Federal Agency Industry

FISMA-Aligned Data Destruction for Federal Agencies

Witnessed destruction of hard drives, SSDs, and backup tapes for federal civilian agencies, GSA contractors, and FedRAMP-aligned environments. Methods follow NIST SP 800-88 r1. Certificate of Destruction, designed to satisfy FISMA and IRS Pub 1075.

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  • 24-Hour Certificate of Destruction
  • Bonded & Insured Technicians
  • Continuous Chain of Custody
  • Methods follow NIST SP 800-88 r1
  • Witnessed Destruction

What FISMA Requires of Federal Agency IT Disposal

Federal agency data destruction satisfies the FISMA control framework. The Federal Information Security Modernization Act, implemented through NIST SP 800-53 r5 control MP-6 (Media Sanitization), requires agencies to sanitize media using methods aligned to NIST SP 800-88 r1.

Agencies handling federal tax information must also conform to IRS Publication 1075 Section 9.4, and agencies operating FedRAMP-authorized systems must follow the FedRAMP media-sanitization continuous-monitoring controls.

Three operational constraints define federal destruction. First, the destruction method must match the data sensitivity level — low/moderate FISMA systems use Clear or Purge, while high-sensitivity systems and classified-adjacent assets use Destroy (physical shredding or degaussing-plus-shred). Second, federal procurement rules require the destruction vendor to be on an active GSA Schedule or an approved BPA; Data Destruction Inc. supports GSA Schedule-aligned procurement and accepts agency-issued purchase orders. Third, FedRAMP environments require destruction documentation to be uploaded to the agency’s Security Assessment Report (SAR) evidence repository within the continuous-monitoring window.

Every job produces a Certificate of Destruction with NIST 800-88 r1 category citation per asset, a serialized chain-of-custody log, and SAR-evidence-ready documentation, the artifact package federal agency CIOs, ISSOs, and OIG auditors require.

Regulations Your Business Must Follow

FISMA (via NIST 800-53) MP-6 Media Sanitization
Federal agencies must sanitize digital and non-digital media before disposal, release out of organizational control, or release for reuse. Sanitization techniques and procedures align to NIST SP 800-88 r1, which Data Destruction Inc.'s shredding and degaussing methods follow.
NIST SP 800-88 r1 Guidelines for Media Sanitization
The federal benchmark referenced by NIST 800-53 MP-6 and the FedRAMP baseline. Specifies Clear, Purge, and Destroy categories per media type. Our destruction methods map to the Destroy category for HDDs, SSDs, flash, and magnetic tape.
IRS Publication 1075 Section 9.4 Media Sanitization
Agencies that receive federal tax information must destroy FTI media using methods listed in Pub 1075 §9.4. Physical shredding (HDDs to ≤25 mm, SSDs to ≤2 mm) and degaussing-plus-shred for tape satisfy this requirement.
FedRAMP Continuous Monitoring MP-6 control inheritance
FedRAMP-authorized systems inherit or implement MP-6 sanitization as part of continuous monitoring. Destruction documentation must be uploaded to the agency's Security Assessment Report (SAR) evidence repository within the monthly continuous-monitoring window.
NARA General Records Schedule 4.3 Records Disposition Authority
Federal records destruction documentation must be retained per NARA disposition schedules. Data Destruction Inc. retains Certificates of Destruction for 10 years to satisfy GRS 4.3 and longer-window agency-specific schedules.

What Federal Agency Buyers Face — and How We Solve It

  • Our ISSO needs evidence the destruction maps to NIST 800-88 r1 categories.

    Every Certificate of Destruction cites the NIST 800-88 r1 category (Clear, Purge, or Destroy) used per asset, with the specific method (shred to ≤25 mm, degauss + shred, etc.) recorded. This is the artifact your ISSO uploads to the SAR evidence repository.

  • We're FedRAMP-authorized and need destruction docs in the ConMon window.

    Certificate of Destruction is delivered within 24 hours of destruction — well inside the FedRAMP monthly ConMon evidence window. Documents are also re-available on request for the FedRAMP Annual Assessment SAR refresh.

  • FTI-handling systems require IRS Pub 1075 destruction methods.

    Our shredding (HDD ≤25 mm, SSD ≤2 mm) and degaussing-plus-shred for tape are the destruction methods listed in IRS Pub 1075 §9.4.7 Table 9-1. The Pub 1075 conformance note is attached to the Certificate of Destruction when FTI assets are present.

  • Classified-adjacent media can't leave the SCIF or facility perimeter.

    On-site mobile destruction at your facility, including SCIF-perimeter destruction where authorized. Drives are destroyed inside the secure perimeter with named-witness signatures from your security officer and chain-of-custody documentation that never references the facility's classified location.

