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Why Choose bladestack.io for CMMC?

The DIB Deserves Better Than Checkbox Compliance.

CMMC exists because self-attestation failed. For years, contractors claimed NIST 800-171 compliance while CUI leaked across the Defense Industrial Base. The DoD's response was to mandate third-party verification. But verification only works if the underlying implementation is real.

Most CMMC consultants approach this backwards. They start with documentation templates and work toward your systems. We start with your systems and build documentation that reflects reality. When a C3PAO interviews your system administrator about access controls, the answer should match the SSP. When they scan your endpoints for FIPS-validated encryption, it should be there. When they review your incident response procedures, your team should recognize them.

We build compliance programs where the documentation describes what actually exists. That requires engineers who understand both the requirements and the technology. Not auditors learning your tech stack. Not technical writers translating your answers into compliance language. Engineers who can evaluate your Active Directory configuration, assess your SIEM correlation rules, and determine whether your current architecture can support CUI protection or needs redesign.

Advisory-first, engineering-native

We’re built around technical depth: cloud, identity, endpoint, logging, segmentation, encryption, and change control. The goal is not to “sound compliant.” The goal is to be compliant in a way that your engineers don’t hate.

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Differentiators

Same market. Different delivery.

Advisory-only. Engineer-led. No Surprises. Custom-built. Here's what those words actually mean.

Zero Assessment Work. By Design.

We hold 3PAO accreditation and choose not to use it for assessments. This is intentional. When advisory and assessment live under the same roof, objectivity suffers. Did they recommend that network segmentation approach because it best protects CUI, or because it simplifies their assessment scope? Did they overlook that control gap because it is immaterial, or because documenting it creates more work for their assessment team? We removed that conflict entirely. Our revenue comes from getting you certified efficiently. Period.

Technical Depth That Matches Your Engineers

Your IT team did not get excited when they learned about CMMC. Another compliance framework. More consultants who do not understand their environment. More documentation requests that pull them away from real work. We change that dynamic. Our consultants have configured Group Policy Objects, troubleshot Splunk queries, and debugged firewall rules in production environments. When your network engineer explains why the current VLAN architecture exists, we understand the tradeoffs they made. When your security analyst describes their detection logic, we can evaluate whether it satisfies AU-6 or needs enhancement. We speak their language because we have done their job.

Complete Package Development

CMMC Level 2 requires documentation across hundreds of security requirements, organized into control families. Most organizations underestimate the volume. We create all of it. Your team reviews for accuracy and provides subject matter input. We handle the writing, the formatting, the cross-referencing, and the evidence mapping.

Documentation That Reflects Your Operations

Generic templates create generic problems. When your SSP states that "the organization performs weekly vulnerability scans" but your actual cadence is daily, the C3PAO will find that discrepancy. When your access control policy references a ticketing system you decommissioned two years ago, that creates findings. Every document we produce reflects your specific environment, your actual tools, your real procedures. The result is documentation your operations team can reference for their daily work, not compliance artifacts that gather dust until the next assessment.

Assessment Outcomes Driven by Engineering Discipline

C3PAO assessments fail for predictable reasons: evidence that does not match documentation, interviews that reveal gaps in understanding, technical controls that are documented but not implemented. These failures trace back to the advisory phase. Poor scoping. Template-based documentation. Consultants who documented what they were told without verifying what exists. Our packages are engineered to eliminate these failure modes. We verify before we document. We test before we certify readiness. We prepare your team before interviews. Assessment success is not luck. It is the natural result of rigorous preparation.

Predictable Investment

We quote fixed prices for defined scopes. No hourly billing surprises. No scope creep invoices. No "we discovered additional complexity" charges after work begins. The tradeoff: you follow our methodology. We have refined this process across dozens of engagements. We know what causes rework, what creates delays, and what leads to assessment findings. Our process avoids those pitfalls. Clients who follow it get predictable outcomes at predictable costs.
Service Lines

Choose your blade.

Flexible engagement models to suit your mission. From strategic advisory to fully managed platforms.

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CMMC · Advisory Service Components

For defense contractors with internal IT capability who need CMMC expertise.

Your team knows your systems. You need specialists who know CMMC. We bridge that gap by building the complete compliance package while your engineers focus on implementation and remediation. From initial scoping through certification, we own documentation development so your technical staff can focus on making controls operational.

  • Gap Assessment A technical evaluation of your current state against all NIST 800-171 requirements. We do not send questionnaires. We review configurations, interview stakeholders, and assess actual implementations. The deliverable is a prioritized remediation roadmap with specific technical guidance, not a spreadsheet of red/yellow/green indicators.
  • Phase 0: Accelerated Discovery For organizations ready to commit to full certification. We compress discovery and documentation kickoff into a single engagement phase. Instead of a standalone gap report, we produce working artifacts: SSP framework, control ownership matrix, CUI boundary documentation, and remediation priorities. These flow directly into the advisory phase with no transition delay.
  • Full Advisory Comprehensive documentation development for CMMC Level 2 certification. We build the System Security Plan with implementation-level detail for all requirements. We create policies, procedures, and plans that match your operational reality. We develop network and data flow diagrams that accurately represent CUI boundaries. We prepare the evidence framework that maps artifacts to assessment objectives.
  • Bastion: Assessment Support Sustained support from assessment preparation through certification. We organize evidence packages, prepare interview subjects, coordinate with your C3PAO, and respond to findings in real time. The engagement concludes when your certification is issued, not when a statement of work expires.

