We will walk you through the first step every DoD contractor should take on the path to CMMC certification.
What This Means for Your Organization:
- The first step toward CMMC certification is a readiness assessment, not the assessment itself.
- A strong readiness assessment provides a gap analysis and a compliance roadmap.
- Skipping this step can lead to costly mistakes or failed assessments.
- Total Assure offers detailed, evidence-based readiness support to get you certified faster.
- Start early to stay eligible for DoD contracts and avoid last-minute compliance panic.
For businesses in the Defense Industrial Base (DIB), the path to winning Department of Defense (DoD) contracts now includes a critical checkpoint: CMMC certification. But if you think the process starts with an assessment, you’re already a few steps behind.
At Total Assure, we’ve helped small and mid-sized businesses prepare for CMMC certification by guiding them through what matters most: the readiness phase. This phase is the foundation for your success.
Start with a Readiness Assessment
Before you can be certified, you need to understand where you stand. That’s where a readiness assessment comes in.
A readiness assessment is a structured review of your organization’s current cybersecurity practices, policies, and documentation. It maps your real-world environment against the practices required by CMMC, usually Level 2, which is applicable if you handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).
The readiness phase is about asking:
- Where are your gaps?
- Which practices need to be implemented or improved?
- Are your policies aligned with your technical operations?
- Do you have the right documentation in place?
Think of it as the blueprint for everything that comes next.
Why Skipping This Step Is Risky
Jumping straight into implementation (or worse, an assessment) without knowing your starting point can waste time, money, and resources. It also increases your risk of noncompliance, which could disqualify you from contract eligibility.
We’ve seen businesses attempt to build SSPs or purchase expensive tools without addressing foundational issues. Without a clear roadmap, even the best tools won’t get you certified.
What a Strong Readiness Assessment Includes
A high-quality readiness assessment should be:
- Thorough: It should assess all 110 controls of NIST SP 800-171 required for CMMC Level 2.
- Evidence-based: It doesn’t just identify gaps; it asks for evidence of what’s in place.
- Actionable: The outcome should be a custom roadmap for compliance, not just a list of problems.
At Total Assure, we don’t leave you with a generic report. We provide:
- A detailed gap analysis
- Policy and documentation review
- Guidance on your System Security Plan (SSP) and Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M)
- A step by step compliance roadmap, if selected
From Readiness to Certification
Once you’ve completed your readiness assessment and addressed any gaps, you’ll be in a stronger position to move forward with:
- Writing or refining your SSP and policies
- Implementing any missing practices
- Validating your practices
- Preparing for your CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) audit
The goal is to create a resilient cybersecurity program that will stand up to scrutiny and support your DoD work for years to come.
Final Thoughts
CMMC isn’t a one-time task. It’s a strategic shift in how your organization protects sensitive information. But it all starts with knowing where you are today.
Let Total Assure guide you through your first and most important step. With our expert readiness assessments and personalized support, you can move toward certification with clarity, confidence, and contract-winning capability. Get a free assessment today.
About Total Assure
Total Assure, a spin-off from IBSS, provides uninterrupted business operations with our dedicated 24/7/365 in-house SOC, robust managed security solutions, and expert consulting services. Total Assure provides cost-efficient, comprehensive, and scalable cybersecurity solutions that leverage 30 years of experience and expertise from IBSS. Total Assure partners with its customers to identify security gaps, develop attainable cybersecurity objectives, and deliver comprehensive cybersecurity solutions that protect their businesses from modern cybersecurity threats.
Check out our blog series on NIST SP 800-171.
For more information on how Total Assure can assist your organization in achieving NIST SP 800-171 compliance, please contact our team directly.
