Mounting security costs for high-tech companies

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Mounting security costs for high-tech companies

Security clearance delays are the same, if not worse, than a year ago,
before lawmakers made changes designed to help clear the backlog,
Information Technology Association of America officials said in a
survey report released Aug. 31.

Harris Miller, ITAA's president, said newly enacted reciprocity rules
have made no dent in a problem that is creating mounting costs for
high-tech companies. Those rules permit agencies to accept clearances
initiated by other agencies.

ITAA officials said 27 member companies that responded to a survey are
coping with the backlog by hiring cleared employees from one another,
sometimes paying premiums of up to 25 percent.

Responding to a Web-based survey, 81 percent, or 21 companies, said
they had encountered delays of 270 or more days in getting top-secret
clearances for employees. Last year, when ITAA conducted a similar
survey, 70 percent reported equally lengthy delays.

The longest waits occurred in seeking clearances for employees to work
at the CIA and the Defense Department.

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