The Cyber Information Technology Exchange Program, or CITEP, is the temporary exchange of U.S. Department of Defense and private sector employees who work in the field of information technology between the two sectors.

The program provides a unique opportunity for exchange members to share best practices and partner with private industry to address challenges. Personnel details range in length from three months to one year and encompass a wide range of mission critical areas.

CITEP is not a 1-for-1 exchange of personnel. Instead, it is an opportunity for the exchange of knowledge, experience, and skills between the DoD and private sectors. Private Sector includes nonpublic or commercial individuals and businesses, nonprofit organizations, academia, scholastic institutions, and nongovernmental organizations.

For the purposes of CITEP, information technology includes the planning, organizing, staffing, directing, integrating or controlling of information technology.  Information technology includes occupational specialty areas such as system administration, IT project management, network services, operating systems, software application, cybersecurity, enterprise architecture, policy and planning, internet/web services, customer support, data management and system analysis.

CITEP was authorized by S.2943 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, 114th Congress (2015-2016). Section 1123 extended the authority for the temporary exchange of information technology personnel between DOD and the private sector, as well as increased to 50 the number of personnel that may be exchanged.

The DoD CIO Cybersecurity Directorate serves as the DoD Administrator for CITEP (DoD CITEP Point of Contact) and provides CITEP implementation guidance to the DoD Components and private sector organizations.

If you are a Department of Defense component agency or a private sector company, NGO, or academic institution, and wish to learn more about participation in the DoD’s Cyber Information Technology Exchange Program (CITEP), please click on the applicable button below and fill out the interest questionnaire for submission to the DoD Office of the Chief Information Officer.

For DoD Employees

To be eligible for a CITEP detail with private sector industry, DoD employees must:

• Be at the GS-11 level and above
• Work in the information technology field
• Be considered to be an exceptional employee
• Be expected to assume increased responsibilities in the future

Exceptional employee means performance meets or exceeds all standards established at the fully successful level or above and makes significant contributions towards achieving organizational goals. Participating organizations should target highly motivated, disciplined employees.

While detailed to a private sector organization, a DoD employee remains a federal employee without loss of employee rights and benefits.

Length of Detail

An assignment shall be for a period of not less than three months and not more than one year and may be extended in three-month increments for a total of not more than one additional year by both the CITEP Component POC and private sector organizations. This extension may be granted in three-month increments not to exceed one year.

Continued Service Obligation

DoD employees are required to return to their employing Component upon completion of the detail for a time period equal to the length of the detail, plus any extensions.

Payment of Salary and Allowances

DoD has full responsibility for payment of all salary and allowances to their employees participating in CITEP. DoD employees participating in CITEP are entitled to all benefits afforded to similar employees of their respective lending organizations, including medical care, according to subscribed plans and Worker’s Compensation for injuries sustained in the line of duty.

Business Training and Travel Expenses

The receiving organization (recipient of the CITEP participant) may pay for any business training and travel expenses incurred by the employee while participating in CITEP. The employee shall provide vouchers and all supporting receipts to the receiving organization for review and approval.

Prohibition

A private sector organization may not charge the DoD or any agency of the federal government, as direct or indirect costs under a federal contract, for the costs of pay or benefits paid by that organization to an employee assigned to a DoD Component for the period of the detail.

For Private Sector Employees

A private sector employee desiring to participate in CITEP must:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Work in the information technology field
• Be equivalent to a GS-11 or above
• Be considered an exceptional employee
• Be expected to assume increased responsibilities in the future

For the purposes of CITEP, private sector employees may come from nonpublic or commercial individuals and businesses, nonprofit organizations, academia, scholastic institutions, and nongovernmental organizations.

Security Clearance

Depending on the nature of the exchange detail, participants may be required to hold a security clearance. The sponsoring DoD Component is responsible for determining the appropriate level of clearance.

While detailed to DoD, a private sector employee is deemed to be an employee of the DoD for certain purposes and is bound by applicable federal and DoD regulations regarding personal conduct, security requirements and ethical behavior.

The private sector employee may not have access to any trade secrets or to any other non-public information which is of commercial value to the private sector organization from which such employee originates. The private sector employee may also continue to receive pay and benefits from the private sector organization.

Length of Detail

An assignment shall be for a period of not less than three months and not more than one year and may be extended in three-month increments for a total of not more than one additional year by both the CITEP Component POC and private sector organization. This extension may be granted in three-month increments not to exceed one year.

Payment of Salary and Allowances

The private sector organization has full responsibility for payment of all salary and allowances to their employees participating in CITEP. Private sector employees participating in CITEP are entitled to all benefits afforded to similar employees of their respective lending organizations, including medical care, according to subscribed plans and Worker’s Compensation for injuries sustained in the line of duty.

Business Training and Travel Expenses

The receiving organization (recipient of the CITEP participant) may pay for any business training and travel expenses incurred by the employee while participating in CITEP. The employee shall provide vouchers and all supporting receipts to the receiving organization for review and approval.

Prohibition

A private sector organization may not charge the DoD or any agency of the federal government, as direct or indirect costs under a federal contract, for the costs of pay or benefits paid by that organization to an employee assigned to a DoD Component for the period of the detail.

Application Process

If you meet the eligibility requirements above and are interested in participating in CITEP, please send your request to email us.