DCSA and DIU move to speed secure access for emerging tech firms

QUANTICO, Va. — The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency is partnering with the Defense Innovation Unit and other Pentagon offices to make it easier for emerging tech firms to work on classified national security projects, according to agency leaders.

Speaking on a Sept. 10 panel about closing the defense technology gap, DCSA Chief Operating Officer Blake Moore said the agency is moving from a largely reactive posture to providing earlier, hands-on assistance for companies that need to operate in secured settings. “DCSA can no longer be defined by how we say no,” Moore said. “We must be defined by how quickly we can say yes, securely.”

Startups that prove out promising capabilities often hit post-award obstacles before their technology can be integrated and fielded. Among the most common are facility clearances, access to secure workspaces, cybersecurity accreditation and test infrastructure. DIU’s Bridge program seeks to smooth those hurdles across the department; DCSA’s part is to create trusted pathways for people, companies and technologies to operate securely.

For younger firms without in-house security teams or cleared spaces, DCSA is moving to earlier engagement and clearer points of contact. The agency is adding dedicated navigators, providing white-glove support when warranted, improving queue management and advancing multiple requirements—facility, personnel and infrastructure—in parallel instead of sequentially. “The speed is ultimately coming from cutting duplicate checks and administrative idle time,” Moore said. “We’re not skipping standards here.”

DCSA said companies using its rapid facility-clearance approach have seen processing times fall by a factor of five to six. Public targets include turning facility clearances in under 14 days and completing full mitigation in under 45 days while maintaining required reviews.

As an example of risk-informed prioritization, Moore cited recent support to the B-21 program, where the agency manually vetted and cleared about 85% of a final roster within five business days. “We did not lower standards,” Moore said. “We aligned resources to mission priority. We established clear ownership. And we made risk-informed decisions.” The intent, he added, is to apply lessons from priority efforts across the broader portfolio when mission needs justify acceleration.

The agency is also advancing Classified Infrastructure as a Service to help companies gain secure access without building and accrediting their own facilities. “Shared, accredited infrastructure can give companies faster access to the classified environment,” Moore said.

DCSA is deploying data, automation and AI-enabled tools for tasks such as entity vetting and due diligence, with humans keeping final authority. “AI does not make our adjudicative decisions,” Moore said. “It finds records. It matches information. It flags risk.” He said every system output must be traceable to a source record, and a person remains accountable for each decision.

Through its collaboration with DIU and other stakeholders, DCSA aims to ensure security and access processes keep pace with mission needs while upholding standards that protect people, information and technology.