Loading...

PODCAST

CMMC Compliance Guide

CMMC Compliance Guide

Our experiences inspired the creation of The CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast and its accompanying resources. The podcast began as a way to share what we learned through real-world challenges—like helping that aerospace machine shop—and to provide accessible education for businesses navigating DoD cybersecurity requirements.The CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast breaks down complex topics like NIST 800-171 and CMMC into actionable, easy-to-understand steps. Whether you’re a subcontractor struggling to meet

technology self-improvement

All Episodes

51:55

The 10 CMMC Questions Defense Suppliers Ask Us Most:...

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/10/02

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! These are the 10 questions Stacey and Brooke hear more than any other from defense suppliers, and most companies get at least half of them wrong without realizing it. If you've ever wondered whether your setup would actually hold up to a close look, this episode is your self-check. In this episode: Do you actually need to worry about CMMC right now, with the certification requirement on contracts still paused?How to actually figure ...

en-us

54:25

SPRS Scoring Explained in Plain English: How the...

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/09/25

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! Your SPRS score can quietly decide whether your company is even eligible to bid on a DoD contract, and defense contractors have already paid millions in False Claims Act settlements for getting that number wrong. Austin and Brooke break down exactly how SPRS scoring works, what score you actually need, and how to make sure your number is accurate before a government audit finds you. In this episode: What SPRS (Supplier Performance R...

en-us

58:19

CMMC Level 2 Explained in Plain English: Phases,...

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/09/11

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! What does CMMC Level 2 actually require, and how does it connect to the four-phase rollout, the POA&M process, and the assessment you'll eventually go through? Austin and Brooke break down Level 2 in plain English, a few days ahead of the DoD's September update on the Phase 2 pause. In this episode: Where things stand with the Phase 2 pause right now, and what's not paused (your obligation to be compliant with NIST 800-171 R2)Wh...

en-us

32:04

CMMC Vendor Marketing Claims Decoded: What "Covers 90...

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/08/28

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! Every CMMC vendor says the same thing: "we cover 80 out of 110 controls" or "90 out of 110." Austin and Brooke break down what that claim actually means, why "maps to," "satisfies," and "supports" are not interchangeable words, and why you almost always still have work to do even after buying the solution. In this episode: What vendors actually mean when they claim to cover a specific number of the 110 controlsWhy "maps to," "satisf...

en-us

46:58

The Real Cost of CMMC Scoping Mistakes: Is "Six...

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/08/21

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! Is the "six-figure CMMC scoping mistake" a real number, or just something people throw around to sound scary? Stacey and Brooke break down where these numbers actually come from, what over-scoping really costs versus under-scoping, and what a defensible scope actually looks like. In this episode: Where the "six figures" scoping numbers actually come from (and why the DoW CIO and SBA's recent numbers conflated compliance cost with ce...

en-us

82:06

The Complete CMMC Compliance Checklist for 2026:...

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/08/14

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! This is the all-in-one CMMC checklist episode. Austin and Brooke pull together everything into one place: what the 60-day Phase 2 pause actually changed (and didn't), what CMMC Level 1 really requires, what Level 2 really requires, why scoping is the foundation everything else depends on, and where most assessments actually fall apart. In this episode: What CIO Kirsten Davies' memo suspended, and what it left completely alone (spoil...

en-us

30:33

Cyber AB June 2026 Town Hall Recap: Enforcement Data,...

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/07/31

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! We're recapping the Cyber AB's June 2026 Town Hall, five topics every DoD contractor needs to hear, plus what's changed since (including the CMMC Phase 2 pause that landed after this town hall happened). Stacey and Brooke break down the real enforcement numbers, the paper CUI rules everyone gets wrong, how to actually vet a C3PAO, and the FAR CUI rule updates working their way through public comment. In this episode: False Claims Ac...

en-us

33:13

CMMC Phase 2 Paused: Why the DoD's Reasoning Doesn't...

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/07/17

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! The Department of War's pause on CMMC Phase 2 sparked a wave of panic, and a wave of misinformation right behind it. In this episode, Stacey and Brooke go deeper than the headline: what the pause actually changes, why the stated justification (cost, assessor capacity) doesn't hold up against the numbers, and what's realistically likely to come out of the 60-day review. In this episode: What "Phase 2 is paused" actually means (it's t...

en-us

14:37

CMMC Phase 2 Certification Paused for 60 Days: What...

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/07/15

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! Here are the actual memos (Definitely worth a read): https://federalnewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/CIO-CMMC-Reform-Memo_26-P-1023.pdf?hss_channel=lcp-348902https://federalnewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/CIO-CMMC-Reform-Memo_26-P-1023.pdf?hss_channel=lcp-348902https://dodcio.defense.gov/Portals/0/Documents/Library/ImplementingSuspensionCMMC-PhaseII.pdfThe Department of War just paused the rollout of CMMC...

en-us

31:26

CMMC for Small Aerospace Suppliers: Real Costs, DIY...

