We Get Defense Contractors CMMC Certified

Last Updated: June 10, 2026.

By Tracey Birkenhauer, journalist and Chief Impact Officer, STACK Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity compliance is no longer optional for many defense contractors. If you handle Federal Contract Information (FCI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), CMMC readiness can directly affect your ability to win or keep Department of Defense work.

STACK Cybersecurity is a CMMC Registered Practitioner Organization (RPO). That means we are recognized through the CMMC ecosystem to provide advisory services that help defense contractors understand requirements, close security gaps, and prepare for certification.

What Is a CMMC RPO?

A CMMC Registered Practitioner Organization, or RPO, is a company recognized by the Cyber-AB to provide advisory services for businesses preparing for CMMC.

An RPO does not issue certifications. Instead, an RPO helps you understand what applies to your environment, identify gaps, document controls, and prepare for the formal assessment process when certification is required.

In practical terms, an RPO helps answer questions like:

• Which CMMC level applies to your contracts?
• Do you handle FCI, CUI, or both?
• Where are your current security gaps?
• What policies, procedures, and evidence will you need?
• What should be fixed first?
• How can you prepare without wasting time or budget?

STACK Cybersecurity Achieves CMMC RPO Status

STACK Cybersecurity achieved CMMC RPO status on May 14, 2025. This status reflects our commitment to helping defense contractors and suppliers strengthen cybersecurity and prepare for CMMC requirements.

As an RPO, STACK can help you interpret requirements, build a practical roadmap, and align your IT and security environment with CMMC expectations.

Why CMMC Matters Now

CMMC exists because sensitive defense information moves through a large supply chain. Prime contractors, subcontractors, manufacturers, professional service providers, and technology vendors may all touch information that must be protected.

If you wait until a contract requires certification, you may not have enough time to prepare. CMMC readiness often involves policy development, technical remediation, access control improvements, vulnerability management, logging, incident response planning, and evidence collection.

For many businesses, the hardest part is not understanding the requirement. It is proving that the required practices are implemented, documented, and operating consistently.

CMMC Levels Explained

CMMC 2.0 uses three levels of cybersecurity maturity.

• Level 1: Foundational. Focuses on basic safeguarding of Federal Contract Information using requirements from FAR 52.204-21.
• Level 2: Advanced. Applies to businesses that handle Controlled Unclassified Information and aligns with NIST SP 800-171.
• Level 3: Expert. Applies to higher-risk environments and builds on Level 2 with additional requirements intended to protect against advanced threats.

What Defense Contractors Should Do First

If you are unsure where to begin, start with scope. Before buying tools or rewriting policies, you need to understand where FCI and CUI live, who has access, how data moves, and which systems are in scope.

From there, you can build a realistic roadmap.

• Identify contracts that reference FCI, CUI, DFARS, NIST SP 800-171, or CMMC.
• Map where sensitive data is stored, processed, and transmitted.
• Review your current security controls against CMMC requirements.
• Document gaps and prioritize remediation.
• Develop policies, procedures, and evidence collection practices.
• Prepare leadership, IT, and key employees for assessment expectations.

Common CMMC Readiness Gaps

Many businesses discover the same issues during readiness reviews:

• Unclear CUI boundaries
• Incomplete asset inventory
• Weak access control documentation
• Inconsistent multifactor authentication coverage
• Missing or outdated policies
• Lack of centralized logging
• Incomplete vulnerability management
• Insufficient incident response documentation
• Backups that are not regularly tested
• Security practices that exist informally but are not documented

These gaps are fixable, but they take time. That is why early preparation matters.

How STACK Helps with CMMC Readiness

STACK helps you turn CMMC from a confusing requirement into an actionable plan.

Readiness Assessment

We review your current IT and security environment, identify gaps, and help determine what needs to be addressed before certification.

Remediation Roadmap

You receive a prioritized plan that separates urgent issues from longer-term improvements, helping you focus budget and effort where they matter most.

Policy and Documentation Support

CMMC is not just about tools. Documentation matters. We help create and organize the policies, procedures, and evidence needed to support your readiness efforts.

Managed IT and Security Support

For businesses that need ongoing help, STACK provides security-forward managed IT, monitoring, vulnerability management, endpoint protection, access controls, backup support, and strategic guidance.

Security Services That Support CMMC Readiness

• Multifactor Authentication
• Conditional Access Policies
• Microsoft Intune Workstation Management
• Single Sign-On
• Managed Detection and Response
• SIEM
• Dark Web Monitoring
• Tabletop Incident Response Exercises
• Penetration Testing
• Compliance Program Management
• vCISO Services

Why Work with an RPO?

Working with an RPO can help you avoid wasted effort. CMMC preparation can quickly become expensive if you buy tools before understanding scope, evidence requirements, and business risk.

An experienced RPO helps you:

• Understand what applies to your contracts
• Prioritize remediation
• Avoid unnecessary tools or duplicated work
• Prepare documentation before assessment pressure builds
• Coordinate IT, compliance, security, and leadership
• Build a repeatable compliance program instead of a one-time scramble

When Should You Start?

Start before a contract forces the issue.

CMMC readiness can involve technical changes, documentation updates, vendor coordination, employee training, and leadership decisions. If your business handles CUI, waiting until the last minute can put contract eligibility at risk.

A readiness assessment gives you a clear starting point and helps identify which gaps are most likely to slow you down.

Related Resources

• CMMC Updates and Preparation Steps
• CMMC Certification Guide
• Cybersecurity and GRC
• False Claims Act Cybersecurity Risk
• Incident Response Best Practices
• Cybersecurity ROI