A Federal department or agency designated by PPD-21 with responsibility for providing institutional knowledge and specialized expertise, as well as leading, facilitating, or supporting the security and resilience programs and associated activities of its designated critical infrastructure sector in the allhazards environment. (Source: PPD-21, 2013)
What is a Sector-Specific Agency (SSA)?
A Sector-Specific Agency, or SSA, was the federal agency designated to coordinate security and resilience activities for a particular critical-infrastructure sector under earlier federal policy. The term appears in PPD-21-era material. Current federal law and policy commonly use the term Sector Risk Management Agency, or SRMA, for this role.
What role did SSAs play in critical-infrastructure security?
SSAs served as federal sector leads, coordinating with infrastructure owners, operators, government partners, and other stakeholders on risk management, information sharing, planning, incident support, and sector-specific security priorities. Because the terminology has evolved, older election-security and critical-infrastructure documents may say SSA where newer materials refer to an SRMA.
What term is commonly used instead of SSA now?
The term commonly used instead of Sector-Specific Agency is Sector Risk Management Agency, or SRMA. Congress established that terminology in federal law, and current critical-infrastructure materials generally use it. When reviewing older sources, the underlying sector-coordination function may still be relevant even though the organizational label has changed.
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A Federal department or agency designated by PPD-21 with responsibility for providing institutional knowledge and specialized expertise, as well as leading, facilitating, or supporting the security and resilience programs and associated activities of its designated critical infrastructure sector in the allhazards environment. (Source: PPD-21, 2013)
Cite this term
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Sector Specific Agency (ssa). In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved August 20, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/sector-specific-agency-ssa
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