Corporate Program Development

GUERNSEY provides corporate-level security program development services for numerous organizations each year. These programs allow our clients to provide a consistent approach to security regardless of geographical location, size, or facility type. Our general framework for such programs usually involves defining the following elements to best fit the individual client:

Facility Categorization: While many of our clients have hundreds of widely dispersed facilities, these facilities often represent only four to five basic facility types and associated risk profile. Our clients have found that breaking the larger problem down into four to five smaller problems greatly streamlines all aspects of the facility security program.

Security Standards: Security standards are defined for each facility type so that the security features to be applied at a specific facility are largely predetermined. However, standards must not be rigid; they simply define the envelope of acceptable solutions. Standards must be sufficiently flexible to allow creative solutions to specific facility problems.

Equipment Manufacturers and Integrators/Installers: A pool of pre-approved equipment manufacturers and integrators/installers is defined. This has broad implications in several areas. First, system design is simplified in that the suite of hardware is limited. This results in increased efficiency of the design effort as the designer develops a high degree of expertise with the pre-approved, standardized equipment. Second, efficiency is realized on the part of the integrator/installer as they become familiar with the client-specific application of the equipment. If the solution includes third party central station monitoring, a pool of pre-approved providers must also be developed.

Procurement Practices: Standard procurement practices and contracts are defined so that the installation of security system equipment is efficiently procured. Again, this results in process enhancements in at least two areas. First, the internal purchasing organization becomes familiar and therefore proficient with the security program contracting. This may involve activities ranging from surveys and design to equipment procurement and installation. Second, the integrators/installers gain the necessary skill in adhering and responding to the procurement process so that the turnaround time on any project is minimized.

Installation Practices: Standard installation practices are defined to provide contractual guidance for installation means and methods as well as final system testing and Owner acceptance. The Owner’s expectations of the integrators/installers must be clearly defined in the project specifications. Furthermore, these expectations must be largely consistent from project to project so that the integrator/installer can structure their organization to respond quickly and cost-effectively to the requirements of the contract.

System Maintenance: Standard processes for system maintenance are defined to ensure reliable system performance and responsive system maintenance. Due to the need for timely response to system problems, maintenance support from the community in which the facility is located will likely be required. As the interface between the specific facility and the maintenance provider will occur locally and not necessarily involve the corporate security organization, guidelines, contracts, and schedules need to be developed to define the performance of the maintenance activities.

Program Adherence: Standard processes for ensuring that the individual facilities are adhering to the corporate program are defined. Several potential solutions are available ranging from a local individual acting as the security point of contact to regional corporate representatives. Periodic security surveys by a contract agency can also be used to gauge the security posture of an individual facility. This item is crucial to the long-term maintenance of secure facilities.