  • Procurement requires GSA Schedule or BPA pricing.

    Data Destruction Inc. supports GSA Schedule-aligned procurement and accepts agency-issued purchase orders. Pricing and SOW templates are available in formats that match common agency procurement systems (e.g., FedConnect, SAM.gov).

  • Records retention is 10 years per NARA GRS 4.3.

    Every Certificate of Destruction is retained for 10 years per NARA General Records Schedule 4.3. Records are re-available on request throughout the retention window for OIG audits, IG investigations, or congressional oversight inquiries.

Audit Documentation You Receive

  • Certificate of Destruction

    Per-job audit document with chain-of-custody log, destruction methods used, witness signatures, and regulation references. Issued by Data Destruction Inc. within 24 hours.

  • Chain of Custody Log

    Tracks each piece of media from pickup through destruction with timestamps and named handler signatures. Required for audit defense.

  • Serialized Inventory

    Asset-by-asset inventory with serial numbers, manufacturer, model, and asset tag for every destroyed drive. Reconciled against the pickup manifest before destruction.

  • Witness Signatures

    Named-witness verification with printed names, signatures, dates, and times. Customer-witnessed at your facility or independent third-party witnessed at our destruction facility.

  • Insurance Certificate (on request)

    General liability and cyber liability coverage information for your records, audit team, or insurance broker.

  • ISSO Evidence Package (SAR-Ready)

    Bundled documentation package formatted for upload to the agency's Security Assessment Report evidence repository, including NIST 800-88 r1 category citation per asset and FedRAMP ConMon-ready evidence.

CoD

Certificate of Destruction

Issued by Data Destruction Inc. within 24 hours of destruction

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you sign a non-disclosure agreement or contract before pickup?
Yes. Data Destruction Inc. signs an NDA or vertical-specific contract with every federal agency client before any pickup is scheduled. The document is delivered electronically within 4 business hours of quote acceptance and is countersigned before our truck is dispatched. Both parties retain the executed document for the full 10-year documentation retention period.

What does the Certificate of Destruction include for Federal Agency audits?
The Certificate of Destruction includes six audit fields: asset serial numbers, destruction method used, date and time of destruction, named witness signature, operator and company identification, and chain-of-custody reference number. Each field is populated within 24 hours of destruction. The certificate format is built to satisfy auditor, regulator, and insurance documentation requirements.

Can a federal agency client witness the destruction?
Yes. Customer-witnessed destruction is available at your facility through our mobile shredding service, or you can send a representative to witness destruction at our facility. The witness signs the Certificate of Destruction with printed name, signature, and timestamp. Independent third-party witnessing is also available when required by your audit or insurance program.

What destruction methods do you use for federal agency media?
We use shredding for HDDs (≤25 mm particle size), shredding for SSDs and flash media (≤2 mm particle size), and degaussing followed by shredding for magnetic backup tapes. Each method maps to NIST SP 800-88 r1 Destroy category for the specific media type. The method used for each asset is recorded on the Certificate of Destruction.

Does your Certificate of Destruction satisfy a FISMA OIG audit?
Yes. Each Certificate of Destruction cites the NIST 800-88 r1 category (Clear, Purge, or Destroy) used per asset, the specific destruction method, and the chain-of-custody reference. The format has been accepted in FISMA OIG audits and Inspector General reviews. ISSOs upload the certificate directly to the SAR evidence repository.

Can you destroy media inside a SCIF or behind a facility perimeter?
Yes, where mission and contract authorize. On-site mobile destruction brings the shredder to the secure perimeter, including SCIF-adjacent locations. Drives are destroyed inside the secure area; chain-of-custody documentation is structured so it never references the facility's classified location while still satisfying audit requirements.

Are you on a GSA Schedule or BPA?
Data Destruction Inc. supports GSA Schedule-aligned procurement and accepts agency-issued purchase orders. SOW templates, pricing schedules, and contract vehicles are available in formats compatible with common agency procurement systems (FedConnect, SAM.gov, GSA Advantage). Contact us for the current procurement-vehicle list.

How does your destruction documentation flow into the FedRAMP ConMon process?
Every Certificate of Destruction is delivered within 24 hours of destruction — well inside the FedRAMP monthly ConMon evidence window. The certificate includes the asset inventory, NIST 800-88 r1 method citation, and chain-of-custody reference that ISSOs upload to the FedRAMP Security Assessment Report evidence repository as part of the monthly ConMon submission.

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Bonded · Insured · 24-Hour Certificate of Destruction · Methods follow NIST SP 800-88 r1

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