CMMC Readiness for the Defense Industrial Base
Defense-prime expertise for SMB contractors
We help small & midsize defense contractors prepare for Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) assessment with clarity, execution, and defensible results.
Our Technology Partners
Purpose-built tooling for CUI handling and assessment readiness.
Precision Cybersecurity - Professional Experience
Veteran-Owned & Operated
Orlando-Based, Serving Central Florida and Beyond
Hands-on security control implementation experience
Hexlight Cyber is a cybersecurity compliance firm built by practitioners, not consultants. Our team helps organizations in the Defense Industrial Base build assessment-ready programs that actually work, drawing from hands-on experience managing cybersecurity programs, implementing controls, and successfully completing security assessments at major defense primes.
Our methodology is built on direct experience inside the cybersecurity frameworks that govern federal and defense information systems. We bring this depth to CMMC readiness work for small and mid-sized DIB contractors — without the federal-system price tag.
Our Compliance Capabilities
NIST SP 800-171 — the 110 controls that define CMMC Level 2
NIST SP 800-53 — the federal control catalog from which 800-171 is derived
NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF) — federal authorization process for ATOs
CMMC Model v2.13 — Levels 1, 2, and 3 (32 CFR 170)
DFARS 252.204-7012, -7019, -7020, -7021, -7025 — the contractual flow-down clauses
NISPOM / 32 CFR Part 117 — industrial security baseline for cleared facilities
Why Now?
Phase 2 enforcement begins November 10, 2026. Most DoD contracts involving Controlled Unclassified Information will require C3PAO-issued Level 2 certification — most as a condition of award, the remainder at option exercise.
This isn't new — it's enforceable now. DFARS 252.204-7012 has required contractors to implement NIST 800-171 since 2017. What changes November 10, 2026 is that compliance must be independently verified, not self-attested. Years of unverified SPRS scores are now subject to C3PAO scrutiny — and to False Claims Act exposure if they don't match reality.
The Department of Justice recovered more than $52 million across nine cybersecurity False Claims Act settlements in fiscal year 2025 — and cybersecurity FCA recoveries have more than tripled in each of the past two years. Annual SPRS affirmation creates recurring legal exposure for every contractor in the Defense Industrial Base.
False Claims Act recoveries by fiscal year:
The challenge isn't the assessment — it's everything before it. Despite the news headlines and statistics C3PAO capacity (currently) exists. What's missing is contractor readiness: documented system boundaries, implemented controls, evidence packages, mock assessments. Industry data suggests fewer than one in five contractors has the foundational documentation in place to pass a Level 2 assessment today. Gap analysis, remediation, and pre-assessment validation typically take 6–12 months before a C3PAO engagement begins.
Hexlight is your readiness partner. We design your CMMC program, build your documentation, validate your readiness, and prepare you for an independent C3PAO assessment. Schedule a call with us today, and ensure your organization is positioned to win.
What’s actually required?
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Self-assessment is necessary but no longer sufficient. After November 10, 2026, most CUI contracts require independent C3PAO verification. The SPRS score you submitted under self-assessment will be the first thing a C3PAO checks against actual implementation. Inconsistencies are FCA exposure.
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By the time your contract requires it, the readiness work is 12–18 months. Phase 2 starts November 10, 2026. The math runs backward from your next contract recompete date.
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Most internal IT teams can implement controls. Few have done it under CMMC-specific scoping rules, assessment-objective-aligned documentation standards, and evidence-package protocols. The difference between "we use MFA" and "we can demonstrate to a C3PAO that MFA is implemented per NIST 800-171r2 §3.5.3 with evidence and exception handling" is a six-month documentation effort.
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Annual SPRS affirmation is signed by a senior executive. If the score reflects what was intended rather than what is implemented, the company has a False Claims Act exposure surface. DOJ has settled multiple cases on this exact fact pattern — MORSECORP ($4.6M), Penn State ($1.25M), HNFS/Centene ($11.2M).