Assessment, Remediation Planning & Implementation
A Structured Remediation Framework for Defense Contractors
The CMMC Level 2 compliance deadline is November 2026. DoD contractors who cannot demonstrate compliance risk losing their ability to compete for and retain federal contracts.
The Challenge Facing Defense Contractors
The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program represents the most significant shift in federal contractor cybersecurity requirements in a generation. For companies handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) under contracts with the Department of Defense, CMMC Level 2 certification is now a contractual condition for doing business. Beginning in November 2026, new DoD solicitations will require contractors to demonstrate third-party-assessed compliance to a certified third-party assessment organization (3PAO),with all 110 security practices drawn from NIST SP 800-171.
Yet most small and mid-sized defense contractors face the challenges of implementing these controls effectively. Many lack the time and effort needed to assess their current state, identify compliance gaps across 14 security domains, and execute a structured remediation program needed — all while continuing to deliver on existing contract commitments.
The consequences of falling short are significant. A failed or deferred CMMC assessment can result in contract award restrictions, loss of existing contract vehicles, and the inability to compete on future DoD opportunities. With the deadline firm, the time to act is now.
In simple terms, contractors must prove they can protect CUI with strong, documented security controls.
Our Approach: A Proven, Phase-Based Framework
Our framework is designed to remove complexity and give you a clear path from assessment to certification, including a Plan of Action & Milestones as not only a deliverable, but guided execution by Cyclotron technical engineers.
We deliver CMMC Level 2 compliance services through a structured, four-phase engagement model designed to take contractors from an unknown security posture to a documented, defensible, and assessor-ready compliance position. Each phase builds directly on the last, and every deliverable is designed to serve dual purposes: supporting your internal security operations and withstanding the scrutiny of a certified 3PAO.
Where technology is the answer — and for most of the 110 CMMC practices, it is — our recommendations strongly favor the Microsoft 365 security stack your organization may already be investing in: Entra ID, Intune, Defender XDR, and Microsoft Purview, found in either E5 or Business Premium. This approach maximizes value from existing licensing, reduces operational complexity, and accelerates implementation. Where controls require policy, process, or cultural change, we provide the frameworks and templates to get there.
The Four Phases
- Phase 1 – Discovery
A holistic intake of your IT environment, business processes, and existing security controls. We catalogue every system, tool, and configuration relevant to the 14 CMMC domains — identity infrastructure, device management, network architecture, threat protection, data handling, and more. This phase produces a structured discovery output that maps each system to the specific controls it is in scope for, giving both you and your assessor a clear picture of your environment.
- Phase 2 – Assessment
Every one of the 110 CMMC Level 2 practices is evaluated against the evidence gathered in discovery. Our assessment workbook breaks each control into targeted inquiries for configuration values, policy existence, process maturity, and technical implementation. Each control receives a clear Pass or Fail determination with documented findings and supporting evidence references.
- Phase 3 – Remediation Planning
Every failed control becomes an actionable remediation plan. Plans are organized by domain and by individual control, with explicit guidance on Microsoft-specific implementation steps (Conditional Access policies, Intune compliance profiles, Defender configurations, Purview DLP rules, and more) as well as process and policy changes where technology alone is insufficient. Remediation plans include priority ratings, responsible owners, and target completion dates. This sets up the foundation for the Plan of Action & Milestones.
- Phase 4 – Remediation Execution
We execute the remediation plan in your environment, documenting each change with evidence artifacts — configuration screenshots, policy exports, training completion records, and more. Evidence is organized by domain and by individual control in a structured control hierarchy, ready for review by a C3PAO assessor. An execution evidence log tracks completion status across all 110 controls throughout the engagement.
What Clients Receive
Every deliverable is a working tool designed to be used during and after the engagement — by you, by your MSP, and by your assessor.
- Discovery Framework
A structured discovery guide with 14 technology-area configuration catalogues, each containing specific named configuration settings tied to individual CMMC controls. Sections cover identity providers, MFA, endpoint management, network security, remote access, data protection, email security, vulnerability management, and more.
- System Security Plan
A full inventory of your in-scope systems with a control-to-system mapping matrix that shows exactly which systems are in scope for each of the 110 controls — a key artifact reviewers expect to see during a formal assessment.
- Assessment Workbook
One tab per CMMC domain, with each control broken into specific, auditor-grade assessment questions organized into Documentation and Implementation categories. Responses, evidence locations, and findings are captured here.
- Remediation Plans
Fourteen domain-specific remediation planning documents, with individual sections for each control, capturing improvement actions, Microsoft-specific technical steps, process/policy changes, priority, owner, and target date.
- Execution Evidence Log & Folder Structure
A pre-built evidence repository: 14 domain folders containing 110 individual control subfolders, each ready to receive screenshots, configuration exports, and policy documents. An Excel evidence log tracks completion status, implementation method, and artifact references across all controls.
These deliverables become your foundation for ongoing security maturity, not just passing an audit.
Why a Microsoft-First Remediation Strategy?
Most defense contractors already hold Microsoft 365 Business Premium, E3, E5 or an equivalent licensing tier that includes powerful security capabilities they are not yet fully utilizing. Our remediation methodology is designed to activate and configure the tools you are already paying for before recommending any new spend.
- Microsoft Entra ID & Active Directory
Centralized identity, access control, MFA enforcement, Conditional Access, identity governance, and privileged identity management — addressing a significant portion of the control domains.
- Microsoft Intune
Endpoint compliance policies, configuration baselines, application control, device encryption enforcement, and USB/removable media control — central to the device management requirements of the controls.
- Microsoft Defender XDR
Endpoint detection and response, anti-malware, vulnerability management, attack surface reduction, and email security — directly supporting the threat protection controls needed for CMMC L2.
- Microsoft Purview
Data loss prevention, information protection, audit logging, and compliance monitoring — supporting four categories of controls in CMMC L2.
- Microsoft Sentinel
SIEM and SOAR capabilities for log aggregation, correlation, alerting, and incident response automation — central to two of the control domains in CMMC L2.
For organizations using hybrid environments (Active Directory synced to Entra ID), federated identity providers (Okta, Google), third-party MDM solutions, or non-Microsoft security tooling, our framework accommodates all common scenarios with both Microsoft-specific and generalized remediation guidance.
The Window Is Closing
With the November 2026 compliance deadline approaching, contractors who begin their CMMC journey now have the time to approach compliance methodically — conducting a thorough discovery, addressing findings in a prioritized sequence, building a defensible evidence record, and entering a formal C3PAO assessment with confidence.
Contractors who wait face a compressing timeline, a limited pool of qualified assessors, and the very real risk of attempting to remediate 110 controls under contract-renewal pressure. A structured engagement started today is an investment in both compliance and competitive position.
This engagement framework covers all 110 CMMC Level 2 practices across 14 domains as defined in NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 and the CMMC Assessment Guide – Level 2 (Version 2.13, September 2024).
Ready to understand your current CMMC posture? Reach out to Cyclotron (steve.ellson@cyclotron.com) to explore CMMC L2 guidance remediation for your organization.