Understanding CMMC: Why It Matters for Your Business – In Non-Technical Terms

Understanding CMMC: Why It Matters for Your Business – In Non-Technical Terms 

If your business is involved in or considering pursuing contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), it's crucial to understand the importance of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). While it may seem like a complex IT requirement on the surface, CMMC is about demonstrating that your company can responsibly and reliably safeguard sensitive government information. 

In non-technical terms, CMMC is a set of cybersecurity standards and protocols you’re your company must meet to be eligible for DoD contracts. CMMC ensures that your business is appropriately handling government data and contracts by consistently taking proactive effective steps to protect and safeguard that data and contract information from ever evolving cyber threats. 

As a business leader, there are 3 key points to remember if your business is pursuing or wants to maintain DoD contracts with CMMC requirements:  

• CMMC Compliance is not optional: Compliance with CMMC is not optional for companies working with the DoD. Without certification, your business could lose access to current or future DoD work, regardless of your past performance or historical support for a contract. 

• CMMC Compliance is a Risk Management / Revenue Growth strategy: Non-compliance or a cyber incident involving DoD data can ultimately lead to contract loss, legal liability, reputational damage, or costly remediation efforts. If your company relies on DoD contracts for a significant portion of your revenue, even a partial disruption could severely impact the financial performance of your firm.  Companies that demonstrate CMMC compliance will be effectively positioned to grow contracts with the DoD, or take over contracts from companies that experience CMMC compliance failures. 

• CMMC Compliance Signals Cyber Maturity: CMMC Compliance demonstrates to the DoD, commercial clients, partners, and investors that your company takes data protection seriously. Strong cybersecurity safeguards reduce the risk of exposure to data breaches for all your data assets, not just those supporting government contracts.  The consistent practice of safeguarding data can be a competitive advantage for your company when compared to others in the market. 

Levels of CMMC: 

There are multiple levels of CMMC, each with a defined set of practices and policies to protect sensitive DoD information. Achieving the certification level required by your company’s contract(s) with the DoD involves both technical and organizational changes, such as employee training, documented procedures, and secure system configurations.  The ongoing support and sponsorship of your executive leadership team will ultimately determine the success or failure of achieving CMMC compliance for your company.  

For your company …. CMMC is not just an IT issue; it's a strategic business requirement if your company pursues or maintains contracts with the DoD. Starting early and getting the right guidance can make your CMMC journey to manageable and position your company for growth.