§25.17. Approval for processing applicants for access authorization.

Each application for access authorization, renewal, or change in level must be accompanied by a remittance, payable to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which is equal to the NRC access authorization fee. This fee must be determined using the following formula: the DCSA investigation billing rates on the day the NRC receives the application + the NRC processing fee = the NRC access authorization fee. The NRC processing fee is determined by multiplying the DCSA investigation billing rate on the day the NRC receives the application by 90.2 percent (i.e., DCSA rate × 90.2 percent).

Updated DCSA investigation billing rates are published periodically in a Federal Investigations Notice (FIN) issued by the DCSA's Federal Investigative Services. Copies of the current DCSA investigation billing rates schedule can be obtained by contacting the NRC's Personnel Security Branch, Division of Facilities Security, Office of Administration by email to Licensee_ Access_ Authorization_ [email protected]

The NRC's Information Access Authority Program (IAAP) is considered reimbursable work representing services provided to an organization for which the NRC is entitled payment. The NRC is authorized to receive and retain fees from licensees for services performed. The NRC's Office of the Chief Financial Officer periodically reviews the fees charged for IAAP and makes recommendations on revising those charges to reflect costs incurred by the NRC in providing those services. The reviews are performed using cost analysis techniques to determine the direct and indirect costs. Based on this review, the IAAP fees are adjusted to reflect the current cost for the program. IAAP requests for reciprocity will be charged a flat fee rate of $95.00 as referenced in paragraph (f)(4) of this section. This flat fee is aligned with the level of effort that has been expended by DCSA to process reciprocity requests, and accounts for inflation as well as recovery of the appropriate cost for conducting the investigations. Copies of the current NRC access authorization fee may be obtained by contacting the NRC's Personnel Security Branch, Division of Facilities and Security, Office of Administration by email at: Licensee_Access_ [email protected]. Any change in the NRC's access authorization fee will be applicable to each access authorization request received on or after the effective date of the DCSA's most recently published investigation billing rates schedule.

Certain applications from individuals having current Federal access authorizations may be processed more expeditiously and at less cost because the Commission, at its discretion, may decide to accept the certification of access authorization and investigative data from other Federal Government agencies that grant personnel access authorizations.