Cleared Developer
Definition
A cleared developer is a software engineer who holds an active U.S. government security clearance -- Secret, Top Secret, or TS/SCI -- enabling them to access classified systems, facilities, and data required by certain DoD and intelligence community contracts. Cleared developers bill at 25-45% above uncleared equivalents, with TS/SCI rates reaching $340-$480/hour for senior architects.
Security clearances are granted to individuals, not companies. A cleared developer carries their clearance when they change employers, as long as the new employer holds a Facility Clearance (FCL) at the appropriate level. Firms with an active FCL and a bench of cleared developers can staff classified proposals without the 6-18 month clearance investigation delay.
Clearance levels and what they enable
- Secret -- most common for DoD software contracts; 3-6 month investigation; required for facility access on sensitive programs
- Top Secret -- intelligence community and classified system access; 9-18 month SSBI investigation
- TS/SCI with polygraph -- compartmented program access; smallest pool; concentrated in DC/Northern Virginia corridor
Staffing cleared developers
Firms that maintain an FCL and a cleared bench can fill staffing requirements on competitive proposals without waiting for new investigations. A cleared developer from a firm with an existing FCL can typically be on-contract in 2-4 weeks -- compared to 12-18 months for a new clearance investigation from scratch.
Related terms
FedRAMP
FedRAMP is the U.S. government's standardized security authorization program for cloud services used by federal agencies, reusable across agencies once granted.
ATO (Authority to Operate)
An Authority to Operate (ATO) is the formal approval granted by a federal Authorizing Official that allows a software system to operate within a government environment after completing the NIST Risk Management Framework assessment process. ATOs are required before any federal system goes live and must be continuously maintained -- typically reviewed annually and triggered by significant system changes.
CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification)
CMMC is the DoD's certification program verifying that defense contractors protect federal contract information and controlled unclassified information.
NIST SP 800-171
NIST SP 800-171 is the National Institute of Standards and Technology publication that defines 110 security requirements for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in non-federal systems and organizations. Any company that handles CUI under a DoD contract must implement all 110 requirements and submit a self-assessment score to the Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS).
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