Security Clearance

Many federal contracts require the supplier organisation, the individuals performing the work, or both to hold clearance at a specified level. Requirements are stated in the solicitation and are almost always mandatory.

The critical constraint is timing: clearance can take months. A supplier without it at bid closing is generally non-compliant, and no explanation of an in-progress application changes that. Suppliers intending to pursue this work should begin the process well before a specific opportunity appears, not in response to one.