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Accreditation & Certification Procedures
Accreditation and/or certification from the Government, a secure facilities construction contractor must be able to demonstrate that its facilities meet or exceed any applicable government standards. To be done effectively, this cannot be undertaken at the last minute, after construction is complete; rather, the goal of accreditation and/or certification must be of primary concern throughout all stages of the design and construction process.
Government specifications outline a general list of requirements and methods to be implemented, as well as results to be attained. However, detailed construction methods and/or materials are not prescribed. To ensure that accreditation/certification requests will be granted for a secure construction by the appropriate government agency, there are five main criteria that must be met by a user and its facility.
• Risk Analysis
During any secure construction project, the contractor and client must perform a risk analysis, to evaluate any potential problems that may arise within or around the facility. It is the contractor’s responsibility to identify any potential risks that may prevent final accreditation and/or certification of the final secure facility, and to indicate what it plans to do to avoid these risks. Some of the possible risks to be considered include: acoustical concerns in and around the facility; the likelihood of crime in the area surrounding the facility; location of the facility and its proximity to unsecured spaces; possible security threats to either personnel or the facility itself; and other similar issues.
• Concept Request
Once a risk analysis is performed, a concept request is submitted to the accreditation authority requesting that a specific area be accredited. The concept request must include a justification for the level of access required. The concept request must also include a completed DCID 6/9 checklist, a layout of the area, and the risk analysis.
• Checklist
The contractor must prepare a check list which is attached to the DCID 6/9. This checklist must show the location of all penetrations.
• Layout
The contractor must prepare a layout to show the accrediting agency what is to be built, identifying location and adjacent tenants, if any.
• Inspections
The contractor, if requested by the customer, can attend the final accreditation inspection of the approving governmental agency.
