Since CMMC requirements began appearing in Defense Department contracts, many small manufacturers, engineering firms, and service providers around Gwinnett have been working through self-assessments. The next phase of the rollout, scheduled to begin in November, starts requiring third-party certification at Level 2 for applicable contracts involving Controlled Unclassified Information. For subcontractors who have been treating CMMC as a future problem, the timeline is getting much shorter, and contract eligibility may depend on it.
A Level 2 assessment checks implementation of the 110 security requirements in NIST SP 800-171, and assessors look for evidence, not intentions. That means documented policies, a current System Security Plan, access controls, logging, and incident response procedures that are actually in use. Organizations that wait until a prime contractor asks for their certification often discover that remediation, documentation, and scheduling an assessment take far longer than expected.
SMS-ITC works with Greater Atlanta contractors to close gaps, document controls, and prepare for assessment in a way that fits a small organization's budget and operations. Starting now leaves time to fix gaps before an assessor finds them. For leaders at firms in the defense supply chain: has a prime contractor started asking about your CMMC status yet, and how ready did you feel answering?
#CMMC #Cybersecurity #techwithintegrity
Clean infographic showing the CMMC phased rollout (self-assessment phase, then third-party Level 2 certification), or a professional photo of a small manufacturing or engineering office. Authentic photos of the SMS-ITC team and real client work are strongly preferred over stock; if stock is used, keep it realistic and non-cliche (no hooded hackers or glowing padlocks).
Canva text suggestion: "CMMC Level 2: Third-Party Assessments Are Coming" or "Is Your Firm Assessment-Ready?"