What term describes a determination that authorizes an entity to access classified information under the cognizance of the appropriate CSA to the approved level?

• A. Entity eligibility determination
• B. Access authorization
• C. Security clearance grant
• D. Adjudicative decision

Answer: (A)

Determining whether an organization can be entrusted with classified information at a specified level is an organizational assessment performed under the authority of the Cognizant Security Authority. This evaluation focuses on the entity’s ability to establish and maintain the proper safeguards, personnel security processes, facilities, and information systems needed to handle sensitive material. When the entity passes this assessment, it receives eligibility to access classified information up to the approved level. That clear focus on the organization itself—their capability to safeguard information—is precisely what the term entity eligibility determination captures.

This differs from access authorization, which is the actual permission granted to access information (often tied to individuals or specific roles) after eligibility and adjudication are completed. It also differs from a security clearance grant, which typically refers to an individual’s clearance rather than the organization as a whole, and from an adjudicative decision, which is the formal ruling on an individual’s eligibility rather than the entity’s.