REQUESTS FOR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06934867
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: July 13, 2023
• Document Release Date: May 4, 2022
• Case Number: F-2017-02215

Approved for Release: 2022/04/05 C06934867
ATTACHMENT
TO : Heads of Divisions and Offices
FROM : Comptroller General
SUBJr.CT: Requests for Intelligence Information
Because of the importance of protecting intelligence sources and
methods from unauthorized disclosure, the responsibility for which is
codified in the National Security Act of 1947, as amended (50 U.S.C.
��401-412) and Executive Order No. 12036, January 24, 1978, GAO must
exercise particular care in planning, conducting, and reporting on
work involving intelligence activit) and intelligence product of the
Government.
As a general rule, GAO will seek access to information concerning
intelligence activity only when access is needed (1) to enable us to be
responsive to a specific request of the chairman of a comnittee or
(2) when, in accordance with explicit understanding between GAO and
an agency, access is needed to adequately evaluate the effectiveness,
efficiency and economy of -ertain operations. In these cases, GAO
may also seek access to intelligence product.
On all other assignments, GAO, as a general rule, will seek access
only to intelligence product. GAO does not seek access to intelligence
product to evaluate its accuracy, adequacy or quality. Without access
to this information, however, our reports could be incomplete, erroneous,
and possibly misleading. Having access does not necessarily mean we
will include highly sensitive intelligence informatio�in our reports,
s
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but we will at least have the benefit of knowing the full story in
deciding what our opinion should be and what we should, and should
not, report. In any case in which a determination is made that it
would be useful to include or reference such information in a report,
the GAO staff and the agency staff will reach agreement on the use of
such intelligence product in the report. In the event such agreement
cannot be reached, the matter will be brought to the attention of the
Comptroller General for appropriate discussion with the agency head.
In handling intelligence information, GAO will strictly adhere
to the security standards of the agency from which it was obtained.
In all cases, the agency will be asked to indicate the appropriate
security classification for the information provided. In the case of
special compartmented intelligence information, we will not remove the
materials from the agency involved without the express approval of the
agency.
Requests for clearance of GAO staff for access to special compart-
mented intelligence information will be made only after approval by the
Comptroller General or the Deputy Comptroller General. Requests for
access to special compartmented intelligence information by those holding
clearances will be approved by the cognizant division director on an
assignment-by-assignment basis. Where there may be special sensitivity
regarding new assignments which may involve compartmented intelligence
Information, the division director will advise the Comptroller General
before approving the assignment.
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In order to maintain proper liaison with the intelligence agencies,
the following persons are designated for liaison purposes.
Peter McGoff
OCR
Senate and House
Intelligence
Commi t tees
Frank Conahan . ID CIA
Jerome H. Stolarow PSAD -- DIA
Donald Horan LCD -- NSA
Requests for clearances of GAO staff for access to special com-
partmented intelligence information, after approval by the Comptroller
General or the Deputy Comptroller General, will be made to the Central
Intelligence Agency by the designated GAO liaison official for that
agency. All other contacts with the agencies should be made though
the designated liaison officials.
I have assured the Director of Central Intelligence that the
above procedures will be followed closely.
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Approved for Release: 2022/04/05 C06934867