Reference · Secure facilities & shielding
SCI
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) is classified information concerning intelligence sources, methods, or analytical processes that is handled within formal access-control systems. It must be stored and used in an accredited SCIF and requires access approval beyond a standard clearance.
What it is
SCI is a control system layered on top of classification: even someone with a Top Secret clearance needs specific SCI access (read-in) for a given compartment. It is protected in accredited SCIFs.
Why it exists
Compartmentation limits how widely the most sensitive intelligence — and the sources and methods behind it — can spread, reducing the damage any single compromise can do.
Who it applies to
Cleared personnel and facilities approved to handle intelligence information. For contractors, SCI work drives SCIF construction and ICD 705 accreditation.
Frequently asked
Is SCI the same as a security clearance?
No — SCI is an access control on top of a clearance. A person needs the underlying clearance (typically Top Secret) and then separate approval to be read into a specific SCI compartment. SCI is stored and used only in an accredited SCIF.
Sources
Secure-facility scope like this is exactly what Longlead infers from public signals — a SCIF, an RF-shielded suite, a shielded MILCON facility — surfaced as a cited evidence dossier with your confidence and a lead-time window, 12–24 months before it's a named RFP. You make the call, from your own channels; nothing leaves the system.
Or just see what Longlead finds for your scope.
Tell us what you sell and what you don't — and see the demand Longlead is inferring for you right now.