When contractors generate new documents and materials, who is responsible for ensuring the new documents are properly marked?

When contractors generate new documents and materials, who is responsible for ensuring the new documents are properly marked?

• A. The Government Contracting Activity (GCA)
• B. The contractor
• C. The Facility Security Officer
• D. The contracting officer

Answer: (B)

Derivative classification means you determine and apply the appropriate classification to material you create that is based on or contains classified information. The person or team generating the new documents is responsible for ensuring those documents are properly marked with the correct classification level, declassification instructions, and any handling or dissemination controls. This ensures anyone who handles the material understands its sensitivity and follows the proper protections. The government contracting activity may set the requirements and a contracting officer enforces them, but they do not perform the actual marking on every contractor-generated document. The facility security officer oversees the security program at the site, not the day-to-day marking of contractor-produced materials. Therefore, the responsibility for proper markings on new contractor documents lies with the contractor.

Derivative classification means you determine and apply the appropriate classification to material you create that is based on or contains classified information. The person or team generating the new documents is responsible for ensuring those documents are properly marked with the correct classification level, declassification instructions, and any handling or dissemination controls. This ensures anyone who handles the material understands its sensitivity and follows the proper protections.

The government contracting activity may set the requirements and a contracting officer enforces them, but they do not perform the actual marking on every contractor-generated document. The facility security officer oversees the security program at the site, not the day-to-day marking of contractor-produced materials. Therefore, the responsibility for proper markings on new contractor documents lies with the contractor.