Getting CMMC Certified in Charlotte, North Carolina (NC)
Federal agencies and subcontractors are the primary subjects of cyber threats funded by other states. Additionally, research shows that smaller organizations become bigger candidates because they appear to have inexperienced compliance programs. Cyber-thieves profit from two methods to obtain exposure to a subcontractor’s computer structures that include a special part of classified military hardware. First, they can steal intellectual property (IP) from the business, and second, they can use their exposure to extend rights outside local networks and steal IP from other supply chain firms.
The DoD implemented the Cybersecurity Sophistication Model Certification (CMMC) framework as a way to ensure that contractors are equipped to secure all Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) exchanged throughout the entire supply chain, as well as to enforce the protective measures necessary to safeguard all intellectual property rights.
CMMC expands the specifications described in the Instructions for the Defense Federal Procurement Law Supplement (DFARS), the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), and the National Institution of Standards and Technology ( NIST), particularly Special Publication (SP)800-171 Securing Protected Unclassified Knowledge of Non-Federal Programs and Organizations.
CMMC is seeking to simplify requirements on security into a streamlined format. CMMC consists of five stages called “Maturity Stages.” Each level is an addition from the previous level, which implies you can’t be level 4 if you are not on level 3, or level 5 without being level 4.
Now is the moment to strive for compliance
DFARS and NIST SP 800-171 actually only requires companies to “self-certify” whether they follow cyber-safety requirements or not. CMMC will now incorporate a third party authentication service (such as ISO Pros) to the certification.
Offer yourself a pat on the back if the security practices are already consistent with the NIST system – you are well prepared to meet with the CMMC requirements. The main difference would be the verification/assessment by a third party needed under CMMC. While the CMMC guidelines are likely to be updated and strengthened as more is known, the award should be effective for 3 years after you are certified.
Your certification standard will be made available but information on particular levels would not be open to the public. The DoD will have access to your maturity level though. Even If the company does not manage CUI, it will have to be required by all contractors that do business with the DoD. The degree of certification needed would depend on how much CUI a firm manages or processes.
CMMC would need to be put in place by all Subcontractors now on a DoD contract. The government must assess the correct level for the contracts it administers (i.e., not everyone needs the highest level). Parts L & M of the Request for Proposals (RFP) must include the appropriate CMMC standard, making cybersecurity an “allowable expense” in DoD contracts.
The team at ISO Pros in Charlotte, North Carolina (NC) are experts in helping you to understand the CMMC in plain English. Contact us today for a free no-obligation quote.