Prepublication Review

What is Prepublication Review?

Prepublication review is the process to determine that information proposed for public release contains no protected information and is consistent with established NSA, DOD, and IC policies. Protected information is classified, in the process of a classification determination, or unclassified, but protected by statute.

Department of Defense Instruction 5230.29, "Security and Policy Review of DoD Information for Public Release" requires that only FULL and FINAL material proposed for release into the public domain be submitted to NSA for review. Partial information (drafts) cannot be accepted.

REMINDER: Official NSA Information appearing in the public domain shall not be considered automatically UNCLASSIFIED or approved for public release. Information remains classified and must be protected until the U.S. government official with Original Classification Authority (OCA) declassifies the information.

Why Perform Prepublication Review?

All NSA affiliates sign a non-disclosure agreement which binds them to these lifetime obligations:

• Safeguarding protected information
• Prepublication Review
• Reporting unauthorized disclosures of protected information

An NSA affiliate is any person employed by, detailed to or assigned to NSA, including members of the U.S. Armed Forces; an expert or consultant to NSA; an industrial or commercial contractor, licensee, certificate holder, or grantee of NSA to include all subcontractors; a personal services contractor; or any other category of person who acts for or on behalf of NSA as determined by the DIRNSA/CHCSS.

All NSA affiliates are subject to NSA/CSS Policy 1-30, which sets forth the policy, procedures, and responsibilities governing the prepublication review of official NSA information intended for public release. This policy helps to manage the risk of inadvertent disclosure of protected information.

What Should Be Reviewed?

Official NSA Information comprises any DoD or IC information that is in the custody and control of NSA and was obtained for or generated on NSA's behalf during the course of employment or other service, whether contractual or not, with NSA.

Examples include the following:

• Articles (Newspapers, Magazines, Professional Journals, On-line)
• Books (non-fiction and fiction - such as spy novels)
• Book reviews
• Conference Briefings
• Internet postings
• Letters of Recommendation
• Press Releases (e.g. those released by NSA or NSA contractors, but also wedding announcements and obituaries)
• Research Papers
• Resumes, cover letters, biographies, and Curricula Vitae
• Speeches
• Videos

EXEMPTION: Material containing no information about or gained through, one's affiliation with NSA or the Intelligence Community in general (e.g., books about gardening, cooking, sports, crafts, etc.) is not subject to prepublication review.

How long will it take?

NSA/CSS Policy 1-30 allows up to 25 business day to complete a review. However, the actual review time will vary based on the current workload, the length and subject of the material submitted, as well as the amount of coordination required for the review.

What do I need to send and where do I send my request?

Your submission package must include:

• Title of document
• Document for review in its FULL and FINAL form. Partial information (drafts) cannot be accepted.
• Name - *Read the Privacy Act Statement at the end of this section
• Contact Information (address, telephone number, and e-mail address)
• Intended audience or publication venue - please include as much detail as possible
• Specific Deadline, if applicable (i.e., conference date, research paper due date, etc.)
• Written approval for name use from all former and present NSA affiliates named in your material, if applicable

*PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT: Authority for collecting the information requested is contained in 50 U.S.C. § 402 note; 50 U.S.C. §§ 831-835; and Executive Orders 10450, 12356, 12958, as amended, and 12968. NSA's Blanket Routine Uses found at 58 Fed. Reg. 10,531 (1993) as well as the specific uses found in GNSA10 apply to this information. The information provided will be used to verify your identity and potentially classified information and/or information that requires protection from public disclosure. Your disclosure of the requested information is voluntary. However, failure to furnish the requested information may delay the prepublication review of your information.

How does the review process work?

The Prepublication Review Team will:

Confirm that the request qualifies as a prepublication review

Confirm that all required information is included in the package (name, publication venue, etc.)

Issue an acknowledgement or receipt to the submitter.

Review the information to ensure that it is unclassified and appropriate for public release.

Coordinate with internal offices, as needed.

Issue a determination to the submitter within or by the end of the 25 business days, if applicable

Send the package to:

IMPORTANT RESUME TIPS:

• Resume Team reviews resumes, associated cover letters, work-related biographies, and Curriculum Vitae
• Resumes are usually reviewed within 25 BUSINESS DAYS of receipt
• For helpful tips refer to Resume Do's and Don'ts

How do I check on the status of my submission?

Contact the Prepublication or Resume Review Team at (443) 634-4094 and request a status check.