How to Budget for a Portable SCIF Solution
Since cost varies by project, your portable SCIF contractor must have the answers to six key questions in order to draft a budget estimate for your facility.
Anyone considering a portable SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility) solution will likely want to know: How much does a SCIF cost?
Your portable SCIF contractor will be able to provide you with a general cost range. But figuring out how much your facility will cost will depend on a variety of factors, including what you will use it for, where it will be located, and what level of security it will require.
Before choosing between a container SCIF and a Joint Airlift Micro SCIF (JAMS), review the checklist below to make sure that you have all of the information needed to draft a budget estimate for your project.
Whether you’re looking to purchase a SCIF in a box (container SCIF) or JAMS, your portable SCIF solution will need the answers to these key questions in order to give you an accurate budget.
Understanding the Information You’ll Need
It’s generally pretty simple to create a portable SCIF budget compared to more traditional secure facility construction. However, there are a few factors that can have a significant impact on cost.
Before your portable SCIF contractor can draft a budget estimate, they will need answers to six key questions:
Where does your completed portable SCIF need to go?
How many people or desks must it accommodate?
How many networks or data racks will it require?
Will your portable SCIF need copper or fiber data drops?
What RF shielding level does your facility require for ICD 705 compliance?
Will you be arranging for your own security systems?
To make the process simpler, you can download this budget planning worksheet created by Universal Modular Inc.
Now let’s break down each of these questions to understand how it impacts the budget for your secure facility project.
Why Your SCIF’s Destination Impacts Cost
Once fabrication is complete, your portable SCIF contractor will deliver your facility to its final destination. In some cases, deployment is simple: A container SCIF may just need to be placed beside another building. In this case, a forklift can be used to configure the SCIF’s placement once it has been transported to its intended destination.
But if the installation process is more complex, the cost will climb. For example, if a portable SCIF needs to be placed inside another building, the task may require forklifts of two different sizes—one to offload the facility and another to maneuver it inside—and skates to navigate the SCIF around the existing building’s support columns.
Because this kind of specialty installation requires more materials, more people, and more equipment onsite, the project’s budget will increase.
Why Headcount Matters
Will anyone work from or hold meetings inside of your portable SCIF, or will it primarily serve as a data storage facility?
If people will be conducting business inside, you need to know how many workstations will be required, as this will dictate how large your SCIF needs to be. This also impacts the amount of equipment and furniture needed to outfit your SCIF, as well as the facility’s environmental control and security needs.
The Little Details That Make a Big Difference
The number of networks or data racks your portable SCIF must support is another detail that’s necessary to share with your portable SCIF contractor before a budget can be drafted. Data racks, which hold and protect network equipment, are often used in SCIFs—but the number needed varies by project.
One container SCIF may only require six data racks in total. Another may need six per workstation, and some may be manufactured with the sole purpose of storing data racks. The number you will need depends not only on what your portable SCIF is intended for, but on its size—and the costs vary widely.
It is also vital to know what level of RF shielding your portable SCIF requires to be ICD 705 compliant and whether your facility will need copper or fiber data drops, with fiber significantly more expensive than the CAT-6 alternative. If you will not be providing your own security systems, your contractor will also need to know which brand is preferred. Each of these variables can have serious cost impacts.
Some clients may need specialty equipment for their portable SCIF, like an OCONUS (Outside the Continental U.S.) power conversion, a generator and automatic transfer switch (ATS), or a UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) battery backup. Though less common, unique program requirements like these can drastically affect the cost.
So … How Much Does a Portable SCIF Cost?
The cost of your project will depend on its specific needs. The budget pricing below is general in nature, and specific program requirements will obviously need to be considered for your project, but these general estimates can give you a starting point:
A JAMS unit: $310,000 - $350,000
A 20-foot container SCIF: $350,000 - $400,000
A 40-foot container SCIF: $450,000 - $500,000
Most portable SCIFs fall within these ranges, which do not include the costs of installation or security systems. Some portable SCIFs cost less, while others that require specialty equipment add-ons may result in the cost jumping much higher.
Once you have reviewed the six-question checklist above and gathered the information needed to answer each question, you will be ready to get started. Download this free custom budget planning worksheet to help you gather the necessary information, then reach out to UMI to get a quote for your portable SCIF.