Operations Security (OPSEC)

At times, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) may be asked to accept Operations Security (OPSEC) Plans for some sponsored research.

The National Operations Security Program was designed to protect classified information or the aggregation of unclassified information that might reveal classified information, per NSDD 298. At the present time, UCCS does not have a formal Industrial Security program meeting the requirements in the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM). UCCS does not manage classified research but may adopt portions of an OPSEC plan that are appropriate for the protection of Critical Information (CI), export restricted information, or controlled unclassified information (CUI). Learn more about export restricted information and controlled unclassified information at the Export Control FAQ page.

If you anticipate or know that your research project will require an OPSEC plan, please reach out to the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Integrity (OSPRI) at composp@uccs.edu for assistance. In some cases, the requirement of an OPSEC plan may require filling a petition to the Restricted and Proprietary Projects committee.

• DoD Directive 5205.02, Charge 2, "DoD Operations Security (OPSEC) Program," August 20, 2020
• DoD 5205.02-M, “DoD Operations Security (OPSEC) Program Manual,” November 3, 2008, as amended
• DoD 5220.22-M, “National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM),” February 28, 2006, as amended
• DoD Manual 5200.01, “DoD Information Security Program,” Volume 4:  Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), incorporating Change 1, May 9, 2018
• DoD Manual 5200.02, “Procedures for the DoD Personnel Security Program (PSP),” incorporating Change 1, Oct 29, 2020
• National Security Decision Directive Number 298, “National Operations Security Program,” January 22, 1988
• OPSEC Awareness Guide