NATIONAL SECURITY
Guidance regarding use of this authority is at FAR 6.302-6. Use of this authority may be appropriate for certain highly sensitive classified programs. It applies when disclosure of the government's needs would compromise national security and it is necessary to limit the number of sources who are solicited. Solicitations for other than full and open competition will not be released until the J&A has been approved when citing this authority.
When Applicable:
This authority may be used when disclosure of the government's needs would violate security requirements. It should not be used simply because the acquisition is classified or merely because access to classified material will be necessary to submit a proposal or perform the contract. The distinction is the fact that the disclosure of the basic need or overall requirement itself would compromise national security.
Key Points for the Justification:
Documentation for this type of program is typically limited to the minimum essential information to establish validity of the justification. In this case, the J&A would be a classified document. Special handling procedures exist for processing such documentation to the approval authority. Only parties with a "need to know" and the proper level of security clearance should be permitted access to the documentation. Such acquisitions would also be exempt from synopsis under FAR 5.202(a)(1).