Fill out the form and a member of our CMMC team will reach out within one business day.
Defense contractors in the DoD supply chain need CMMC certification to remain eligible for federal contracts.
Citrin Cooperman's Risk Advisory team provides compliance consulting from initial gap assessment through C3PAO certification — tailored to your contracts, your timeline, and your certification level.
Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is no longer a future requirement. Phase 1 enforcement went live in November 2025. New DoD solicitations are now including CMMC requirements, and contractors must have the right certification status at the time of award — not after.
There is no grace period for new contract awards. Organizations that are not certified when a contract requires it cannot bid. Industry estimates put the current supply of Certified CMMC Assessors at fewer than 800 nationwide, against a projected need of 2,000 to 3,000. C3PAOs in defense corridor regions are already scheduling into late 2026.
Client Outcome
Aerospace Firm Achieves Full CMMC Compliance in Eight Weeks
A mid-sized aerospace firm engaged Citrin Cooperman to assess their CMMC readiness and identify gaps across their environment. Our team delivered a streamlined remediation plan, implemented policies and procedures, assisted with deployment of controls, and documented all required practices. Within eight weeks, the client achieved full CMMC compliance and gained the evidence package needed to confidently pass insurer and customer security reviews.
CMMC applies to any organization with cybersecurity obligations under FAR 52.204-21 and DFARS 252.204-7012, regardless of contract size or revenue percentage. If your contracts involve Federal Contract Information (FCI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), compliance is mandatory. Our services are for you if:
Not sure which level applies, or where you stand? That is exactly what a CMMC Readiness Assessment is for.
Citrin Cooperman's Risk Advisory team guides defense contractors through every stage of the CMMC compliance process. Whether you are starting from scratch or finishing remediation before a C3PAO audit, the work is tailored to your contracts, your certification level, and your timeline.
A high-level look at your entire technology and compliance environment, including CMMC readiness, with a risk dashboard benchmarking against prior engagements, and a prioritized remediation roadmap. A practical starting point before committing to a full CMMC engagement. Learn More
Get a clear picture of where you stand today against CMMC requirements and what needs to change.
Understand the documentation required to demonstrate your cybersecurity controls to assessors.
Gain a structured remediation roadmap tied to your contract timeline and certification level.
Receive specialized support closing control gaps between your current posture and CMMC requirements.
Support calculating, documenting, and submitting your SPRS score as required under DFARS 252.204-7021.
Preparation for your third-party certification audit including assessment objectives, evidence requirements, and what assessors look for.
Ongoing compliance support to keep your certification current and your organization audit-ready year over year.
Every organization's path starts with identifying which CMMC level applies. Handling FCI typically requires Level 1. Managing CUI generally requires Level 2. Getting this scoped correctly early keeps compliance efforts aligned with your actual contractual obligations.
We assess your current cybersecurity posture against CMMC requirements and identify gaps. You walk away with a clear baseline and a realistic timeline based on your specific environment.
We build a prioritized Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) and System Security Plan (SSP) aligned to your contract timeline and the level of certification required.
We work with your team to close identified gaps, implement required controls, and document everything in a way that holds up to a C3PAO assessment.
We prepare you for your third-party assessment — walking through assessment objectives, evidence requirements, and what assessors look for so there are no surprises on assessment day.
CMMC is not a one-time event. We provide annual sustainment support to keep your certification current and your organization audit ready year over year.
Every organization's path starts with identifying which CMMC level applies. Handling FCI typically requires Level 1. Managing CUI generally requires Level 2. Getting this scoped correctly early keeps compliance efforts aligned with your actual contractual obligations.
We assess your current cybersecurity posture against CMMC requirements and identify gaps. You walk away with a clear baseline and a realistic timeline based on your specific environment.
We build a prioritized Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) and System Security Plan (SSP) aligned to your contract timeline and the level of certification required.
We work with your team to close identified gaps, implement required controls, and document everything in a way that holds up to a C3PAO assessment.
We prepare you for your third-party assessment — walking through assessment objectives, evidence requirements, and what assessors look for so there are no surprises on assessment day.
CMMC is not a one-time event. We provide annual sustainment support to keep your certification current and your organization audit ready year over year.
The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is a Department of Defense (DoD) framework that requires defense contractors to meet specific cybersecurity standards before being eligible for federal contracts. It replaces the prior self-attestation model with verified compliance assessments across three certification levels.
CMMC applies to any organization with cybersecurity obligations under FAR 52.204-21 and DFARS 252.204-7012, regardless of contract size or revenue percentage. If your contracts involve Federal Contract Information (FCI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), compliance is mandatory for both prime contractors and subcontractors at every tier of the supply chain.
CMMC Level 2 is the certification level required for most organizations handling CUI. It aligns with the 110 security requirements in NIST SP 800-171 and requires either a self-assessment or a third-party assessment by a C3PAO, depending on the sensitivity of the information involved.
Phase 1 enforcement began November 10, 2025. CMMC requirements are now appearing in new DoD solicitations under DFARS 252.204-7021. By October 31, 2026, compliance is mandatory for all new DoD contract awards. Phase 2 begins November 10, 2026, when mandatory C3PAO assessments become required for most Level 2 CUI contracts. Full implementation is required by 2028.
A Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) is an accredited firm authorized to perform CMMC Level 2 assessments. For most CUI contracts, your organization will need to pass an assessment conducted by a C3PAO before contract award.
The SCORE Report (Security, Compliance, and Operations Risk Evaluation) is a proprietary cybersecurity assessment from Citrin Cooperman that provides a high-level review of your technology environment, including CMMC readiness. It delivers a risk dashboard, benchmarking against completed engagements, and a prioritized remediation roadmap — a practical first step before committing to a full CMMC engagement.
Most organizations require six to twelve months to prepare for a CMMC Level 2 assessment, depending on their current cybersecurity posture. Starting with a gap assessment gives you a realistic timeline based on your specific environment.
A Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) documents any security gaps identified and the steps your organization is taking to close them. For CMMC Levels 2 and 3, a POA&M can provide conditional certification status while gaps are being remediated. Conditional certification carries a 180-day remediation window with one closeout attempt — it is not a long-term workaround.
The October 2026 deadline is firm. C3PAO assessor slots are filling. Organizations that act now have time to complete a gap assessment, close control gaps, and get certified without the pressure of a contract deadline bearing down on them. Complete the form and a member of our CMMC team will reach out within one business day.
