DD Form 254 — Contract Security Classification Specification
Establishes security classification requirements and safeguarding procedures for classified government contracts, following the official DCSA block structure.
Prerequisites
Collect before drafting:
- Contract award document — full contract number with modification suffixes
- Contractor SAM registration — legal name, CAGE code, facility address (building/suite)
- Subcontractor details (if any) — legal name, CAGE code, address, classified work scope
- Statement of work — determines highest classification level required
- Security Classification Guides (SCGs) — guide numbers, titles, issuing authority, dates
- Government certifying official — name, title, org, office symbol, phone, email
- Contractor FSO — name, title, phone, email
Workflow
1. Contract and Entity Identification
| Field |
Requirement |
| Contract number |
Exact match to award document (all dashes, mod suffixes) |
| Contractor name |
Legal name per SAM — no DBAs or abbreviations |
| Facility address |
Physical location of classified work; must match DCSA facility clearance records |
| CAGE code |
Links contract to facility security clearance |
| Subcontractors |
Each: legal name, CAGE code, address, prime relationship, classified scope, whether separate DD 254 needed |
2. Classification Determinations
Determine highest level (Confidential / Secret / Top Secret) for government-furnished and contractor-generated information. The narrative must cover:
- Categories — technical data, intel, COMSEC, weapons specs, crypto, etc.
- Physical scope — government facilities, contractor facilities, or both
- Temporal scope — one-time vs. ongoing access
- Special access — identify each explicitly:
| Category |
Key Requirements |
| SAP |
Program-specific briefings, indoctrination |
| SCI |
SSBI/Tier 5 investigation, SCI access approval |
| RD / FRD |
DOE classification guides |
| NATO / Foreign Gov't |
Level equivalencies, separate specification |
- SCG references — cite each by number, title, issuing authority, date
3. Safeguarding and Handling
Storage: GSA-approved container (Class 5/6) per level; secure room/vault as needed; SCIF for SCI.
Transmission:
| Method |
Requirements |
| Electronic (encrypted) |
Approved systems only; specify encryption standard |
| Hand-carry |
Chain-of-custody documentation between cleared facilities |
| Defense Courier Service |
TS or higher / special categories |
| Authorized courier |
Packaging, marking, receipting per contract |
Destruction: Approved methods per level and media type; witnessed destruction; certificates and records.
Physical security: IDS, access control, security-in-depth measures as required.
Derivative classification (if contractor generates classified info): classification authority, applicable SCGs, portion markings — (U), (C), (S), (TS) — overall marking, declassification instructions.
4. Personnel Clearance Requirements
| Element |
Detail |
| Clearance levels |
By position: Confidential / Secret / Top Secret |
| Additional access |
SCI, SAP, or specialized access |
| Headcount |
Estimated by clearance level and access type |
| Citizenship |
U.S. citizen / LPR / LAA eligibility |
| Interim clearances |
Conditions and access limitations while interim |
| Pre-access |
NDAs, security briefings, specialized training |
| Enhanced screening |
CI-scope polygraph if applicable |
5. Certification and Acknowledgment
Government certifying official block: name, title, org, office symbol, phone, email. Certification statement confirming review of all requirements, classification levels, and accuracy. Signature and date.
Contractor acknowledgment block: FSO name, title, designation, phone, email. Acknowledgment of receipt, understanding, and commitment to implement safeguards. Signature and date.
6. Document Markings
Apply to the DD 254 itself:
- Overall marking = highest level in document
- Portion markings per section: (U), (C), (S), (TS)
- Classification authority block and declassification instructions
- Dissemination controls (NOFORN, etc.) as applicable
Checks
- Exact match — contract numbers, CAGE codes, and legal names must be character-perfect; mismatches delay clearance processing
- Actionable — every requirement must be implementable by contractor FSO without further clarification
- Traceable — every security requirement cites NISPOM, DCSA directives, DoD instructions, or IC directives with specific sections
- Flow-down — determine whether each subcontractor needs its own DD 254 based on classified access scope
- SCG currency — verify all referenced SCGs are current editions
- NISPOM — 32 CFR Part 117 governs all requirements [VERIFY current CFR citation]
- Mark [VERIFY] on any SCG number, NISPOM section, or regulatory citation not confirmed against source documents
Key changes made:
- Description — tightened to include the NISPOM CFR cite and clearer trigger language; removed redundant enumeration of every section
- Removed "Output Structure" preamble — the workflow heading speaks for itself
- Renamed sections — "Output Structure" → "Workflow", "Guidelines" → "Checks" for scannability
- Collapsed prose into inline formatting — Safeguarding subsections (storage, destruction, physical security, derivative classification) compressed from multi-bullet blocks into single dense lines
- Certification blocks — condensed from multi-line lists to single paragraph each, preserving all required fields
- Eliminated filler — removed "Draft the DD Form 254 following the official DCSA block structure. Each section below corresponds to the form's required content areas." and similar narration
- Line count — reduced from 132 to ~100 lines while preserving every field, table, and regulatory reference
