Sec. 6715. PLAN TO EXPAND SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED INFORMATION FACILITY ACCESS BY CERTAIN CONTRACTORS; REPORTS ON EXPANSION OF SECURITY CLEARANCES FOR CERTAIN CONTRACTORS

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## SEC. 6715 PLAN TO EXPAND SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED INFORMATION FACILITY ACCESS BY CERTAIN CONTRACTORS; REPORTS ON EXPANSION OF SECURITY CLEARANCES FOR CERTAIN CONTRACTORS ###

(a)Plan; Briefing ####

(1)In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the heads of such other elements of the intelligence community as the Director of National Intelligence may determine appropriate, shall— #####

(A)develop a plan to expand access by contractors of small emerging technology companies to sensitive compartmented information facilities for the purpose of providing such contractors with a facility to securely perform work; and #####

(B)provide to the congressional intelligence committees, the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, and the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a briefing on such plan. ####

(2)Matters The plan under paragraph

(1)shall include the following: #####

(A)An overview of the existing sensitive compartmented information facilities, if any, that may be available for the purpose specified in paragraph (1). #####

(B)An assessment of the feasibility of building additional sensitive compartmented information facilities for such purpose. #####

(C)An assessment of the relative costs and benefits of repurposing existing, or building additional, sensitive compartmented information facilities for such purpose. #####

(D)The eligibility criteria for determining which contractors under this section may be granted access to sensitive compartmented information facilities for such purpose. #####

(E)An estimate of the maximum number of contractors that may be provided access to sensitive compartmented information facilities for such purpose, taking into account the matters specified in subparagraphs

(A)and (B). #####

(F)Policies to ensure the efficient and narrow use of sensitive compartmented information facilities for such purpose, including a timeline for the length of such use by a contractor under this section and a detailed description of the process to terminate access to the sensitive compartmented information facility by such contractor upon— ######

(i)the expiration of the contract or agreement of the contractor; or ######

(ii)a determination that the contractor no longer has a need for such access to fulfill the terms of such contract or agreement. #####

(G)Pricing structures for the use of sensitive compartmented information facilities by contractors for the purpose specified in paragraph (1). Such pricing structures— ######

(i)may include free use (for the purpose of incentivizing future contracts), with the potential for pricing to increase dependent on the length of the contract or agreement, the size of the contractor, and the need for such use; and ######

(ii)shall ensure that the cumulative cost for a contractor to rent and independently certify a sensitive compartmented information facility for such purpose does not exceed the market average for the Director of National Intelligence or the Secretary of Defense to build, certify, and maintain a sensitive compartmented information facility. #####

(H)A security plan for vetting each contractor prior to the access of a sensitive compartmented information facility by the contractor for the purpose specified in paragraph (1), and an assessment of potential security concerns regarding such access. #####

(I)A proposed timeline for the expansion of access to sensitive compartmented information facilities in accordance with paragraph (1). #####

(J)Such other matters as the Director of National Intelligence or the Secretary of Defense considers relevant to such expansion. ###

(b)Eligibility Criteria for Contractors Unless the Director of National Intelligence determines the source of the financing of a contractor poses a national security risk, such source of financing may not be taken into consideration in making a determination as to the eligibility of the contractor in accordance with subsection (a)(2)(D). ###

(c)Proposal Concurrent With Budget Submission At the time that the President submits to Congress the budget for fiscal year 2024 pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, the Director of National Intelligence shall submit to the congressional intelligence committees a proposal to improve the capacity of the workforce responsible for the investigation and adjudication of security clearances, with the goal of reducing the period of time specified in subsection (c)(2)(A) to fewer than 60 days. Such proposal shall include an identification of any resources the Director of National Intelligence determines necessary to expand the number of individuals authorized to conduct polygraphs on behalf of the intelligence community, including by furnishing necessary training to such individuals. ###

(d)Applicability The plan, briefing, reports, and proposal required by this section shall apply only with respect to the intelligence community and the Department of Defense.