CMMC Compliance Guide

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! Small aerospace suppliers are getting hit with the same CMMC questions over and over: what do I actually need to do if my contract requirements aren't clear yet, does redacting a drawing get it out of CUI territory, will a tool like ThreatLocker or Prevail make me compliant, and what is this actually going to cost. In this episode,...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! The Cyber AB's May 2026 Town Hall packed in major updates and if you work with an MSP, use cloud services, or are trying to figure out where your compliance responsibility actually ends, this episode is required listening. Brooke and Stacey break down everything contractors need to know: ESP vs. CSP distinctions, FedRAMP changes, ne...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! The Department of Defense just updated its CMMC FAQ document — and the clarifications inside answer some of the most common (and costly) assumptions contractors make. In this episode, Brooke and Stacey break down what changed for joint ventures, paper-only CUI, significant change triggers, and how MSPs and MSSPs actually fit into assessm...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! Most defense contractors don't realize how complex CMMC compliance really is until they're already in trouble. In this episode, Brooke and Stacey break down the exact moments where contractors hit their wake-up call, what to expect from a gap assessment, and why waiting until the last minute could cost you your DoD contracts. W...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, Brooke breaks down the biggest takeaways from CS5 West 2026, one of the largest conferences in the CMMC ecosystem. The biggest message from the conference was clear: CMMC is no longer theoretical. Assessments are happening now, companies are already getting certified, and many contrac...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, we tackle one of the biggest challenges in the Defense Industrial Base: how small contractors without internal IT teams are realistically handling CMMC compliance. Many small manufacturers, machine shops, and defense suppliers feel overwhelmed by CMMC because they do not have dedicate...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, we break down one of the most frustrating realities for defense contractors thinking you are ready for a CMMC assessment, only to find out you are not. Many companies believe they are compliant because they have security tools in place, policies written, and even a high SPRS score. Bu...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, we break down the most common mistakes defense contractors make when preparing for CMMC compliance and how those mistakes can cost you time, money, and even future contracts. Even though CMMC 2.0 is now enforceable, many companies are still struggling with readiness. The issue is not...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, we tackle one of the most misunderstood topics in CMMC compliance. Many contractors assume that if information is not marked as controlled unclassified information, then it is not CUI. But that assumption can lead to serious compliance risks. We break down how manufacturers and machin...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, we break down one of the biggest misconceptions in CMMC compliance. Most contractors think CMMC is just a cybersecurity upgrade. Install a few tools, write some policies, and you are ready for an assessment. But that is not how CMMC actually works. The real challenge is the operationa...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, we break down one of the most overlooked risks in CMMC compliance. What actually happens when your environment changes after an assessment? Many contractors assume that once they pass a CMMC assessment or complete a self assessment, they are set for the next year or even three years....

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! What are prime contractors actually expecting from suppliers when it comes to CMMC and cybersecurity? In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, Austin and Brooke sit down with Bo Birdwell from Elbit Systems of America to get the prime contractor perspective on what suppliers need to understand right now. They break down how p...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! What do small machine shops, aerospace suppliers, and defense manufacturers really need to know about CMMC right now? In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, Austin and Brooke answer some of the most common supplier questions they hear from companies trying to prepare for CMMC compliance. They break down how small suppliers...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast!  lot of contractors assume CMMC Level 1 is just a simple checkbox. It is not. In this episode, Austin and Brooke break down what CMMC Level 1 actually requires, what a self-assessment really looks like, and why self-attestation without documentation can create serious risk. They cover the difference between Level 1 and Level 2, what Fede...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! Scope is the foundation of your CMMC compliance program and getting it wrong is one of the most expensive mistakes a DoD contractor can make. In this episode, Austin and Brooke break down what “scope” actually means in plain English, why contractors skip scoping early on, and how one small miss, like a downloads folder or a USB handoff,...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! The January 2026 CMMC Town Hall brought several important clarifications and program updates that directly impact Department of War (DoD) contractors. In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, we break down what changed, what was clarified, and what contractors should take away from the latest guidance. We cover: New DOW CIO...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! Many DoW contractors feel confident they’re ready for a CMMC Level 2 assessment  until assessors get involved. That’s when gaps in documentation, scope, and operational maturity start to surface. In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast , Brooke breaks down why implementation alone does not equal readiness. We walk through wh...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! The DoW just released updated CMMC FAQs that clarify the rules contractors keep getting wrong. In this episode, Austin and Brooke break down what the new guidance actually says, what it means for your scope, and where vendor and architecture decisions can derail an assessment before it even starts. We cover the most important FAQ clarifi...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! When CMMC compliance starts to feel overwhelming, most companies don’t fail because they lack effort, they fail because they don’t know where to start. In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, Brooke and Stacey break down why CMMC feels so urgent and high-risk for small and mid-sized DoD contractors, and how to triage your c...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! Get your free SPRS Roadmap here: https://cmmccomplianceguide.com/free-sprs-roadmap In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, Austin and Brooke break down the #1 thing that trips companies up before a CMMC Level 2 assessment: evidence. Having a binder of policies (or a 300-page SSP) is not enough. Assessors want proof you are...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! What do CMMC Level 2 assessors notice first, sometimes within the first day, before they ever dig into your firewall configs or deep technical testing? In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, Austin and Brooke break down the early red flags that can derail your assessment fast. We cover what assessors ask for right out of t...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! Most small and mid-sized manufacturers do not fail CMMC because of “tech.” They fail because their documentation does not match how the shop actually runs. In this episode, Austin and Brooke break down how to build CMMC documentation that is concise, accurate, and assessor-friendly without drowning in templates that were never written fo...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! CMMC is no longer just a compliance requirement. It is now a competitive advantage that directly impacts who wins and who loses DoD contracts. In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, Stacey and Brooke break down how the final 48 CFR rule has changed the contracting landscape and why primes are now aggressively pushing CMMC...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! Are assessors judging you on CMMC or NIST 800 171 when audit day arrives? In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, Stacey and Brooke break down the real relationship between CMMC 2.0 and NIST 800 171 so you are not guessing when it matters most. We walk through how the 110 NIST 800 171 controls and 320 assessment objectives...

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! Today’s episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast dives into the biggest myths that machine shops, fabricators, CNC shops, and mid-sized defense contractors still believe about CMMC. From cloud misconceptions to vendor promises that fall short, Brooke breaks down why these misunderstandings lead to failed assessments and what contract...