Is Your Organization Ready for CMMC Level 2?
Defense suppliers often assume they are “mostly ready” for CMMC Level 2. Policies may be written. Tools may be deployed. A self-assessment may even be complete.
However, a formal CMMC readiness assessment frequently uncovers gaps that impact revenue, contract eligibility, and program continuity.
This self-check helps organizations quickly evaluate whether they are positioned to achieve and sustain CMMC Level 2 certification. Importantly, it is not assessment advice and does not guarantee certification. Instead, it highlights common readiness gaps that can introduce operational, contractual, and program risk if left unaddressed.
How to Use This CMMC Readiness Checklist
For each question, answer Yes, No, or Not Sure.
A “Not Sure” response is often the most important signal. In many cases, uncertainty typically indicates a readiness gap. Therefore, you should address this gap before pursuing a formal CMMC readiness assessment or responding to contract requirements.
The goal is clarity, not perfection. By identifying gaps early, organizations that identify gaps early are better positioned to plan remediation, allocate resources effectively, and reduce disruption. Let’s get started!
CMMC Readiness Checklist: 12 Questions for CMMC Level 2 Compliance
1. Do you know whether CMMC Level 2 applies to your current or future contracts?
CMMC requirements are contract-driven. Specifically, they apply when included in solicitations, contract awards, or option exercises.
Organizations that are unclear about which contracts require CMMC Level 2 face bid and revenue risk. For this reason, clear contract awareness is foundational to CMMC Level 2 readiness and CMMC 2.0 compliance.
2. Can you clearly identify where CUI is created, processed, stored, or transmitted?
Where Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) resides determines what is in scope for CMMC.
If those locations are unclear, then assessment scope is unclear. Poor visibility often leads to expanded assessments, uncontrolled access, and higher compliance costs.
Organizations handling CUI are responsible for protecting it. This includes applying appropriate markings and enforcing access controls.
3. Are endpoints (laptops, desktops, mobile devices) in scope for CUI access?
Endpoints significantly increase assessment complexity. In practice, many organizations underestimate the operational and financial impact of allowing CUI on local devices.
When endpoints are in scope, organizations must account for security tooling, configuration management, monitoring, and user behavior enforcement.
4. Have you formally documented and validated your CMMC assessment scope?
Scope decisions must be defensible and repeatable. Informal assumptions may work internally; however, they rarely hold up during a readiness or certification assessment.
Documented scope aligns systems, policies, evidence, and responsibilities. Without it, organizations often face rework, expanded scope, or delays.
5. Is your NIST SP 800-171 self-assessment accurate and aligned with reality
SPRS scores must show the actual implementation of controls. However, overstated scores create compliance risk and may undermine credibility during a CMMC readiness assessment or certification review.
6. Are your security controls consistently enforced, not just documented?
Policies alone do not demonstrate readiness. Instead, assessors evaluate operational execution across users, systems, and workflows.
Inconsistent enforcement often results in corrective action plans or delayed certification.
7. Do you have current, organized evidence mapped to all 110 Level 2 practices?
Evidence collection should not begin when an assessor arrives.
Logs, configurations, policies, and artifacts should already be current and mapped to all 110 CMMC Level 2 practices derived from NIST SP 800-171.
Otherwise, ad hoc evidence gathering increases assessment risk and operational disruption.
8. Are external service providers and cloud tools evaluated for CMMC impact?
Cloud services, collaboration platforms, and managed service providers can affect scope and control inheritance.
As a result, FedRAMP authorization status and shared responsibility models should be reviewed and documented where applicable.
9. Are subcontractors and suppliers with CUI access identified and tracked?
CMMC readiness extends beyond internal systems. In addition, subcontractors that handle CUI may affect program continuity and contractual confidence.
Therefore, evaluating supplier risk management and contractual flow-down obligations is necessary.
10. Is leadership aware of and accountable for CMMC readiness decisions?
The short answer is: they should be. CMMC readiness is not solely an IT initiative. Rather, business leadership owns risk acceptance, investment decisions, and prioritization.
Misalignment often leads to funding delays, scope drift, and timeline risk.
11. Do you have a realistic timeline to reach and sustain CMMC Level 2 readiness?
CMMC readiness is ongoing, not a one-time event. In reality, timelines vary based on scope, technical environment, documentation maturity, and operational discipline. Underestimating timelines can increase cost and risk.
12. If assessed tomorrow, could you defend your readiness with confidence?
The team should base their confidence on documented scope, implemented controls, mapped evidence, and consistent execution.
If not, that uncertainty itself is a signal worth addressing early.
What a CMMC Readiness Assessment Typically Evaluates
A CMMC readiness assessment generally reviews:
- Defined and documented CUI scope boundaries
- Implementation of NIST SP 800-171 security requirements
- Evidence mapped to NIST SP 800-171 r2 controls
- Consistent control enforcement across users and systems
- Governance, leadership oversight, and accountability
Understanding these areas can help reduce revenue and contract eligibility risk before pursuing formal certification.
What Your Answers May Reveal About Program Risk
After completing the checklist, review any questions marked “Not Sure.”
Unclear contract requirements can lead to poor scoping. In turn, poor scoping can result in evidence gaps. Evidence gaps can delay certification and affect contract eligibility.
These issues rarely exist in isolation. Instead, they compound and surface during certification discussions or contract reviews—when the financial impact is highest.
Importantly, early clarity supports better planning, controlled investment, and reduced disruption.
Get a CMMC Readiness Assessment and Tier Recommendation
After identifying readiness gaps, the next step is determining what to address and when.
Request a CMMC readiness assessment and tier recommendation designed to clarify scope, identify compliance gaps, and support your path toward CMMC Level 2 certification.
This guidance supports planning and prioritization and does not guarantee certification.
Request your CMMC readiness assessment today.
FAQs
How do I know if CMMC Level 2 applies to my contracts?
Applicable DFARS clauses will include CMMC Level 2 in your contracts. Remember, requirements are contract-driven. Review active contracts, pending bids, and sub-contracts to determine whether CMMC Level 2 certification will be required.
What is a CMMC readiness assessment?
A CMMC readiness assessment is an internal evaluation that measures how well an organization aligns with CMMC Level 2 requirements before pursuing certification. Importantly, it identifies scope gaps, evidence weaknesses, and control enforcement issues that may affect contract eligibility.
What are potential causes for a CMMC readiness assessment to fail?
Common causes include unclear or undocumented scope, incomplete evidence mapped to the 110 Level 2 practices, overstated NIST SP 800-171 self-assessment scores, and inconsistent control enforcement. As a result, these gaps are often governance or operational issues, not purely technical failures.
Is CMMC just an IT or security issue?
No, CMMC readiness extends beyond IT. Specifically, it involves contract management, executive oversight, operational processes, supplier risk management, and consistent enforcement of security controls. Certification reflects organizational maturity, not just technical configuration.
Who is responsible for protecting CUI in a CMMC environment?
Organizations that create, receive, store, or transmit Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) are responsible for protecting it. This includes applying appropriate markings, enforcing access controls, and ensuring systems meet CMMC Level 2 security requirements. In most cases, contractors with DFARS 252.204-7012 or related cybersecurity clauses in their contracts are required to protect CUI in accordance with federal requirements.
How long does it take to achieve CMMC Level 2 certification?
There is no universal timeline. Rather, the duration depends on scope complexity, CUI volume, system architecture, documentation maturity, and remediation needs. Organizations that begin with a structured readiness assessment and realistic plan typically reduce delays.
