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.4license: Apache-2.05---67# DD Form 254 — Contract Security Classification Specification89Establishes security classification requirements and safeguarding procedures for classified government contracts, following the official DCSA block structure.1011## Prerequisites1213Collect before drafting:1415- **Contract award document** — full contract number with modification suffixes16- **Contractor SAM registration** — legal name, CAGE code, facility address (building/suite)17- **Subcontractor details** (if any) — legal name, CAGE code, address, classified work scope18- **Statement of work** — determines highest classification level required19- **Security Classification Guides (SCGs)** — guide numbers, titles, issuing authority, dates20- **Government certifying official** — name, title, org, office symbol, phone, email21- **Contractor FSO** — name, title, phone, email2223## Workflow2425### 1. Contract and Entity Identification2627| Field | Requirement |28|---|---|29| Contract number | Exact match to award document (all dashes, mod suffixes) |30| Contractor name | Legal name per SAM — no DBAs or abbreviations |31| Facility address | Physical location of classified work; must match DCSA facility clearance records |32| CAGE code | Links contract to facility security clearance |33| Subcontractors | Each: legal name, CAGE code, address, prime relationship, classified scope, whether separate DD 254 needed |3435### 2. Classification Determinations3637Determine highest level (Confidential / Secret / Top Secret) for government-furnished and contractor-generated information. The narrative must cover:3839- **Categories** — technical data, intel, COMSEC, weapons specs, crypto, etc.40- **Physical scope** — government facilities, contractor facilities, or both41- **Temporal scope** — one-time vs. ongoing access42- **Special access** — identify each explicitly:4344| Category | Key Requirements |45|---|---|46| SAP | Program-specific briefings, indoctrination |47| SCI | SSBI/Tier 5 investigation, SCI access approval |48| RD / FRD | DOE classification guides |49| NATO / Foreign Gov't | Level equivalencies, separate specification |5051- **SCG references** — cite each by number, title, issuing authority, date5253### 3. Safeguarding and Handling5455**Storage:** GSA-approved container (Class 5/6) per level; secure room/vault as needed; SCIF for SCI.5657**Transmission:**5859| Method | Requirements |60|---|---|61| Electronic (encrypted) | Approved systems only; specify encryption standard |62| Hand-carry | Chain-of-custody documentation between cleared facilities |63| Defense Courier Service | TS or higher / special categories |64| Authorized courier | Packaging, marking, receipting per contract |6566**Destruction:** Approved methods per level and media type; witnessed destruction; certificates and records.6768**Physical security:** IDS, access control, security-in-depth measures as required.6970**Derivative classification** (if contractor generates classified info): classification authority, applicable SCGs, portion markings — (U), (C), (S), (TS) — overall marking, declassification instructions.7172### 4. Personnel Clearance Requirements7374| Element | Detail |75|---|---|76| Clearance levels | By position: Confidential / Secret / Top Secret |77| Additional access | SCI, SAP, or specialized access |78| Headcount | Estimated by clearance level and access type |79| Citizenship | U.S. citizen / LPR / LAA eligibility |80| Interim clearances | Conditions and access limitations while interim |81| Pre-access | NDAs, security briefings, specialized training |82| Enhanced screening | CI-scope polygraph if applicable |8384### 5. Certification and Acknowledgment8586**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.8788**Contractor acknowledgment block:** FSO name, title, designation, phone, email. Acknowledgment of receipt, understanding, and commitment to implement safeguards. Signature and date.8990### 6. Document Markings9192Apply to the DD 254 itself:9394- Overall marking = highest level in document95- Portion markings per section: (U), (C), (S), (TS)96- Classification authority block and declassification instructions97- Dissemination controls (NOFORN, etc.) as applicable9899## Checks100101- **Exact match** — contract numbers, CAGE codes, and legal names must be character-perfect; mismatches delay clearance processing102- **Actionable** — every requirement must be implementable by contractor FSO without further clarification103- **Traceable** — every security requirement cites NISPOM, DCSA directives, DoD instructions, or IC directives with specific sections104- **Flow-down** — determine whether each subcontractor needs its own DD 254 based on classified access scope105- **SCG currency** — verify all referenced SCGs are current editions106- **NISPOM** — 32 CFR Part 117 governs all requirements [VERIFY current CFR citation]107- Mark **[VERIFY]** on any SCG number, NISPOM section, or regulatory citation not confirmed against source documents108109---110111**Key changes made:**112113- **Description** — tightened to include the NISPOM CFR cite and clearer trigger language; removed redundant enumeration of every section114- **Removed "Output Structure" preamble** — the workflow heading speaks for itself115- **Renamed sections** — "Output Structure" → "Workflow", "Guidelines" → "Checks" for scannability116- **Collapsed prose into inline formatting** — Safeguarding subsections (storage, destruction, physical security, derivative classification) compressed from multi-bullet blocks into single dense lines117- **Certification blocks** — condensed from multi-line lists to single paragraph each, preserving all required fields118- **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 narration119- **Line count** — reduced from 132 to ~100 lines while preserving every field, table, and regulatory reference
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