An ITAR compliance consultant is a regulatory expert who helps defense contractors and manufacturers meet all requirements under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (22 CFR Parts 120–130). Jared Clark, JD, MBA, PMP, CMQ-OE, is an ITAR compliance consultant who has served 200+ defense contractors with a 100% first-time audit pass rate. His services include DDTC registration, compliance program development, USML classification, Technology Control Plan creation, export license applications, deemed export controls, employee training, mock audits, and voluntary disclosure management. As the founder of Certify Consulting, Jared delivers direct, senior-level engagement on every project — no junior handoffs.
Core Services
An ITAR compliance consultant manages the full lifecycle of export control compliance — from initial DDTC registration through ongoing monitoring, training, and regulatory change management. Here is what Jared Clark delivers for defense contractors.
Complete Directorate of Defense Trade Controls registration and renewal. Tier classification, fee determination, and application preparation for manufacturers, exporters, and brokers of defense articles.
Full export control compliance programs including Technology Control Plans, classification procedures, record-keeping systems, self-assessment protocols, and Empowered Official designation.
DSP-5 permanent export licenses, DSP-73 temporary exports, DSP-85 brokering activities, Technical Assistance Agreements (TAAs), and Manufacturing License Agreements (MLAs).
Deemed export assessments for foreign national employees and visitors. Visual access controls, facility security, technology transfer agreements, and foreign person screening protocols.
United States Munitions List classification across all 21 categories. Commodity jurisdiction determinations, self-classification documentation, and DDTC CJ request preparation.
Facility-specific Technology Control Plans that document physical security, IT controls, access restrictions, visitor protocols, and technical data handling procedures required under 22 CFR.
Role-specific ITAR training for employees, management, and Empowered Officials. Annual refresher programs, new-hire onboarding modules, and training record systems that satisfy DDTC audit requirements.
Pre-audit readiness assessments that identify compliance gaps before DDTC does. When violations are discovered, expert guidance through the voluntary disclosure process under 22 CFR 127.12.
Risk & Regulatory Context
Defense contractors who manufacture, export, or broker defense articles listed on the United States Munitions List (USML) are required to comply with the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), codified in 22 CFR Parts 120 through 130. ITAR compliance is not optional — it is a federal legal obligation enforced by the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) and the Department of Justice. An ITAR compliance consultant provides the expertise to navigate this regulatory framework correctly the first time.
ITAR violations carry civil penalties up to $1,267,619 per violation, criminal penalties up to $1,000,000 and 20 years imprisonment per violation, and debarment from all defense trade. The RTX/Raytheon $950 million settlement in 2024 — the largest ITAR enforcement action in history — demonstrates that the State Department is pursuing aggressive enforcement.
The regulatory complexity alone demands expert guidance. ITAR spans 11 parts of the Code of Federal Regulations, covers 21 USML categories, intersects with EAR dual-use controls administered by the Bureau of Industry and Security, and increasingly overlaps with CMMC 2.0 cybersecurity requirements for defense contractors. An ITAR compliance consultant understands how these regulatory frameworks interact and builds programs that address all applicable requirements simultaneously.
Most critically, ITAR is a strict liability regime. The government does not need to prove intent to impose civil penalties. Companies that unknowingly violate ITAR face the same penalty exposure as those who do so deliberately. This is why hiring a qualified ITAR compliance consultant before problems arise — not after — is the most cost-effective approach to export control compliance.
The JD Advantage
Most ITAR consultants come from engineering, logistics, or military backgrounds. They understand how to classify items on the USML and how to structure a Technology Control Plan. That technical knowledge is essential, but it misses a critical dimension: ITAR is fundamentally a legal framework. The regulations are codified in Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Violations are prosecuted under the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2778). The consequences are legal — criminal prosecution, civil penalties, debarment.
Jared Clark holds a Juris Doctor (JD) from an ABA-accredited law school, making him one of the few ITAR compliance consultants who reads these regulations the way they were written — as law. Every compliance recommendation accounts for the legal exposure, the evidentiary requirements for voluntary disclosure under 22 CFR 127.12, the prosecutorial thresholds for criminal referral, and the administrative standards for debarment proceedings. This is the difference between a compliance program that checks boxes and one that actually protects your company.
Combined with an MBA for business-aware program design, PMP for structured implementation, and CMQ-OE for quality management systems expertise, Jared delivers compliance programs that are legally sound, operationally practical, and cost-effective. Read the full bio and credentials.
Industry Expertise
Jared Clark has guided companies across the full spectrum of the defense industrial base through ITAR compliance — from small machine shops to Tier 1 prime contractors.
Prime contractors, component manufacturers, MRO providers, and R&D firms producing defense articles and technical data.
