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ARTICLE · 12 OCTOBER 2026

New DIU Program Creates Pathway For Nontraditional Contractors To Obtain Facility Clearances

Bass, Berry & Sims PLC
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The Department of Defense's Defense Innovation Unit has launched CLASS ACT, a pilot program designed to help commercial technology companies obtain Top Secret facility clearances before securing classified contracts. This initiative addresses a longstanding barrier where companies need classified access to understand government requirements, but cannot obtain clearances without existing classified work. The program targets nontraditional defense contractors with mature technologies, offering a pathway into

United StatesGovernment, Public Sector
Todd Overman
Todd Overman

Key Takeaways

  • CLASS ACT may provide an earlier pathway into the classified defense market. Traditionally, a company needs a classified requirement and sponsorship before the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency will process it for a facility clearance. CLASS ACT is intended to allow selected nontraditional contractors to begin that process earlier.
  • The initial opportunity is targeted. DIU’s first technology topic focuses on sensors and effectors for countering unmanned systems in maritime environments, while a separate pathway targets private capital firms investing in relevant technologies. Responses to both are due October 13, 2026.
  • Participation could lead to more than a clearance. DIU may award prototype Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) to selected participants, and successful prototypes may qualify for follow-on production awards without additional competitive procedures.

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