Title 32 of the CFR has been officially published in the Federal register on October 15th. You may be asking yourself "What does it mean to our company? How should we think about it? What should we do first?" Many other credible outlets have rehashed the specifics of the recently published rule. Today, we would like to put a fine point on what it means to your business as a Defense Industrial Base (DIB) Organizational Security Contractor (OSC).
By providing goods and services to the Department of Defense, you are supporting their mission of maintaining a strong military to protect the nation's security which will include the implementation of CMMC requirements. The DoD is the largest single buying entity in the Federal government with a proposed FY25 budget of $ 849.8 billion dollars, making it a market too big to ignore. For most of the Defense Industrial Base, this portion of their business is essential to their operations, and they can’t just decide to walk away from it because of an unwillingness to comply with CMMC. On the contrary, CMMC preparedness and compliance now need to become an investment in your future growth in the Defense market.
As a result, as a DIB company, CMMC now needs to be a fundamental part of your business strategy. Not only is it a requirement to continue to do business with DoD, as it begins to roll out, it can be an important differentiator between you and your competition as far too many companies have taken a wait and see attitude to the requirement. Additionally, large prime contractors are charged with ensuring that subcontractors handling FCI or CUI comply with the required CMMC level. This increases the need for communication and assessments across the supply chain. As a vast majority of the DIB provides it’s good and services through these large primes, the ability to qualify to even be on a team is now being put in sharp relief by the new CMMC requirements.
If you have not begun your CMMC journey, delaying any further could be detrimental to your ability to win any future DoD contracts. Not only because of the complex and nuanced process toward meeting requirements in your environment, but because the queue is already forming for official C3PAO assessments.
“The publication of 32 CFR has been a long time in coming and those DIB OSCs who have been proactive are well positioned to continue to pursue their acquisition pipelines and even be differentiated from competitors,” said Coalfire Federal’s President, Bill Malone. “There is a finite, albeit growing, number of C3PAOs and you may find a significant wait time to be scheduled for a certification assessment next year potentially hindering your competitive place in the market. The time for “wait and see” is over. The time to act is now! It just makes good business sense.”
CMMC is a strategic imperative for DIB businesses. By understanding its importance and taking proactive steps, you can protect your organization's reputation, ensure compliance with DoD requirements, and gain a competitive edge. Coalfire Federal is a trusted partner that can help you navigate the CMMC landscape, conduct assessments, and prepare for certification. Don't delay; contact us today to learn more and start your CMMC journey.
Bill Malone has been serving as an accomplished executive for over 30 years, and has been celebrated for his leadership qualities and business experience; most recently being named a 2024 Top Cyber Exec to watch by WashingtonExec. As President of Coalfire Federal, Mr. Malone leads through thoughtful policy, mission expertise, and knowing the ins and outs of cutting-edge technology. Keep up to date with him on LinkedIn and learn more about the Coalfire Federal mission.
