Common Interest Committees

OSAC Academia enables U.S. public and private higher education institutions, education abroad third-party providers, and other educational institutions to collaborate and benchmark on safety, security, and health issues related to U.S. education abroad programs. This CIC typically meets during the OSAC Annual Briefing week and also hosts two “Health, Safety, and Security” seminars annually.

Membership Requirements:

Membership in OSAC Academia is reserved for OSAC members working at U.S.-based public and private higher education institutions and credit education abroad third party providers. Please note that applications are reviewed for this CIC monthly and applicants should allow at least 30 business days for a response.

OSAC Africa promotes the safety and security of U.S. organizations with business activities and/or facilities in sub-Saharan Africa by enabling its members to internally collaborate, network, and benchmark on relevant safety and security issues. This CIC utilizes dedicated communications tools to facilitate real-time security information exchange between its members.

Membership Requirements:

Membership in OSAC Africa is open to any OSAC member with sustained and long-term security interests in Africa. Applicants must be operationally responsible for the protection of staff, assets, and business interests in Africa. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, please allow 14 days for a response.

OSAC Americas is designed to promote the safety and security of U.S.-based organizations with business activities and/or facilities in the Western Hemisphere. OSAC Americas, formerly known as the Latin America Regional Committee, or LARC,  was founded in 2005, OSAC’s first Regional Committee. Currently, OSAC Americas has upwards of 1400 members. Its Steering Committee holds two meetings annually, typically covering general crime and safety in the region, special events security, crisis management, duty of care, workplace violence, brand protection, kidnapping and ransom, money laundering and extortion, political unrest, transnational criminal organizations, active shooters, and emergency preparedness. Subject matter experts from both the public and private sectors present at these meetings, as well as OSAC staff and membership group leaders.

Membership Requirements:

General membership to OSAC Americas is open to any full access OSAC members with sustained and long term interests in the Western Hemisphere. Membership will terminate upon the member's written resignation, the decision of the Board due to proven ethics violations or interest that conflict with the group's and/or OSAC's goals, or automatically when a member no longer meets the above qualifications. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, please allow 14 days for a response.

OSAC Aviation promotes the exchange of aviation industry-specific security information through a variety of channels in an effort to create a secure and trusted platform to support the operational security and safety posture of its member companies. Depending on the issue(s) presented to the group (e.g., regional or functional), additional subject-matter experts may be asked to attend certain meetings. This CIC does not discuss FAA or other aviation industry compliance issues.

Membership Requirements:

Membership in OSAC Aviation is open to any OSAC member owner/operator within the Aviation sector. The group is not open to non-airlines (any owner/operator for whom aviation is not their primary business), trade organizations, labor unions, and vendors. Exceptions may be made for airlines that are not OSAC members to join this CIC upon the concurrence of a two-thirds majority of the members of the group. Membership will terminate upon the members written resignation or automatically when a member no longer meets the above qualifications. Applications are reviewed monthly, please allow 30 days for a response.

OSAC Cybersecurity promotes awareness of and preparedness for cybersecurity threats among U.S. private sector organizations operating overseas and better equips security leaders to manage a blended cyber-physical security environment.

Membership Requirements:

Membership is open to all OSAC members with responsibilities to protect their organization’s employees, assets, and activities overseas against cyber threats. Applications are reviewed monthly, please allow 30 days for a response.

OSAC Energy enables OSAC members to collaborate, network, and benchmark on international safety and security issues relevant to energy industry operations.

Membership Requirements:

Membership is open to traditional oil and gas, energy generation or transmission firms, and renewable energy firms and their subsidiaries/joint venture partners that are owned (wholly or in part), operate, or possess assets in the United States. Associate membership may be open to energy sector service providers at the discretion of the Steering Committee, and technical advisor positions are open to approved U.S. Government and academic organizations. Security vendors are not eligible for membership at this time, but may be invited to participate in meetings on an ad hoc basis. Contractors and consultants will be considered for membership only when operating under a direct, full-time affiliation with an energy-affiliated company or USG agency that meets the membership requirements. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, please allow 14 days for a response.

OSAC Europe promotes information sharing to enhance the safety and security of U.S. organizations in Europe and Eurasia. Members with regional operations in Europe use this forum to exchange topical security information and benchmark security issues in the region. This CIC is co-chaired by the Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the DS New York Field Office and a representative from the private sector.

Membership Requirements:

The Europe Regional Committee's membership is open to any confirmed OSAC members with business operations in Europe or Eurasia. This includes all U.S.-owned or incorporated private sector enterprises, non-governmental organizations, and educational institutions, regardless of citizenship or nationality of attending representatives. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, please allow 14 days for a response.

OSAC Faith-Based enables OSAC members from organizations whose mission is grounded in religious beliefs to collaborate, network, and benchmark on international safety and security issues. This CIC produces trainings and meetings and facilitates the exchange of information relative to the security environment for faith-based organizations.

Membership Requirements:

Membership is open to OSAC members in good standing whose OSAC.gov account is associated with an OSAC-member organization that is a faith-based 501(c)(3). The organization's mission must be rooted in faith, evidenced by their "Mission Statement" or the "About Us" portion of the organization's webpage. Additionally, the individual must be operationally responsible for the protection of their organization's staff, assets, and interests. Applications are reviewed monthly, please allow 30 days for a response.

OSAC Hotels and Lodging promotes security cooperation between U.S. private sector interests in the hotel sector. This CIC was established in June 2008 to promote the safety and security of hotel guests and employees, and to protect the assets of the hotel companies. OSAC Hotels and Lodging aims to cultivate a network of OSAC members with a common interest in promoting security and safety in the hotel and lodging sector through regular engagement including but not limited to in-person or virtual meetings and identifying and disseminating relevant security threat information using a members-only communications platform for timely and accurate information exchange. This CIC also produces products that enhance the exchange of security guidance and best practices among its members, and OSAC members writ-large as applicable. 

Membership Requirements:

Membership is open to OSAC members who are employed in the hotel or lodging sector in a security or management role and have a presence operating outside of the United States. Vendors may be eligible for general membership if contracted in the Hotels and Lodging sector in a security role, pending approval from Chair, Vice-chair, and OSAC Program Manager.

OSAC International Development is specifically geared toward U.S.-based international development and humanitarian assistance organizations. This CIC's goal is to enable its members to internally collaborate, network, and benchmark on international safety and security issues. This CIC produces trainings and meetings and facilitates the exchange of information relative to the security environment in the humanitarian and the development communities.

Membership Requirements:

Membership is open to OSAC members, both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, involved in the direct implementation of international development and humanitarian assistance. Member representatives must be operationally responsible for the safety and security of their organization's staff, assets, and interests. Membership will terminate upon the member's written resignation or automatically when a member no longer meets these qualifications. Applications are reviewed monthly, please allow 30 days for a response.