GovWire

Guidance: Industry Security Assurance Centre

Defence Equipment Support

October 11
12:44 2022

Overview

The Industry Security Assurance Centre is responsible for providing relevant defence contractors with up-to-date security and business continuity policy and guidance.

We provide specialist and relevant advice to reduce security and business continuity risks and amplify Ministry of Defence (MOD) and government security policy requirements. These security services are provided to DE&S and the defence industry. This includes the provision of visit and visitor clearances through the International Visits Control Office (IVCO).

Contact us

For routine security enquiries please contact the Security Advice Centre: DESPSyA-SecurityAdviceCentre@mod.gov.uk

Industry Security Assurance centre: ISAC-Group@mod.gov.uk

Industry Security Assurance Centre responsibilities

We are responsible for:

  • assisting UK companies in obtaining Facility Security Clearance (FSC) and/or Industry Personnel Security Assurance (IPSA) status when contractually required to hold classified material at SECRET (Foreign CONFIDENTIAL) or above
  • helping UK companies to verify the security status of foreign facilities and citizens through liaison with national security authorities
  • approving the hand carriage of classified material being taken overseas by casual courier
  • co-ordinating of all international visits, inward and outward; for security cleared UK nationals to MOD, overseas government and defence industry sites
  • approving some transportation plans relating to the movement of bulky, classified assets travelling within the UK and overseas
  • sponsoring personnel security clearances for primary security controllers and their deputy at an FSC facility and IPSA personnel security controllers and their deputy, if required.

The ISAC Vault

The ISAC Vault is the website we use to share security advice and policy with FSC and IPSA facilities. The available documentation is to promote effective security governance.

National security vetting and government contracting

Access more information on security vetting and clearance

Security awareness

Understanding UK threat levels

The threat of international terrorism comes from a diverse range of sources and a threat could manifest itself from a lone individual or group. The terrorist threat can take a number of forms, as terrorists may use a variety of methods of attack to achieve their objectives.

While the UK has faced a variety of terrorist threats in the past, a unique combination of factors place the current threat on a scale not previously encountered.

The terrorists draw their inspiration from a global message articulated by internationally recognisable figures.

The threat from terrorism when overseas

Information on threats to personal safety arising from terrorist activities, political unrest, lawlessness, violence, natural disasters, epidemics, anti-British demonstrations and aircraft/shipping safety. It is designed to help you make informed decisions about whether or not to travel to a particular country.

The threat of espionage

The UK is a high priority espionage target and a number of countries are actively seeking UK information and material to advance their own military, technological, political and economic programmes.

The International Visits Control Office

The IVCO is responsibile for:

  • assisting UK defence contractors in obtaining visit clearance
  • establishing and maintaining records of the staff cleared for overseas visits
  • acting as a focal point to ascertain the permitted levels of access to UK classified material allowed by foreign nationals
  • simplifying the procedures for issuing security assurances and for transmitting them to the appropriate authorities

It consists of 2 sections:

  • Inward: visits to the UK: visits by all foreign nationals to UK defence contractor sites, MOD (HQ) buildings and MOD agencies
  • Outward: visits from the UK: visits by security cleared UK nationals to overseas government, contractor and military sites

When contacting us:

  • only contact IVCO to speed up existing visit requests if it is absolutely vital. Priority is given to processing requests rather than dealing with telephone calls, which can delay this
  • applications for inward and outward visits are dealt with in strict rotation. Please ensure that your request for visit (RfV) application forms are submitted correctly completed and dont submit visit requests which fall out with the agreed timescales
  • avoid emergency visit requests unless they really are cases of genuine emergency
  • please only contact the IVCO office in emergencies, all other queries can be sent by email or fax as listed in the contact us section below

Opening hours:

Monday to Thursday: 11am to 4pmFriday: 10am to 3pm.

Please note that we are closed everyday between 12pm and 1pm

Due to severe staff shortages within IVCO, and a high volume of short notice visits requests, there may be delays in the processing of visit requests and responding to queries.

Before submitting a query, please note:

Urgent queries only should be emailed to despsya-ivco@mod.gov.uk. A normal service will resume as soon as possible and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Outward visits

Personnel who need to travel overseas to access or discuss classified material, including information or sensitive areas in foreign defence establishments and contractors facilities need to be aware of the IVCO procedures, explained here.

Request for visits are sometimes being submitted to IVCO incorrectly which delays the process. As we have a very strict lead time for all visits it results in incorrect visits submissions being rejected.

To avoid this:

  • please ensure that an up to date index card is attached to the visit request, when the visitors are new to your organisation or if there are new details of their clearance or passport
  • if the visit is an emergency, attach a justification letter which must be from the host
  • for all amendment visits please state the IVCO reference in section 1 of the form and also state which amendment it is (Eg. amendment 1, amendment 2, etc)
  • only complete sections 1 to 3, and 5 to 13 of the request for visit form, sections 14 and 15 must remain empty
  • on the site to be visited section of the form (Annex A), you must state a full name, fax and email details
  • incomplete submissions will result in rejection of this visit by IVCO
  • please make sure that the visitor has the relevant clearance to match the required level of classification (section 11 of the form) and that their clearance expiry date matches the entire visit dates (section 7 of the form). If these do not match then the visitor will be removed from the request for visit form

Completion of personal index cards

Indicate whether it is a new record or an amendment to a previously issued card. A valid proof of vetting (POV) number and date must be quoted.

Visits where access is required at confidential or above

RfVs must be submitted where access is confidential or above (except for visits between the parties to the LoI framework).

Visits where access does not exceed restricted:

  • RfVs must be submitted to IVCO for any visits to any country not listed below

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