Do contractors need security clearance before applying for contracts?
Cabinet Office guidance confirms that security clearance is not required by a contractor before they apply for a contract. Nor should it be a condition of a contract unless the duration of the contract is likely to be less than the time taken for the clearance to come through, unless there is an urgent operational requirement. But, as Rommel comments, the demand for increased levels of security clearance for contractors is likely to rise.
