The Department of Defense now requires Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) before awarding contracts that touch Federal Contract Information (FCI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). CanITSM helps US defense contractors and subcontractors get assessed, remediated, and certification-ready — without the guesswork.
What Is CMMC / Who Needs It
CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification) is the DoD's framework for verifying that contractors in the Defense Industrial Base actually have the cybersecurity controls they claim to have — not just a signed attestation. It applies to any company that processes, stores, or transmits FCI or CUI while performing a DoD contract, including primes and subcontractors several tiers down the supply chain.
If your contract or RFP references DFARS 252.204-7021, CMMC applies to you. Since November 2025, CMMC requirements have been phasing into new DoD solicitations, and a current CMMC status in the Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS) is becoming a condition of contract award — not an afterthought.
You likely need CMMC if you:
Hold or bid on DoD contracts or subcontracts
Handle technical data, drawings, or specs tied to defense programs
Store or transmit CUI in email, file shares, or cloud systems
Have flowed-down CMMC clauses from a prime contractor
CMMC Levels Breakdown
CMMC 2.0 has three levels, each building on the one before it.
Level 1 — Foundational
17 basic cyber hygiene practices
Applies to companies handling FCI only
Annual self-assessment, no external auditor required
Level 2 — Advanced
110 practices aligned to NIST SP 800-171
Applies to companies handling CUI
Most organizations will self-assess; contracts involving the most sensitive CUI will require a third-party assessment through a C3PAO once that phase takes effect
This is the level most mid-size contractors and subcontractors land on
Level 3 — Expert
Builds on Level 2, adding a further set of practices from NIST SP 800-172
Reserved for the highest-priority programs
Assessed directly by the DoD
Note: third-party assessment requirements for Level 2 are currently under DoD review, so timelines can shift — we track this and keep clients current as the rules finalize.
How CanITSM Helps
We take you through a structured path, not a one-time audit.
Assess — Gap analysis against your required CMMC level, scoped to exactly which systems touch FCI or CUI so you're not over-securing systems that don't need it.
Remediate — Close the gaps: access control, configuration management, logging and monitoring, incident response, endpoint protection, and the rest of the NIST SP 800-171 control families.
Document — Build the System Security Plan (SSP) and Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M) that assessors actually expect to see, with evidence mapped to each control.
Audit-Ready — Mock assessment before your official C3PAO or self-assessment, so nothing surprises you on the day that counts.
FAQ
What's the difference between CMMC and NIST 800-171? NIST SP 800-171 is the security standard; CMMC is the DoD's program for verifying you actually meet it, through self-assessment or third-party audit depending on your level.
How long does CMMC certification take? Typically a few months from initial gap assessment to audit-ready, depending on your current security posture and which level you need.
Do subcontractors need CMMC too? Yes — if CUI or FCI flows down to you from a prime contractor, the same requirements apply at your tier.
What happens if we're not certified in time? You become ineligible to bid on or continue contracts that require your CMMC level, which can mean losing active work.
Does CanITSM provide the official certification? We prepare you for it — assessment, remediation, and documentation — so you walk into your official C3PAO or self-assessment audit-ready.
CMMC certification, CMMC compliance, CMMC Level 2, NIST 800-171, CMMC readiness