A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to connect with industry leaders and cybersecurity experts at the Southwest Regional CMMC Implementation Conference in Dallas, TX. The following week, my team had the opportunity to attend the Controlled Unclassified Information Conference (CUI-CON) in Tampa Bay, FL. 

The biggest takeaways? 

CMMC is a requirement that is here to stay - and you need to act now.

Despite recent leadership changes across government agencies, no one at the event doubted the future of the CMMC program.

Why? Because it's already funded, with bipartisan support going back to the prior Trump administration's CISO.

For defense contractors and suppliers, this isn’t a wait-and-see situation anymore—it’s time to act.

And yet, many organizations are still hesitant. Some are hoping for delays. Others aren’t aware that GRC solutions (like Strike Graph) exist to make achieving CMMC compliance far more efficient than traditional approaches.

If you’re on the fence, here are five reasons why now is the time to get moving on CMMC compliance:

1. Auditors are already booked—and the bottleneck will only get worse

One of the hottest topics at the conference was auditor scarcity. The reality is, there simply aren’t enough CMMC assessors to meet demand. Some are already booked through the end of the year.

If you wait until 2025, you could find yourself stuck in a long line for an assessment, unable to bid on new contracts until you’re certified. Defense work is competitive—don’t lose opportunities because you waited too long to schedule your audit.

2. Delaying puts new (and even existing) DoD contracts at risk

CMMC requirements are already starting to show up in DOD contracts as part of the rollout. And many prime contractors are requiring CMMC compliance from their subcontractors. 

If your competitors are ahead of you in the process, who do you think primes will want to work with—someone ready to go, or someone still scrambling to get started?

3. CMMC is a competitive advantage—if you move now

Becoming CMMC certified isn’t just about checking a box. It’s about standing out. Early adopters will be able to show they’re proactive about security and serious about protecting controlled unclassified information (CUI).

And primes are paying attention. When they’re deciding which subcontractors pose the least risk to their supply chain, they’re going to prioritize those with CMMC in hand.

Check out our CMMC Implementation Guide

4. It takes longer than you think

One thing that came up again and again in Dallas was how organizations underestimate the time it takes to implement NIST SP 800-171 controls—the foundation of CMMC Level 2. 

We learned that as much as 70% of organizations claiming CMMC compliance failed to pass their CMMC assessment primarily by not understanding the reach of CUI (confidential unclassified information). 

That data includes any information provided by the government and all derivative information based upon that information. Every project plan, design spec, briefing prep and resource management information will need to be managed by NIST 800-171 compliant activities and fall under CMMC assessment.  

Depending on your size and current security posture, getting ready for an assessment can take anywhere from 6-18 months. If you haven’t started yet, you’re already on borrowed time.

5. Modern solutions can save you time (if you start now)

The good news? You don’t have to tackle CMMC with spreadsheets and static documents. 

Modern GRC platforms like Strike Graph are designed to make the process far more efficient, with automation, collaboration, and pre-mapped controls. 

Be sure to consider solutions that are specific to supporting CMMC and can offer features like self-assessment, POA&M tracking, and SSP generation within the platform. 

Even with the best tools, getting compliant takes work. The sooner you start, the better positioned you'll be when those contract opportunities come up.

What’s next? Don’t wait to get started

The messages from both the Southwest Regional CMMC Implementation Conference and CUI-CON was clear: 

CMMC isn’t going anywhere, and waiting is only going to put you further behind.

The good news? Strike Graph is here to help you get fast-tracked to CMMC compliance - so you can stay competitive in the defense supply chain.

[Talk to one of experts about CMMC today]