Federal & DoD Compliance: CMMC and the Protection of CUI

For organizations working with the Department of Defense (DoD) or other federal agencies, cybersecurity is not just an IT issue—it’s a matter of national security. As threats from state-sponsored and criminal actors increase, the U.S. government now requires contractors to prove their ability to protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) through the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC).

If your organization handles CUI or is part of the DoD supply chain, CMMC is mandatory—and your ability to bid on federal contracts depends on it.

What Is CMMC?

CMMC is a cybersecurity framework developed by the U.S. Department of Defense. It consolidates and builds on NIST SP 800-171 and other federal standards, requiring defense contractors and subcontractors to implement and demonstrate robust cybersecurity controls.

CMMC consists of three maturity levels:

Level 1 - Foundational: Basic safeguarding of Federal Contract Information (FCI)
Level 2 - Advanced: Protection of CUI, aligned with NIST 800-171
Level 3 - Expert: Advanced, proactive defense for high-value programs (based on NIST 800-172)

Failing to achieve the required CMMC level for your contract can result in:

• Loss of DoD contracts or subcontractor eligibility
• Increased risk of cyber incidents and IP theft
• Fines, audits, and mandatory corrective actions
• Reputational damage with government and prime contractors
• Loss of competitive edge in a security-first contracting environment

Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) can include:

• Engineering specs, designs, and blueprints
• Procurement or acquisition details
• System configurations and test data
• Personnel and logistics data
• Export-controlled technical information

Technical Controls That Matter:

• FIPS 140-2 validated encryption for data in transit and at rest
• Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) for log monitoring
• Access Control & Role-Based Permissions tailored for CUI
• Audit-ready documentation and evidence artifacts
• Boundary defense and zero trust principles to isolate sensitive systems

How Penn|Parsons Helps You Achieve CMMC Compliance

At Penn|Parsons, we help federal contractors and subcontractors assess, implement, and maintain cybersecurity programs aligned with CMMC Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 requirements. Our team understands the complexity of federal contracts and brings deep expertise in NIST 800-171, DFARS 252.204-7012, and CUI handling protocols.

Our Services Include:

• CMMC Readiness Assessments and Gap Analysis
• System Security Plan (SSP) and Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M) Development
• Policy Creation & Evidence Collection for Audit
• Network Segmentation, Encryption, and Endpoint Protection
• Multifactor Authentication, Access Control, and Logging Solutions
• Ongoing Compliance Monitoring and Remediation Support