By Colene King
At the beginning of this year, GSA (General Services Administration) along with the Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) developed a 4-year phase-out plan for all GSA-approved black label security cabinets and vault doors manufactured prior to 1989. The phase-out is set to begin on October 1st 2024 and be completed by October 1st 2028. These black label containers cannot be recertified or relabeled; they will become obsolete. See chart below for details.
| GSA Class | Fed Spec | Revision | Years Produced | Years of Service | End of Service |
| 1 | AA-F-357 | A-F | 1968 – 1982 | 46 – 60 | 1 October 2028 |
| 2 | AA-F-357 | A-F | 1954 – 1970 | 50 – 70 | 1 October 2024 |
| 3 | AA-F-358 | A-F | 1956 – 1968 | 52 – 69 | 1 October 2025 |
| 4 | AA-F-358 | A-F | 1956 – 1968 | 52 – 69 | 1 October 2025 |
| 5 | AA-F-358 | A-F | 1968 – 1989 | 31 – 60 | 1 October 2028 |
| 5 | AA-F-363 | A-B | 1963 – 1989 | 57 – 65 | 1 October 2028 |
| 5 | AA-D-600 | A-B | 1963 – 1989 | 57 – 65 | 1 October 2028 |
| 6 | AA-D-600 | A-C | 1963 – 1989 | 57 – 65 | 1 October 2028 |
| 6 | AA-F-358 | A-F | 1963 – 1989 | 52 – 60 | 1 October 2028 |
The process commences with phasing out black label Class 2 cabinets; these Class 2 cabinets must be replaced by October 1, 2024. Class 3 and Class 4 must be replaced by October 1, 2025. Lastly, all other black label containers (class 5 and class 6) and GSA approved vault doors will lose their GSA approval by October 1, 2028.
The regulation of containers to meet GSA guidelines began in 1954, with some of these items having been in continuous use since their implementation. Over the years, these containers degrade and can become a liability. Specifically, those manufactured between 1954 and 1989 are considered to be past their life expectancy. These black label containers and vault doors are now between 30 and 70 years old. As we all know, it’s not easy getting old.
There are several things to be concerned about with these aging containers and vault doors. Not only are you minimizing the protection of your property, but you could potentially set yourself up for a costly container lockout, which would require a GSA locksmith. It should also be mentioned that several of the manufacturers that created these containers are no longer in operation, and many of the container parts (drawer heads, locks, slides, handles, etc.) needed for the repair of these products are no longer available.
The soon to be outdated GSA approved containers and vault doors are easily recognizable by the silver and black GSA approval label located on the outside of the cabinet or vault. (See picture below) Each container/door should also include the certification labels and manufactured dates.
Here at KL Security, we are able to provide the most up to date GSA approved containers and vault doors. We offer full replacement cabinets for Black Label GSA Containers that will be considered obsolete in the near future.
Below is a list of all current GSA Requirements:
Class 5 GSA Approved Container requirements
- The Class 5 is an uninsulated security container
- 20 man-hours against surreptitious entry (increased from 30 man-minutes on containers produced after March 1991)
- 10 man-minutes against forced entry
- 20 man-hours against manipulation of the lock
- 20 man-hours against radiological attack
- 30 man-minutes against covert entry (added to containers produced after March 1991)
Class 6 GSA Approved Container requirements
- The Class 6 is an uninsulated security container
- 20 man-hours against surreptitious entry (increased from 30 man-minutes on containers produced after March 1991)
- no forced entry test requirement
- 20 man-hours against manipulation of lock
- 20 man-hours against radiological attack
- 30 man-minutes against covert entry (added to containers produced after March 1991)
Now would be a great time to formulate a company plan for container and vault replacement.
Call 866-867-0306 or email [email protected]
Sources
Removal of GSA Approved Black Label (archives.gov)
NISPPAC meeting April 14, 2021 (archives.gov)
GSA Approved Security Containers (navy.mil)
Information has been gathered from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed and is subject to change without notice. The information contained in this site is provided for informational purposes only.