DTSA Technology Security & Foreign Disclosure Office (TSFDO)
The mission of the TSFDO is to serve as the Executive Secretariat to the
Arms Transfer Technology Release Senior Steering Group (ATTR SSG). It
facilitates the coordination and synchronization of release requests of high
importance to Department of Defense (DoD). It facilitates these requests
through the TSFD processes to ensure transparency and timely,
well-informed guidance and decisions on technology or information transfers.
History
In August of 2008, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a memorandum
establishing a Defense Senior Steering Group (SSG) on Arms Transfer and
Technology Release (ATTR) to provide direction to the various processes
within the Department which inform the approval (or denial) of transfers of
armaments and the release of classified and sensitive technology to
international partners.
In July of 2010, the Deputy Secretary directed his ATTR SSG Co-Chairs to
conduct a comprehensive review of the DoD Technology Security and Foreign
Disclosure (TSFD) processes, as recommended by Presidential Study Directive
8 (December 2009) and the
Export Control Reform (ECR) Task Force Report (January 2010). As a
result, a Technology Security and Foreign Disclosure Review Group was
formed, which resulted in several recommendations to modify the existing
technology security and foreign disclosure (TSFD) processes. These
reforms, which were ultimately approved by the Deputy Secretary of Defense,
included the formation of a Technology Security and Foreign Disclosure
Office (TSFDO), housed within DTSA. The TSFDO is manned with a core of
DTSA employees and supplemented by rotating detailees from
AT&L, NSA,
NGA and the
Military Departments. The TSFDO reached IOC on February 14, 2011.
TSFDO Charter
- Serve as the ATTR SSG Executive Secretariat
- Screen, triage, and track TSFD actions meriting senior
level attention
- Develop, maintain, and implement TSFD checklists that
provide guidance to the DoD TSFD community on how to staff
release requests through the TSFD processes.
- Conduct ATTR SSG-authorized TSFD outreach efforts and
continually engage with the DoD TSFD community to keep
abreast of TSFD release considerations.
- Develop and coordinate TSFD decision documents among DoD
and other Executive Branch agencies, other nations and U.S.
industry on FMS, DCS and cooperative AT&L programs
- Anticipate and conduct advanced processing of future
TSFD actions (i.e.,
develop Anticipatory Policies for SecDef/DepSecDef)
In addition to those responsibilities, the TSFDO staffs and provides
final dispositions of
Electronic Warfare (EW) information assurance waiver requests that are
required to provide EW capability to partners and allies. The TSFDO
also provides support to several Senior Integration Groups (SIGs) which have
TSFD review requirements.