Services Why Us How It Works About Blog Contact Free Assessment
Compliance
HIPAA CMMC SOC 2
Industries
Healthcare Manufacturing Legal Financial Services Retail
Locations
Columbus — VoIP Columbus — Internet Columbus — Managed IT Columbus — Telecom Cincinnati Cleveland Dayton Dublin Westerville
CMMC 2.0 Compliance · Ohio Defense Contractors

CMMC Compliance for Ohio Defense Contractors

CMMC 2.0 is now flowing into DoD contracts across the supply chain. If your Ohio company handles CUI — as a prime or subcontractor — you need the network controls to match. We implement them.

Get a Free Compliance Assessment →
Takes ~5 minutes  •  No obligation  •  No spam

CMMC 2.0 — What Ohio Defense Contractors Need to Know

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 framework is now being phased into DoD contracts. If your Ohio company handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or Federal Contract Information (FCI) — or works as a subcontractor to someone who does — you need to understand your compliance obligations before your next contract is at risk.

Ohio's defense industrial base is concentrated in the Dayton area (Wright-Patterson AFB), Columbus, and Northeast Ohio — but CMMC requirements apply to any company in the DoD supply chain, regardless of location or contract size. The common mistake: assuming that because you're a subcontractor to a prime, the prime's CMMC certification covers you. It doesn't. Each company in the supply chain that handles CUI must be independently compliant.

The network and communications infrastructure requirements — access control, audit logging, system and communications protection, and configuration management — are where most small defense contractors have gaps. These are exactly the controls we implement and manage for Ohio defense industrial base companies.

Level 1

Foundational (17 practices)

Basic cyber hygiene required for all DoD contractors. Self-assessment allowed. Covers access control, identification, media protection, physical protection, and systems and communications protection basics.

Level 2

Advanced (110 practices)

Required for contractors handling CUI. Based on NIST SP 800-171. Third-party assessment required for prioritized acquisitions. Annual self-assessment for non-prioritized. This is where most Ohio defense contractors need to focus.

Level 3

Expert (110+ practices)

Required for highest-priority DoD programs. Based on NIST SP 800-172. Government-led assessment. Applicable to a relatively small number of contractors working on the most sensitive programs.

The CMMC Technical Controls We Implement

CMMC Level 2 includes 110 practices across 14 domains. Our focus is the network infrastructure, communications, and access control practices — the technical foundation that everything else sits on.

CUI Network Segmentation

We design and implement network segmentation that creates a distinct CUI boundary — isolating systems that process, store, or transmit Controlled Unclassified Information from corporate IT and external networks.

Access Control (AC Domain)

Role-based access controls limiting CUI access to authorized personnel, session termination policies, remote access controls, and wireless access restrictions — covering all 22 AC domain practices in NIST 800-171.

Audit & Accountability (AU Domain)

Comprehensive audit logging of all access to CUI systems, log integrity protection, log retention, and alert configuration — the documentation your assessor needs to verify compliance.

System & Communications Protection (SC)

Encrypted communications for all CUI transmission (TLS 1.2+, FIPS-validated cryptography where required), network boundary protection, session authenticity, and denial-of-service protection.

Identification & Authentication (IA)

Multi-factor authentication for all access to organizational systems and CUI — including remote access, privileged accounts, and non-local maintenance connections. MFA is one of the most-assessed CMMC practices.

Configuration Management (CM)

Baseline configurations for network devices and systems, documented configuration change control, and security configuration settings documented for your SSP (System Security Plan).

110
CMMC Level 2 practices (NIST SP 800-171)
14
Domains covered — we focus on the 6 network & communications domains
2024
CMMC 2.0 final rule effective — DoD contracts now include CMMC requirements
Ohio DIB
Active in Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland, and surrounding areas

Our CMMC Readiness Process

We handle the network and communications infrastructure piece of CMMC readiness — the technical foundation that supports your broader compliance program.
1

Gap Assessment Against NIST 800-171

We review your current network architecture, access controls, audit logging, and communications security against the 110 practices in NIST SP 800-171. You get a written gap report scored against each practice — the same format your C3PAO assessor will use.

2

CUI Boundary Design

We define and document your CUI boundary — the systems, networks, and users that are in scope for CMMC. This is the foundation of your System Security Plan (SSP) and the starting point for all other technical controls.

3

Technical Control Implementation

We implement the network segmentation, access controls, MFA, audit logging, and communications encryption required for CMMC Level 2. We work with your existing IT team and provide all implementation documentation for your SSP.

4

POA&M Management & Ongoing Monitoring

We maintain your Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M), provide ongoing monitoring of your CUI environment, and keep your documentation current — so you're assessment-ready on any given day, not just at renewal time.

CMMC Compliance FAQ

Do I need CMMC compliance as a subcontractor?

Yes, if you handle CUI or FCI. CMMC requirements flow down through the supply chain — your prime contractor's certification does not cover your systems. If you receive, store, process, or transmit CUI in connection with a DoD contract, you must be independently compliant at the appropriate CMMC level. This is one of the most common misunderstandings among Ohio subcontractors.

What's the difference between CMMC Level 1 and Level 2 for network requirements?

Level 1 has 17 basic practices — essentially fundamental access control, identification, and media protection. Level 2 adds 93 more practices from NIST 800-171, including comprehensive audit and accountability requirements, configuration management, incident response, and much more rigorous system and communications protection requirements. Most Ohio defense contractors handling CUI need Level 2.

We're a small defense contractor. Can we do CMMC ourselves?

The self-assessment path is available for CMMC Level 1 and some Level 2 scenarios, but the documentation burden is significant — you need an SSP, a POA&M, and documented evidence for each practice. Most small contractors lack the internal resources to build and maintain this. We provide the technical implementation and documentation support that makes self-assessment achievable, or prepare you for a third-party C3PAO assessment.

How does CMMC affect our phone and communication systems?

VoIP and communication systems that process or transmit CUI must meet CMMC communications protection requirements — encrypted transport, access logging, and network segmentation from non-CUI systems. If your phone system isn't currently segmented and encrypted, it's a likely gap in your CMMC assessment. We configure VoIP systems specifically for CMMC compliance.

Do you help with the System Security Plan (SSP)?

We contribute the network infrastructure and communications security documentation to your SSP — the technical architecture diagrams, control implementation descriptions, and evidence documentation for the practices we implement and manage. Your CMMC consultant or GRC team typically handles the full SSP compilation, but we provide the technical sections that cover our scope.

Get Your Free CMMC Gap Assessment

Find out where your network infrastructure stands against NIST SP 800-171. Our free assessment identifies the gaps — in writing — before your C3PAO assessor or contracting officer does.

Start My Free Assessment →
100% free  •  No obligation  •  No spam, ever