There are a lot of perceived "rules" with security clearances that are actually more like rules of thumb.

For example, people are worried about leaving their cleared role and not finding another one for more than two years.

In truth this is more of a soft guideline than anything else. I've seen folks become re-adjudicated after more than two years without a new investigation.

I've also seen things take longer than it should. For example, I had a several month delay switching contracts at the same agency, when I already had a badge and account access!

So generally speaking, if a security clearance is valuable to you in the 1099 market, I would just generally be more conservative than not, but also not waste brain cycles on being out of a gig for 2 years and 1 month.

Being conservative means:

• Maintaining a good relationship with your FSO or the new prime FSO
• Knowing the details of your most recent investigation and eligibility date
• Not switching gigs in the middle of an active clearance investigation
• Budgeting more time for clearance transfer across government agency types (DoD <-> IC, DoE <-> DoD, DHS <-> DoD, etc.)
• Ensuring there is always at least one company that "owns" your profile in DISS
• Being aware of any caveats with your clearance that may impede adjudication (I have a waiver for a foreign family member for example)

So don't worry about ultra specific "rules" you've heard from the clearance rumor mill, but do be diligent and proactive about maintaining your clearance. Otherwise, you maybe unpleasantly surprised when a random security bureaucrat decides your case needs extra attention...