| A Facility Security Officer (FSO)should put careful | | | | Not only is a projected return on investment |
| consideration into the security budget. This is a | | | | required, due diligence should be conducted. Sample |
| primary opportunity in the continuing plan of building | | | | questions and answers the FSO should be prepared |
| credibility. The manager who arbitrarily throws in a | | | | to address are:o Why is access control necessary? |
| number with meritless base is sending the wrong | | | | Prevents unauthorized persons from entering the |
| message. However, a well thought out line item count | | | | premises and gives an extra layer of protection for |
| based on risk management, company mission and | | | | classified and sensitive information.o What happens if |
| NISPOM requirements is more apt to impress and | | | | we do not implement access controls? The |
| build instant respect. The budget contribution should | | | | organization would have to commit persons to |
| enforce and support a message the FSO is | | | | controlling the access to the company. At a |
| constantly communicating. The budget request should | | | | manager's salary of between $20.00 - $30.00 per |
| not be first time executives are introduced to figures. | | | | hour, this could become expensive over time. The |
| Managements support or lack of support of a | | | | FSO could demonstrate the cost of the access |
| security budget demonstrates either a well received | | | | controls against the time a manager takes to ensure |
| or an unsupported security program. The intuitive | | | | someone provides visibility of the doors.o What is the |
| FSO understands business, the company mission and | | | | return on investment for access control? The |
| how the role of protecting classified material fits. In | | | | intangible return on investment is the prevention of |
| that environment, the FSO provides a risk | | | | damage, injury, theft, and other risks inherent to |
| assessment based on the threat appraisal and speaks | | | | unauthorized visitors. More tangible is the amount of |
| intelligently of the procedures, equipment and costs | | | | energy saved while keeping the doors closed and |
| associated with protecting classified information. For | | | | saving energy. In one such study an FSO estimated a |
| example the FSO understands how to contract | | | | cost reduction of $12,000 per year cost reductions |
| security vendors to install alarms, access control and | | | | on the electric bill. |
| other life safety and protective measures. The FSO | | | | Other questions abound and the FSO should not |
| is also able to demonstrate how the expense will | | | | hesitate to forward such questions to vendors. |
| benefit the company either in cost reduction or other | | | | These vendors have statistics that they use as selling |
| tangible results. | | | | points for their products. |
| The FSO presents the budget in a manner that all | | | | Speaking the language of business will serve the FSO |
| business units understand. For example, if part of the | | | | well and ensure that executives understand the |
| budget line is to provide access control there is a | | | | significance of a well supported security program. |
| significant associated cost. Incorporating management | | | | Security managers who just quote regulations or use |
| involvement and support builds credibility and puts the | | | | "best practices" without putting much thought into |
| company in a better position to provide the funding. | | | | the costs or talking points will quickly lose credibility. |