Which statement best describes the relationship between ICDs and ICPGs?

• A. ICDs Are Binding Directives Issued by the DNI; ICPGs Are Non-Binding Guidelines That Advise How to Implement Policy.
• B. ICDs and ICPGs Are Both Binding and Enforceable Equally.
• C. ICDs Apply Only to Military Components; ICPGs Apply to Civilian Agencies.
• D. ICDs Govern Only Policy; ICPGs Govern Only Technology.

Answer: (A)

Intelligence Community Directives establish binding policy—mandatory requirements issued by the Director of National Intelligence that apply across the Intelligence Community. Intelligence Community Policy Guidance provides non-binding guidance that explains how to implement those policies, offering recommended procedures and best practices without creating new mandatory obligations. So you must follow the directives themselves, while ICPGs guide you on how to operationalize and apply those directives in real-world tasks. The difference matters: ICPGs inform implementation but do not carry the same enforceable weight as ICDs. This distinguishes them from the idea that both are equally binding, from the notion that they apply only to military components versus civilian agencies, or from the misbelief that one governs policy while the other governs technology.