State Agency Technical Operations (SATO) is a specialized body with the Council of Ministers for procurement and implementation of special intelligence means.

SATO is a legal entity on budgetary dependence, based in the city of Sofia. 

SATO carries out its activities autonomously and in cooperation with other state bodies.

The activities of SATO are supervised by the bodies, provided for in the Special Intelligence Means Act.

The basic principles, on which the activities of State Agency Technical Operations are based, are:

• legality and expediency;
• compliance with the legal requirements for procurement and implementation of special intelligence means, for protection of classified information and personal data;
• ethical conduct and high accountability;
• professional knowledge, skills and qualifications;
• effectiveness, efficiency, economy and reliability;
• loyalty, integrity and political neutrality;
• confidentiality.