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CMMC Compliance
Built for the Defense Industrial Base

We guide DoD contractors and subcontractors through NIST SP 800-171, CMMC assessment prep, and everything a C3PAO will ask for.

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What Is CMMC Compliance?

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is a mandatory cybersecurity framework established by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to safeguard Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) within the Defense Industrial Base (DIB).

To qualify for and retain applicable DoD contracts, contractors must implement and demonstrate the required cybersecurity practices and controls. Maintaining CMMC compliance keeps your organization eligible for DoD work and capable of securely handling information critical to national defense.

- CMMC TIMELINE

Where We Stand in 2026

Phase 1 of the CMMC Program has been in effect since November 10, 2025: most new DoD contracts touching Federal Contract Information (FCI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) now require a Level 1 or Level 2 self-assessment as a condition of award, and the DoD retains discretion to require third-party Level 2 (C3PAO) certification on specific solicitations.

Phase 2 — which would have made third-party Level 2 certification mandatory across all applicable contracts — was set to begin November 10, 2026. On July 13, 2026, the DoD suspended Phase 2 pending a program review.

Bottom line: self-assessment is already required today, third-party certification can still appear in individual contracts, and the review does not change what your organization needs to have in place.

Three Levels, One Framework

LEVEL 2 — ADVANCED

The level most contractors need

110 practices aligned to NIST SP 800-171, required for any organization handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Certified by a C3PAO for critical programs; self-assessment for others during the current phase.

LEVEL 1 — FOUNDATIONAL
17 basic safeguarding practices for Federal Contract Information (FCI). Annual self-assessment.
LEVEL 3 — EXPERT
Built on NIST SP 800-172, with government-led (DIBCAC) assessments. Reserved for the DoD’s highest-priority programs.
- OUR CMMC BACKGROUND

Built on Real CMMC Experience
Not Just Consulting Theory

InfoGuard’s CMMC practice is led by a former CMMC instructor, CMMC-certified professional, and audited by a Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) assessor.

How We Help You Achieve CMMC Compliance

Discovery
&
Gap Assessment

We conduct a deep dive into your organizational structure and data flows to perform a precise gap analysis against all 110 NIST SP 800-171 practices required for CMMC Level 2, using the assessment procedures defined in NIST SP 800-171A. We also map your CUI boundary — every system, application, and vendor that touches it

Design
&
Remediation Plan

Using our assessment findings, we define your CMMC scope—mapping how CUI flows across your systems and where your technical boundaries actually sit—and help re-architect your networks to reduce the scope, save you time and resources, and meet your security and compliance requirements.

We develop a remediation strategy and roadmap that closes the gaps and puts your organization on a path to achieve compliance and make long-lasting cybersecurity improvements, without over-scoping systems that were never in the boundary to begin with

Build
&
Remediation

We implement the technical, operational, and governance controls your remediation plan calls for, along with the security tooling to support them, and build the System Security Plan (SSP) and Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M) — the core documentation the C3PAO assessor will evaluate you against

Validation
and
Readiness

Through mock assessments and readiness scoring, we provide additional assurance that your organization is ready to pass its upcoming CMMC assessment.

When it is time for the official audit, we connect you with a trusted Cyber-AB-accredited C3PAO partner — and our team stays engaged throughout, clarifying evidence and defending your case in real time

Sustain
and
Monitor

Certification is a point-in-time event; compliance is not. We provide ongoing monitoring and support to prevent “compliance drift,” and help manage the annual affirmation CMMC requires between certification cycles.

Beyond monitoring, we maintain your policies and provide the strategic guidance to keep your controls effective as CMMC and NIST SP 800-171 requirements evolve — helping you sustain compliance, stay audit-ready, and remain resilient year-round

FAQ

A C3PAO (CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization) is a Cyber-AB accredited firm authorized to perform official CMMC Level 2 certification audits. InfoGuard focuses on readiness, remediation, and audit support; when you are ready for certification, we connect you with a trusted C3PAO partner and stay involved through the assessment.
Cyber-AB conflict-of-interest rules require your C3PAO assessor to be independent of any organization that helped build your controls. Splitting the two roles is not a limitation, it is what keeps your certification valid.
A mock assessment is a practice run through the same evidence and interview process a C3PAO will use, done before the real audit. It is the most reliable way to catch a gap while it is still cheap to fix.
It depends on your current SSP maturity and CUI footprint, but most Level 2 engagements run several months from initial gap assessment to certification-ready. We will give you a realistic timeline once we have scoped your environment.
Yes. CMMC applies down through the supply chain, and smaller subcontractors often have the least in-house resources to prepare. That is exactly where InfoGuard helps most.
Level 2 certification is valid for three years, with an annual affirmation required in between. We build continuous monitoring into our engagements so that affirmation is never a scramble.
Cost depends on your organization’s current security maturity, CUI footprint, and how much remediation your systems need — there is no flat fee. We provide a firm quote after an initial gap assessment, once we know exactly what your environment requires.
NIST SP 800-171 is the underlying set of 110 security requirements for protecting CUI. CMMC is the DoD framework that verifies contractors have actually implemented them. In short, NIST SP 800-171 defines what to do, and CMMC Level 2 verifies you did it.
Possibly, yes. If you handle Federal Contract Information (FCI) but not CUI, you likely fall under CMMC Level 1, which still requires a self-assessment against 17 basic safeguarding practices. CMMC Level 2 only applies once CUI is involved, but not handling CUI does not automatically mean CMMC does not apply to you.

Incomplete or inaccurate System Security Plans (SSPs) are the most common failure point, not missing technical controls. A mock assessment before the real one is the most reliable way to catch this while it’s still cheap to fix.

Checkbox Compliance Provider Won’t Cut It

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InfoGuard is a cybersecurity firm first

Explore our full range of cybersecurity and advisory services.

Tell Us What Needs Attention

Tell us where you stand and what you are trying to accomplish. We will reply with next steps, whether that is a gap assessment, mock assessment, or a straight introduction to a C3PAO partner.
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