The Galactic Republic Cloning Department, shortened to the Republic Cloning Department, or even the Cloning Department, or just simply the Clone Dep, was an office which served for the Galactic Republic. Consisted of a team of cloners, it was led and founded by Exhart Martineus who became the ultimate genetic template of the army of the Great Clone Forces. They began working in 49.5 ABY until the initial beginning of the Second Clone Wars, and the end of the devastative conflict. The Dep was responsible for the cloning project of the Republic's brand new defensive military force. Sponsored by the wealth of the Galactic Republic, the Cloning Department received an order of five trillion products by the Supreme Chancellor.