OSAC
Bureau of Diplomatic Security
U.S. Department of State
OSAC is a public-private partnership between security professionals from global U.S. organizations and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. OSAC members exchange information for a deeper understanding of operational threats, and provide a trusted network of support to mitigate and manage risks together. OSAC helps American interests to be safer, stronger, and more prosperous worldwide.
OSAC members gain a deeper understanding of operational threats from multiple public and private sector perspectives, and an enhanced ability to mitigate and manage risks together. This helps American interests to be safer, stronger, and more prosperous worldwide.
All OSAC products, events, and other resources are completely free and available to any U.S.-incorporated organization operating outside U.S. borders and their employees, as well as all U.S. government, law enforcement, and military personnel. *OSAC does not support private U.S. citizen travelers or any individuals not affiliated with a U.S. private-sector organization.
The mission of OSAC is to promote security cooperation between the U.S. private sector and the U.S. Department of State by fostering a global network for the timely exchange of information and best practices to mitigate risks to U.S. interests worldwide.
Our History
Following a wave of bombings, hijackings, and other terrorist threats in the early 1980s, Secretary of State George P. Shultz realized it was critical to create an open dialogue between the U.S. Government and the American private sector for greater awareness and collaboration on security concerns abroad.
On July 1, 1985, Secretary Shultz convened the first meeting of the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC). In the decades since, this small advisory group grew to include security professionals from over 7,000 U.S. organizations operating abroad. In order to better serve this wider community, in 2024 OSAC as a Federal Advisory Committee was officially sunset and transitioned to a true public-private partnership. With this change, the letters, O-S-A-C, were adopted as the new formal name, "OSAC."
Our Membership
All U.S.-incorporated organizations with operations outside the United States (corporations large and small, non-profit, academic, and faith-based institutions of any size) are encouraged to apply to join OSAC. Once an organization is approved, all its employees may also apply to become members. Learn more about OSAC membership here.
OSAC Explainer Materials
See this collection for a deeper dive into OSAC's structure, membership groups, and other resources.
OSAC Logo Use
We encourage all active OSAC individual and organizational members to display their OSAC membership affiliation both on their websites and social media. Downloadable branding for that use is available here. It is prohibited to use the OSAC logo related to any event or product that did not originate from and receive the authorization of the OSAC Program Office. It is further prohibited to create any website, social media account, or other entity claiming to represent OSAC. See the OSAC FAQs for more.
The OSAC Program Office is headquartered in Washington, D.C.