#### 952.204-70 Classification/Declassification.

As prescribed in 904.404(d)(2), the following clause shall be included in all contracts which involve classified information:

# Classification/Declassification (SEP 1997)

In the performance of work under this contract, the Contractor or subcontractor shall comply with all provisions of the Department of Energy's regulations and mandatory DOE directives which apply to work involving the classification and declassification of information, documents, or material. In this section, “information” means facts, data, or knowledge itself; “document” means the physical medium on or in which information is recorded; and “material” means a product or substance which contains or reveals information, regardless of its physical form or characteristics. Classified information is “Restricted Data” and “Formerly Restricted Data” (classified under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended) and “National Security Information” (classified under Executive Order 12958 or prior Executive Orders).

The original decision to classify or declassify information is considered an inherently Governmental function. For this reason, only Government personnel may serve as original classifiers, i.e., Federal Government Original Classifiers. Other personnel (Government or Contractor) may serve as derivative classifiers which involves making classification decisions based upon classification guidance which reflect decisions made by Federal Government Original Classifiers.

The Contractor or subcontractor shall ensure that any document or material that may contain classified information is reviewed by either a Federal Government or a Contractor Derivative Classifier in accordance with classification regulations including mandatory DOE directives and classification/declassification guidance furnished to the Contractor by the Department of Energy to determine whether it contains classified information prior to dissemination. For information which is not addressed in classification/declassification guidance, but whose sensitivity appears to warrant classification, the Contractor or subcontractor shall ensure that such information is reviewed by a Federal Government Original Classifier.

In addition, the Contractor or subcontractor shall ensure that existing classified documents (containing either Restricted Data or Formerly Restricted Data or National Security Information) which are in its possession or under its control are periodically reviewed by a Federal Government or Contractor Derivative Declassifier in accordance with classification regulations, mandatory DOE directives and classification/declassification guidance furnished to the Contractor by the Department of Energy to determine if the documents are no longer appropriately classified. Priorities for declassification review of classified documents shall be based on the degree of public and researcher interest and the likelihood of declassification upon review. Documents which no longer contain classified information are to be declassified. Declassified documents then shall be reviewed to determine if they are publicly releasable. Documents which are declassified and determined to be publicly releasable are to be made available to the public in order to maximize the public's access to as much Government information as possible while minimizing security costs.

The Contractor or subcontractor shall insert this clause in any subcontract which involves or may involve access to classified information.

(End of clause)

[49 FR 12042, Mar. 28, 1984, as amended at 59 FR 9108, Feb. 25, 1994; 62 FR 51802, Oct. 3, 1997; 74 FR 36370, 36378, July 22, 2009]