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/07/10

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! Small aerospace suppliers are getting hit with the same CMMC questions over and over: what do I actually need to do if my contract requirements aren't clear yet, does redacting a drawing get it out of CUI territory, will a tool like ThreatLocker or Prevail make me compliant, and what is this actually going to cost. In this episode, Stacey and Brooke from Justice IT Consulting go through the real answers small manufacturers, machine ...

en-us

19:17

Cyber AB May 2026 Town Hall Recap: External Service...

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/07/03

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! The Cyber AB's May 2026 Town Hall packed in major updates and if you work with an MSP, use cloud services, or are trying to figure out where your compliance responsibility actually ends, this episode is required listening. Brooke and Stacey break down everything contractors need to know: ESP vs. CSP distinctions, FedRAMP changes, new leadership, Marketplace 2.0, and the single biggest takeaway every OSC needs to hear. 📌 What

en-us

19:44

New CMMC FAQ Clarifications: Joint Ventures,...

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/06/19

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! The Department of Defense just updated its CMMC FAQ document — and the clarifications inside answer some of the most common (and costly) assumptions contractors make. In this episode, Brooke and Stacey break down what changed for joint ventures, paper-only CUI, significant change triggers, and how MSPs and MSSPs actually fit into assessment scope. If you're navigating a merger, working with subcontractors, or relying on an MSP to ma...

en-us

26:47

The CMMC Reality Check: Gap Assessments,...

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/06/12

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! Most defense contractors don't realize how complex CMMC compliance really is until they're already in trouble. In this episode, Brooke and Stacey break down the exact moments where contractors hit their wake-up call, what to expect from a gap assessment, and why waiting until the last minute could cost you your DoD contracts. Whether you're just starting your CMMC journey or think you're close to ready, this episode will show you wh...

en-us

28:11

CS5 West 2026 CMMC Recap for Defense Contractor

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/05/29

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, Brooke breaks down the biggest takeaways from CS5 West 2026, one of the largest conferences in the CMMC ecosystem. The biggest message from the conference was clear: CMMC is no longer theoretical. Assessments are happening now, companies are already getting certified, and many contractors are running out of time to prepare before Phase 2 requirements begin appearing on contracts....

en-us

38:26

How Small Defense Contractors Can Handle CMMC Compliance

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/05/22

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, we tackle one of the biggest challenges in the Defense Industrial Base: how small contractors without internal IT teams are realistically handling CMMC compliance. Many small manufacturers, machine shops, and defense suppliers feel overwhelmed by CMMC because they do not have dedicated cybersecurity, compliance, or IT security staff. Instead, employees wear multiple hats while tr...

en-us

38:13

Why Contractors Fail CMMC Assessments and How to Prepare

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/05/15

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, we break down one of the most frustrating realities for defense contractors thinking you are ready for a CMMC assessment, only to find out you are not. Many companies believe they are compliant because they have security tools in place, policies written, and even a high SPRS score. But when assessors actually evaluate the environment, major gaps often appear. We explain why this ...

en-us

66:56

Top CMMC Compliance Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/05/08

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, we break down the most common mistakes defense contractors make when preparing for CMMC compliance and how those mistakes can cost you time, money, and even future contracts. Even though CMMC 2.0 is now enforceable, many companies are still struggling with readiness. The issue is not effort, it is approach. Many contractors start in the wrong place, leading to overspending, faile...

en-us

17:40

Can You Create CUI? CMMC Scope, ERP Systems, and...

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/04/17

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, we tackle one of the most misunderstood topics in CMMC compliance. Many contractors assume that if information is not marked as controlled unclassified information, then it is not CUI. But that assumption can lead to serious compliance risks. We break down how manufacturers and machine shops can actually create CUI while performing contract work, even if the original data was not...

en-us

17:52

The Hidden Operational Workload Behind CMMC Compliance

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/04/10

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, we break down one of the biggest misconceptions in CMMC compliance. Most contractors think CMMC is just a cybersecurity upgrade. Install a few tools, write some policies, and you are ready for an assessment. But that is not how CMMC actually works. The real challenge is the operational workload behind compliance. We walk through what that workload actually looks like, including d...

en-us

48:42

CMMC Reassessments Explained: What Changes Trigger a...

CMMC Compliance Guide ·

2026/04/03

Submit any questions you would like answered on the podcast! In this episode of the CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast, we break down one of the most overlooked risks in CMMC compliance. What actually happens when your environment changes after an assessment? Many contractors assume that once they pass a CMMC assessment or complete a self assessment, they are set for the next year or even three years. But recent guidance from the Cyber AB town hall reveals that certain changes can trigger a brand ...

en-us

73 results

Similar Podcasts

Lead With AI

Tamara Nall

Manufacturing Matters

Tech B2B

The Good Tech Companies

HackerNoon

The Vergecast

The Verge

Computer America

Ben Crossman