Next Steps for Contractors: How to Prepare for CMMC Compliance Now

CMMC compliance is not a future event. It is a contract condition that appears without warning. Contractors that wait for a solicitation often discover they are already too late.

Here is a practical roadmap to prepare for CMMC Level 1, Level 2, and beyond.

Step 1: Assess Your Readiness

Start with a NIST SP 800-171 gap analysis. Identify which controls are missing, partially implemented, or undocumented. This forms the foundation for any CMMC assessment.

Step 2: Define Your CMMC Scope

Map all CUI assets, security protection assets, and risk-managed assets as defined in 32 CFR § 170.19. Your scope drives assessment cost, complexity, and timelines.

Step 3: Determine Your Assessment Path

Understand whether your contracts are likely to require a self-assessment or a third-party assessment by a C3PAO. For many CUI contracts, third-party assessments will be mandatory.

Step 4: Close Gaps Early

POA&Ms are limited and time-bound. Controls must be implemented, validated, and documented before assessment. Remediation delays are one of the most common causes of failed timelines.

Step 5: Track Regulatory Updates

Monitor DoD guidance, DFARS clauses, and 32 CFR Part 170 updates. CMMC requirements are enforced at award, not retroactively.

Why This Matters

Once a solicitation includes the CMMC clause, eligibility is binary. If you are not compliant, you cannot bid. As CMMC becomes common across DoD contracts over the next several years, preparation becomes the difference between staying competitive and being excluded.

CMMC does not wait. Preparation must start now.