The NISP applies to all Executive Branch Departments and Agencies and to all cleared contractor facilities located within the United States and its territories.

This Manual applies to and shall be used by contractors to safeguard classified information released during all phases of the contracting, licensing, and grant process, including bidding, negotiation, award, performance, and termination. It also applies to classified information not released under a contract, license, certificate or grant, and to foreign government information furnished to contractors that requires protection in the interest of national security. This Manual implements applicable Federal statutes, E.O.s, national directives, international treaties, and certain government-to-government agreements.

Implementation of changes to this Manual by contractors shall be effected no later than 6 months from the date of the published change, with the exception of changes related to US-UK and US-Australia (AUS) Treaty requirements, in Chapters 4 and 10, Section 8 of this Manual, which must be implemented immediately.

This Manual does not contain protection requirements for Special Nuclear Material.