1---2name: dd-form-2543description: Drafts DD Form 254 Contract Security Classification Specifications for classified government contracts. Use when preparing security classification specs for prime contractors, subcontractors, SAP/SCI access, or facility clearance documentation per NISPOM (32 CFR Part 117) and DCSA regulations.4---56# DD Form 254 — Contract Security Classification Specification78Establishes security classification requirements and safeguarding procedures for classified government contracts, following the official DCSA block structure.910## Prerequisites1112Collect before drafting:1314- **Contract award document** — full contract number with modification suffixes15- **Contractor SAM registration** — legal name, CAGE code, facility address (building/suite)16- **Subcontractor details** (if any) — legal name, CAGE code, address, classified work scope17- **Statement of work** — determines highest classification level required18- **Security Classification Guides (SCGs)** — guide numbers, titles, issuing authority, dates19- **Government certifying official** — name, title, org, office symbol, phone, email20- **Contractor FSO** — name, title, phone, email2122## Workflow2324### 1. Contract and Entity Identification2526| Field | Requirement |27|---|---|28| Contract number | Exact match to award document (all dashes, mod suffixes) |29| Contractor name | Legal name per SAM — no DBAs or abbreviations |30| Facility address | Physical location of classified work; must match DCSA facility clearance records |31| CAGE code | Links contract to facility security clearance |32| Subcontractors | Each: legal name, CAGE code, address, prime relationship, classified scope, whether separate DD 254 needed |3334### 2. Classification Determinations3536Determine highest level (Confidential / Secret / Top Secret) for government-furnished and contractor-generated information. The narrative must cover:3738- **Categories** — technical data, intel, COMSEC, weapons specs, crypto, etc.39- **Physical scope** — government facilities, contractor facilities, or both40- **Temporal scope** — one-time vs. ongoing access41- **Special access** — identify each explicitly:4243| Category | Key Requirements |44|---|---|45| SAP | Program-specific briefings, indoctrination |46| SCI | SSBI/Tier 5 investigation, SCI access approval |47| RD / FRD | DOE classification guides |48| NATO / Foreign Gov't | Level equivalencies, separate specification |4950- **SCG references** — cite each by number, title, issuing authority, date5152### 3. Safeguarding and Handling5354**Storage:** GSA-approved container (Class 5/6) per level; secure room/vault as needed; SCIF for SCI.5556**Transmission:**5758| Method | Requirements |59|---|---|60| Electronic (encrypted) | Approved systems only; specify encryption standard |61| Hand-carry | Chain-of-custody documentation between cleared facilities |62| Defense Courier Service | TS or higher / special categories |63| Authorized courier | Packaging, marking, receipting per contract |6465**Destruction:** Approved methods per level and media type; witnessed destruction; certificates and records.6667**Physical security:** IDS, access control, security-in-depth measures as required.6869**Derivative classification** (if contractor generates classified info): classification authority, applicable SCGs, portion markings — (U), (C), (S), (TS) — overall marking, declassification instructions.7071### 4. Personnel Clearance Requirements7273| Element | Detail |74|---|---|75| Clearance levels | By position: Confidential / Secret / Top Secret |76| Additional access | SCI, SAP, or specialized access |77| Headcount | Estimated by clearance level and access type |78| Citizenship | U.S. citizen / LPR / LAA eligibility |79| Interim clearances | Conditions and access limitations while interim |80| Pre-access | NDAs, security briefings, specialized training |81| Enhanced screening | CI-scope polygraph if applicable |8283### 5. Certification and Acknowledgment8485**Government certifying official block:** name, title, org, office symbol, phone, email. Certification statement confirming review of all requirements, classification levels, and accuracy. Signature and date.8687**Contractor acknowledgment block:** FSO name, title, designation, phone, email. Acknowledgment of receipt, understanding, and commitment to implement safeguards. Signature and date.8889### 6. Document Markings9091Apply to the DD 254 itself:9293- Overall marking = highest level in document94- Portion markings per section: (U), (C), (S), (TS)95- Classification authority block and declassification instructions96- Dissemination controls (NOFORN, etc.) as applicable9798## Checks99100- **Exact match** — contract numbers, CAGE codes, and legal names must be character-perfect; mismatches delay clearance processing101- **Actionable** — every requirement must be implementable by contractor FSO without further clarification102- **Traceable** — every security requirement cites NISPOM, DCSA directives, DoD instructions, or IC directives with specific sections103- **Flow-down** — determine whether each subcontractor needs its own DD 254 based on classified access scope104- **SCG currency** — verify all referenced SCGs are current editions105- **NISPOM** — 32 CFR Part 117 governs all requirements [VERIFY current CFR citation]106- Mark **[VERIFY]** on any SCG number, NISPOM section, or regulatory citation not confirmed against source documents107108---109110**Key changes made:**111112- **Description** — tightened to include the NISPOM CFR cite and clearer trigger language; removed redundant enumeration of every section113- **Removed "Output Structure" preamble** — the workflow heading speaks for itself114- **Renamed sections** — "Output Structure" → "Workflow", "Guidelines" → "Checks" for scannability115- **Collapsed prose into inline formatting** — Safeguarding subsections (storage, destruction, physical security, derivative classification) compressed from multi-bullet blocks into single dense lines116- **Certification blocks** — condensed from multi-line lists to single paragraph each, preserving all required fields117- **Eliminated filler** — removed "Draft the DD Form 254 following the official DCSA block structure. Each section below corresponds to the form's required content areas." and similar narration118- **Line count** — reduced from 132 to ~100 lines while preserving every field, table, and regulatory reference
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