Whitepaper
CMMC: Everything You Need to Get Certified
Overview
CMMC is no longer a future requirement. It is live, embedded in DoD contracts, and rolling out in defined phases through 2028.
Any organization in the defense industrial base that stores, processes, or transmits Federal Contract Information (FCI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) must now demonstrate verifiable cybersecurity practices to remain eligible for current and future contracts.
This whitepaper provides a clear, practical guide to understanding what CMMC requires, who it applies to across the supply chain, and how certification actually works in the real world.
What You Get:
- How the phased CMMC rollout through 2028 impacts primes and subcontractors differently and what actions are required at each stage.
- Why correctly identifying and scoping FCI and CUI systems is the biggest driver of cost, complexity, and audit success.
- How CMMC Levels 1, 2, and 3 differ in requirements, scoring, and assessment rigor, including the critical 88-point threshold for Level 2.
- A practical, step-by-step roadmap, including when to engage RPOs and C3PAOs and how to maintain compliance over time.
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Meet the Author
Christian White
President and Co-Founder
As the President of and Co-founder of risk3sixty, Christian (who we refer to as “CW”) oversees the operations and growth of our services division which includes ISO 27001, SOC 2, HITRUST, CMMC and others.
CW is responsible for guiding the strategic vision, mentoring leaders, and overseeing client and team health. This involves building business relationships, managing financial details, and collaborating with service line leaders to define and measure success. CW enjoys building high-performing teams, investing in people, and being a part of his team’s and clients’ growth journey.
A native of Connecticut, CW received his B.S. from the United States Military Academy at West Point and served in the U.S. Army as an Airborne Ranger. After 6+ years of service, CW transitioned and received his M.B.A from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he met Christian Hyatt and founded the risk3sixty we know and love today.
Andrew Parks
Manager, Advisory and Assurance
Andrew Parks is a Manager on the Advisory and Assurance team at risk3sixty, specializing in Payment Card Industry (PCI) and CMMC compliance. He has served as a PCI Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) for more than five years and previously held the role of PCI Internal Security Assessor (ISA), bringing his total PCI experience to over a decade.
More recently, Andrew has obtained the CMMC certification of Registered Practitioner (RP).Andrew leverages a strong technical background in his work as both a PCI QSA and CMMC advisor. He holds certifications in cloud technologies and Kubernetes (KCNA), enabling him to effectively support clients operating in complex technical environments to achieve and maintain compliance.
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