Interagency Security Committee
Overview: The Risk Management Process for Federal Facilities: An Interagency Security Committee Standard (Standard), 2nd Edition defines the criteria and processes that those responsible for the security of a facility should use to determine its facility security level (FSL) and provides an integrated, single source of physical security countermeasures for all Federal facilities. The Standard also provides guidance for customization of the countermeasures for facilities and the integration of standards and concepts contained in the Interagency Security Committee’s (ISC) Appendix A: The Design-Based Threat Report.
New construction, with few exceptions, is fully expected to meet the necessary level of protection (LOP). In some cases, site limitations may restrict standoff distances, or fiscal limitations may prohibit the implementation of some measures; both examples illustrate why the security requirements should be identified as early in the process as possible (see Section 5.2.1).
During the design process, there is a point where design changes are cost-prohibitive and make the LOP unachievable. During the lease process, it may be decided available facilities in the delineated area cannot meet the requirements of the LOP. This may be determined by providing a market survey, or when responses to a solicitation do not meet the requirements specified to meet the LOP.
All users of the Standard should clearly understand there are no guarantees that even the best assessments, countermeasures, and procedures will protect Federal facilities from potential threats. However, non-compliance with these ISC standards has the potential to leave Federal agencies exposed to risks in protecting their workforce, visitors, and Federal facilities.
