Which term describes an industrial, educational, commercial, or other entity that has an entity eligibility determination by a Cognizant Security Agency?

• A. Contractor
• B. Subsidiary
• C. Subcontractor
• D. Affiliate

Answer: (A)

An industrial, educational, commercial, or other entity that has undergone an entity eligibility determination by a Cognizant Security Agency is described as a contractor. In the National Industrial Security Program framework, the CSA assesses organizations to determine if they are eligible to handle classified information. Once this eligibility is granted, the organization is recognized as a contractor and may receive a facility clearance to access classified data. The other terms refer to internal or external relationships within a company (subsidiary, subcontractor, affiliate) and do not capture the government’s formal determination status of eligibility to access classified information.