each company has a Security Controller who deals with this sort of matter - in bigger companies also with a team. They interface with DBS-NSV who grant the vetting on behalf of the MOD DSO.

So far so good?

It is however the case that DSUs are NOT allowed to conduct vetting checks. This is now mandated to one of three routes - DBS-NSV, FCOS, or (if you're exceptionally spooky) SIA.

They'll do the checks, interviews, generate the file, and often hold the file long term. So all BT vetting do is read the file and say 'go' or 'no go'.

I suspect that BT are using FCOS, and that is where your issue is. Hence you would not appear on an enquiry to DBS. Your file would need to be transferred to DBS before being lodged against the company in question. If you have particularly intransigent people involved they may want it shown as a transfer to MOD, because that's the relevant body as far as the rest of government is concerned (I was once trying to get something transferred from my part of government to BAE Systems, and the insistent response was that there was *no* BAE Systems account...)

If BT Vetting are being cooperative, see if you can confirm where the file is held, what the reference number is, and maybe even supply you with a photocopy of the SC certificate itself (although I suspect they'd be very reluctant with that last one).

However, ultimately you are at the mercy of the recruiter and the client - they would need to 'pull' the clearance to them, I'm afraid cannot be 'pushed' from BT or yourself in their direction.

Cheers
Tony (formerly a manager in one of the DSU's granting thousands of SCs - via DBS-NSV - and now a contractor with a clearance file at FCOS... who from time to time has clients who fail to understand that no, they will not be allowed to transfer my clearance to themselves...)

[hopefulsam]

Tony,
Many thanks for your insightful comments ...I've had a brief chat with BT and they have indeed confirmed that there is a relationship with FCOS. I already have a BT reference for my clearance as this was provided in my clearance confirmation notice. I have provided all these details to the agency.

I managed to speak to DBS-NSV again yesterday and they confirmed that they transfer clearance details with other issuing bodies and also put if in an email. They also pointed me to the sponsor clearance transfer request form to show me the definition if transfer which explicitly stated the exchange with other vetting authorities.

I forwarded their email, the firm, and pointed out the definition to my recruitment agent and was at pains to point out that I'm not an exception just the same as anyone else.

I am concerned he is becoming the block as the logic, details, and evidence is all available to the client. Also he is just unwilling to provide this to them as he doesn't want to upset anyone.

If I do get the role my clearance will still need to be transferred,like anyone else, and I assume we work on in the foreground whilst the transfer occurs in the background. Is that typically right?

Once again my thanks to everyone for commenting so far,

All the best,
Sam