Machine shops, fabricators, and specialty suppliers providing components and sub-assemblies to prime defense contractors.
IT companies, software developers, and technology firms handling ITAR-controlled technical data, source code, and defense-related algorithms.
Manufacturers and exporters of firearms, ammunition, and related components classified under USML Categories I, III, and IV.
Satellite manufacturers, launch service providers, and space technology companies navigating USML Category XV and space-related export controls.
Military electronics, night vision, targeting systems, sensors, and optical equipment manufacturers classified under multiple USML categories.
Naval vessel components, submersible systems, and maritime defense equipment manufacturers navigating USML Category VI requirements.
Academic institutions and government-funded research organizations managing ITAR-controlled technical data, deemed export obligations, and fundamental research exclusion determinations.
Engagement Process
Every engagement follows a structured, PMP-certified project management methodology with clear deliverables, milestones, and timelines. No open-ended consulting. No scope creep.
Comprehensive gap analysis of your current ITAR posture. Product classification review, regulatory obligation mapping, risk assessment, and prioritized remediation plan.
Custom compliance program development calibrated to your company size, product portfolio, and risk profile. Technology Control Plans, SOPs, training curricula, and record-keeping systems.
Guided rollout with employee training, Empowered Official designation, facility security measures, IT environment configuration, and documentation deployment.
Annual mock audits, regulatory change monitoring, training refreshers, export license support, and on-call expert guidance. Your compliance program stays current as regulations evolve.
Common Questions
An ITAR compliance consultant helps defense contractors and exporters meet all requirements under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (22 CFR Parts 120–130). Services include DDTC registration, compliance program development, USML classification, Technology Control Plan creation, export license applications (DSP-5, DSP-73, DSP-85, TAAs, MLAs), deemed export controls, employee training, mock audits, and voluntary disclosure management. The consultant ensures your company avoids civil penalties up to $1,267,619 per violation and criminal penalties up to $1,000,000 and 20 years imprisonment.
ITAR compliance consulting costs vary based on company size, product complexity, and scope. Initial DDTC registration assistance typically ranges from $5,000 to $15,000. Full compliance program development for small to mid-size manufacturers ranges from $15,000 to $50,000. Ongoing support and annual audits are $5,000 to $20,000 per year. These costs are a fraction of potential penalties — civil fines alone reach $1,267,619 per violation. Read the full cost breakdown.
Look for: (1) legal credentials — ITAR is a federal legal framework with criminal prosecution exposure; (2) demonstrated track record — ask for audit pass rates and client count; (3) relevant certifications — PMP for structured implementation, CMQ-OE for quality systems; (4) direct engagement — ensure you work with the named expert, not junior staff; (5) industry experience in your USML category. Read the complete guide.
An ITAR compliance consultant is an external expert who designs, implements, and maintains your export control program. An Empowered Official is a company employee designated under 22 CFR 120.25 with legal authority to sign export licenses, approve technical data transfers, and ensure day-to-day compliance. Companies need both. The consultant builds the program; the Empowered Official manages ongoing compliance internally. Read the full comparison.
DDTC registration takes 30–45 days once submitted. Building a full compliance program — Technology Control Plan, classification procedures, training, documentation — typically takes 3 to 6 months. Companies with existing quality systems (ISO 9001, AS9100) often achieve compliance faster because document control and training infrastructure already exists. Read realistic timelines.
Yes. Voluntary disclosure under 22 CFR 127.12 is one of the most legally sensitive actions a defense contractor can take. An ITAR compliance consultant with legal training helps determine whether disclosure is required, prepares the initial notification within the 60-day deadline, conducts the internal investigation, drafts the full narrative report, implements corrective actions, and manages DDTC correspondence. Proper voluntary disclosure can reduce penalties by up to 75%. Read the step-by-step guide.
The most valuable credentials include: a Juris Doctor (JD) for understanding the legal framework and criminal liability; an MBA for business-aware program design; PMP for structured project management; and CMQ-OE for quality management systems expertise. Beyond credentials, look for a demonstrated track record — audit pass rates, number of defense contractors served, and specific USML category experience. Jared Clark holds all four of these credentials plus CPGP, CFSQA, and RAC.
Companies can technically build programs in-house, but ITAR's complexity and penalty severity make expert guidance critical. The regulations span 22 CFR Parts 120–130, cover 21 USML categories, and carry civil penalties up to $1,267,619 and criminal penalties up to $1,000,000 plus 20 years per violation. Most small to mid-size defense contractors lack in-house expertise to navigate DDTC registration, USML classification, Technology Control Plans, and export licensing without costly mistakes. An ITAR compliance consultant builds it right the first time.
Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with Jared Clark, JD. Get an honest assessment of your ITAR compliance posture, a clear path forward, and answers to all your questions — no obligation, no pressure.
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