A CMMC Assessor Just Walked Into Your Facility

Bluestreak Compliance™ Reading Time: 6 minutes

Table of Contents

• The CMMC Surprise What happens when an assessor shows up unannounced?

• Is Your Team Ready? Fire Drill questions that expose hidden gaps.

• Why CMMC 2.0 Can’t Wait Key dates, deadlines, and what’s already enforced.

• Levels, Evidence & Audit Traps What Level 2 really demands—and what will trip you up.

• What’s at Stake Lost contracts, failed bids, and prime contractor pressure.

• Run the 2-Minute Fire Drill How to stress-test your readiness.

• Compliance Without the Chaos How Bluestreak Compliance™ can help you pass the test.

  
  

A CMMC Assessor Just Walked Into Your Facility...

Your contracts—and your operational viability—are hanging by a thread. What’s your move?

• A – Scramble: where's your System Security Plan (SSP)? It’s outdated, incomplete, or buried in an email thread.

• B – Hope your SPRS score covers you—but it’s self-attested, and you're probably missing crucial evidence.

• C – Run the 2-minute CMMC Fire Drill: identify gaps before the auditor ever arrives.

Take our the survey and see if your team can:

• Present a live, functioning SSP

• Pinpoint exactly where Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) lives

• Prove access control, logging, and Incident Response are all assigned and documented

• Back up your SPRS score with real documentation

Why This Matters Now: CMMC 2.0 Is Live

1. The Final Rule—CMMC 2.0—was published on October 15, 2024, in 32 CFR Part 170 and became legally binding on December 16, 2024. 

2. As of January 2, 2025, CMMC assessments began, and SPRS self‑assessments for Level 2 became operational in February 2025. 

3. Starting October 1, 2025, virtually all new DoD contracts will include CMMC requirements—your CMMC certification must be in place before award of contract.

Failure to be certified equals no eligibility; many prime contractors are already enforcing CMMC readiness among their subcontractors now, ahead of the official deadline. 

Understanding CMMC 2.0 Levels (Why This Matters)

CMMC 2.0 simplifies the earlier five-tier model into three clear levels.

Level	Focus	Controls	Assessment
1 – Foundational	FCI only	15 basic controls from FAR 52.204-21	Self‑assessment, annual affirmation, no POA&Ms allowed
2 – Advanced	Handling CUI	All 110 NIST SP 800‑171 controls	Triennial third‑party assessment (by C3PAO) or self‑assessment for some low-risk cases; POA&Ms allowed for up to 180 days on gaps
3 – Expert	Highly sensitive national security info, advanced cyber threats	NIST 800‑171 + a subset of NIST 800‑172 controls (≈134 total)	Government‑led assessment (DIBCAC)

Most DoD contractors fall into Level 2, given current access to CUI in manufacturing, IT services, aerospace, logistics, etc.

What Happens If You're Not Ready?

• Contracts are denied if you're not certified at the required level before award.

• Prime contractors are now screening for subcontractor readiness—or penalizing noncompliant partners.

• SPRS scores, once purely self-attested, will no longer be credible without documentation and audit evidence.

  
  

The DoD is shifting from trust‑based compliance to verified maturity‑based compliance—meaning certification always wins over self‑attestation.

Fire Drill Survey: Why It’s Crucial

Running a quick internal drill helps you determine:

1. Do you have a live SSP?

Your SSP must cover all 110 (or 134) controls, be current, accurate, and auditor‑ready.

2. Can you locate CUI?

Know where it resides—systems, people, processes, and data flow maps.

3. Are access control, logging, and incident response assigned?

Not in theory. Showing assignment in documentation and real usage logs, incident reports, IR playbooks—that’s what seals the deal.

4. Is your SPRS entry backed by real documentation?

Self-attested SPRS isn’t enough. You need evidence tied back—policies, logs, training records, POA&Ms.

Why Early Action Saves Money and Contracts

• Certification prep often takes 6–18 months, depending on your maturity and documentation baseline.

• Third‑party assessments cost typically $50K–$80K or more, depending on scope and level.

• Level 3 environments require continuous monitoring and likely exceed six‑figure budgets annually.

• Delaying action often means rushed, costly catch‑ups—or missing contract windows entirely.

Take the CMMC Fire Drill Survey Today

What’s at stake? Your contracts. Your clients’ trust. Your access to new DoD business.

If the thought of an assessor walking in makes you sweat, it's time to act. Start with a quick internal check:

• Do you have up-to-date, auditor‑ready documentation?

• Can you show that you know exactly where CUI is?

• Can you prove people actually have assigned access, logging, and IR responsibilities with evidence?

• Does your SPRS entry match actual documentation?

If you can’t say “yes” across the board—hit Option C: Take the 2-minute CMMC Fire Drill Survey today.

Get clarity. Close gaps. Protect your eligibility.

Your Trusted Partner: Bluestreak Compliance™

We specialize in making NIST 800‑171 and CMMC compliance streamlined, practical, and cost‑efficient. Whether you need assistance building your SSP, documenting logging and access control, or guiding you through a third‑party assessment process, we tailor our support to match your organization’s scale and needs. If you're ready to ensure your documentation is audit‑ready, your staff are trained, and you can confidently walk an auditor through your systems—reach out to Ron Beltz, Director of Strategic Accounts: ron.beltz@go-throughput.com. Let’s get your compliance fire drill underway.