Protected Critical Infrastructure Information Program

Electronic Submission Process for Critical Infrastructure Information (CII)

Frequently Asked Questions for Electronic Submission of Critical Infrastructure Information

1. What safeguarding procedures has the PCII Program Office put in place to ensure secure transmission of CII?
   
   Submitted files are encrypted in transit to prevent access to anyone except the PCII Program Office. All files are checked for viruses or malicious code before being stored in a stand-alone database maintained in a secure location.
   
   
2. How will submitters know the PCII Program Office has received its submission?
   
   A confirmation e-mail will be sent by the PCII Program Office and include a confirmation number verifying receipt of the submission. Once the submission is validated, the PCII Program Office will provide a tracking number that can be used to reference the submission when additional information is provided or other actions are required.
   
   
3. At what point does the PCII Program Office protect electronic submissions from disclosure?
   
   Electronic submissions are protected from public disclosure immediately upon receipt and throughout the validation process. If a submission meets the qualifications for protection under the CII Act, the submission retains protection. If a final determination is made that the submitted information does not qualify for PCII protection, the PCII Program Office will either return the information to the submitter in accordance with the submitting person or entity’s written preference or destroy the submission in accordance with the Federal Records Act and Department of Homeland Security regulations.
   
   
4. How long will it take the PCII Program Office to validate a submission to determine if it qualifies for protection under the CII Act?
   
   The PCII Program Office will make a validation determination as quickly as possible. Several factors affect how quickly the information can be validated, such as:
   
   > Submission Completeness:  At times, the Program Office will need additional information from a submitter in order to complete the validation determination. In such cases, validation depends directly on how quickly the submitter responds to the request. If the submitter does not remedy the deficiency within 30 days of the request, the PCII Program Office may either cure the deficiency or inform the submitter that the submission does not qualify for PCII protection. In the latter case, the PCII Program Office will either return the information to the submitter in accordance with the submitting person or entity’s written preference or destroy the submission in accordance with the Federal Records Act and Department of Homeland Security regulations.
   
   > Volume of Submissions Received: Although the overall volume of submissions cannot be predicted, the Program Office has measures in place to expedite the approval process so validation can be completed as quickly as possible.
   
   
5. Can submitted CII be withdrawn?
   
   Yes. A submitter may withdraw a submission at any time before a final determination has been made as to whether or not the information qualifies for PCII protection. The PCII Program Office will either return the information to the submitter in accordance with the submitting person or entity’s written preference or destroy the submission in accordance with the Federal Records Act and Department of Homeland Security regulations. The submitter is not required to provide a reason for this request.
   
   
6. What happens if connectivity is lost or the computer system crashes during the submission process?
   
   If the connection fails, or the computer system crashes at any time during the submission process, the information submitted will be lost.  This is also the case if the submitter hits ‘Cancel’ before completing the submission process.  The submitter must start the submission process from the beginning.
   
   
7. How should information be submitted that cannot be sent electronically?
   
   Information that cannot be sent electronically can be sent directly to the Program Office via registered mail, U.S. mail, courier delivery, or facsimile transmission.  Information should be sent to:
   
   
   PCII Program Office
   Department of Homeland Security
   245 Murray Lane, SW, Building 410
   Washington, DC 20528-0001

This page was last reviewed/modified on March 28, 2008.