The Defence Industry Security Program (DISP) has existed in some form since 1978. Today, it defines the chief security policy for persons, contractors, suppliers, and vendors who intend to work with the defence sector. It aims to meet the requirements of a modern Defence organisation and is open to any Australian business looking to work with a Defence organisation or expand their existing engagement with a Defence organisation.
It was revamped in 2019 to help businesses meet their security obligations while working on Defence projects and tenders in line with the needs of modern Defence organisations.
DISP is a membership program that is becoming an important requirement to do business with a Defence organization. Simply put, DISP is a risk mitigation and assurance program that sets forth the minimum security requirements to enter the Defence supply chain.
The aims of the DISP are to:
DISP helps Australian businesses manage the risks involved in providing services, products, or capabilities to organisations in the defence sector. It helps protect the defence supply chain from security threats by assessing the business’ processes and security measures.
According to the Australian Department of Defence, suppliers need to have an adequate level of DISP membership in the below scenarios:
Please note that a DISP membership might not always be a mandatory requirement to do business with a Defence organisation. However, it is preferable to have the membership for those who want to supply to the defence sector. It is an important aspect of proving your commitment to information security.
Also, since many organizations in the defence sector now ask for DISP membership, it is fast becoming a part of business development activities. It definitely gives a competitive advantage for tendering and bidding.
DISP membership also gives companies an opportunity to join international supply chains involving those countries with which Australia has bilateral ties.
Technically, any Australian company that intends to do business with the defence sector can join DISP. The detailed eligibility criteria are as below.
It is important to note that you don’t need to have an active contract with a Defence organisation to apply for a DISP membership. This was an important reform in the 2019 launch of the program. This change was to encourage more Australian businesses to improve their security practices and also explore defence sector opportunities.
Even after a business gets the DISP membership, there are certain ongoing requirements that need to be fulfilled. Below are the requirements.
After the DISP revamp in 2019, the program has tiered membership levels. A supplier needs to attain the appropriate level based on the nature of engagement they have with the Defence organisation. The membership levels accredit different levels for the security categories.
The higher levels of membership require a more rigorous assessment. It is important to note that a company can have different levels of accreditation for different security categories. The Security Governance category is a reflection of the highest level of accreditation for other categories.
There is no direct or upfront cost for applying or obtaining any level of DISP membership. However, implementation of the security measures to fulfil the eligibility criteria will entail appropriate costs.
It is quite possible that a company already has implemented adequate security practices in which case, there are no additional costs involved. However, in cases where the security framework is weak, companies will need to invest in security strengthening before applying for membership.
Below is a summary of the significant benefits of joining DISP.
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