Documentation reflects your environment. Every control implementation statement describes your actual systems. Every procedure matches your operational practices. When C3PAOs validate documentation against reality, they find consistency.

Includes:

  • Gap Assessments
  • Phase 0 Accelerated Discovery
  • System Security Plan (SSP)
  • Authorization Boundary Diagrams
  • Policies, Procedures & Plans
  • Bastion Assessment Support
  • Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M)
  • C3PAO Coordination
Enter the Dojo
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CMMC · Enjinia Blade Division

For organizations that need implementation capacity, not just documentation.

Some gaps require more than guidance. Your team may lack bandwidth, specialized skills, or experience with specific technologies. Our Enjinia Blade Division provides engineering resources through Bitstream Merc engagements. These are practitioners who implement controls, not consultants who describe them.

  • CUI Environment Architecture Designing environments that protect Controlled Unclassified Information requires balancing security requirements against operational needs. We architect solutions that satisfy NIST 800-171 while remaining practical for daily operations. This includes network segmentation strategies, identity and access management design, encryption implementation plans, and monitoring architectures.
  • Control Implementation Direct technical work to make controls operational. Configuring multi-factor authentication across your environment. Implementing FIPS validated encryption for data at rest and in transit. Deploying and tuning SIEM solutions for audit log collection and correlation. Establishing automated vulnerability scanning with appropriate remediation workflows.
  • Remediation Execution Gap assessments identify deficiencies. POA&Ms track them. But someone has to fix them. We provide the engineering capacity to close gaps on aggressive timelines, whether that means hardening endpoints, reconfiguring network controls, or deploying new security tooling.
  • System Hardening Applying Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) and CIS Benchmarks to bring systems into compliance. Configuring Group Policy Objects for Windows environments. Hardening Linux systems per DISA guidance. Documenting baseline configurations and establishing drift detection.

Bitstream Merc engineers have implemented these controls in production environments. They understand the difference between textbook configurations and practical deployments. They can troubleshoot when implementations do not work as expected.

Includes:

  • CUI Environment Architecture
  • Control Implementation
  • Remediation Execution
  • System Hardening (STIG/CIS)
  • Security Tooling Deployment
  • Configuration Validation
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CMMC · bladeRAMP Managed Services

For organizations that need ongoing compliance operations, not just initial certification

CMMC certification is not a destination. Level 2 requires triennial C3PAO reassessment and annual affirmation by a senior official that compliance is maintained. Between assessments, you must sustain continuous monitoring, manage vulnerabilities, track POA&M items, and maintain documentation currency. Our managed services handle these ongoing obligations.

Service Lines

  • bladeRAMP The complete managed compliance platform. Includes Platform Build (security stack, architecture, and management layer), HANZO SecOps, GENJI ConMon, and SRE infrastructure capability. Full-stack compliance operations from the team that built your package.
  • GENJI · FedRAMP Continuous Monitoring (ConMon) Ongoing compliance operations for organizations that want to outsource the administrative burden. We manage POA&M lifecycle from identification through closure. We analyze vulnerability scan results and prioritize remediation. We maintain documentation currency as your environment evolves. We prepare evidence packages for annual affirmations and triennial reassessments.
  • HANZO · 24/7 Security Operations (SecOps) Managed security monitoring and incident response capability. 24/7 threat detection through SIEM analysis. Endpoint detection and response management. Vulnerability scanning and remediation tracking. Incident handling that satisfies CMMC incident response requirements while actually protecting your environment.

Platform Components:

  • Platform Build The foundational deployment, landing zone architecture, security stack enablement, network segmentation, zero-trust remote access, and environment hardening. FedRAMP-ready infrastructure from day one.
  • HANZO · 24/7 Security Operations (SecOps) 24/7 threat detection, incident response, vulnerability management, and infrastructure protection. U.S.-based Security Operations Center staffed exclusively by U.S. citizens.
  • GENJI · FedRAMP Continuous Monitoring (ConMon) POA&M lifecycle management, scan analysis, evidence generation, monthly and annual deliverables, and agency reporting. Continuous monitoring on autopilot.
  • SRE Infrastructure Site reliability engineering capability for your authorization boundary. Infrastructure operations, patching, availability management, and operational support.

Certification without sustainment is temporary. Our managed services keep your compliance program operational between assessments, ensuring that when the C3PAO returns, they find the same rigor they certified initially.

Includes:

  • Platform Build & Deployment
  • HANZO (24/7 Security Operations)
  • GENJI (Continuous Monitoring)
  • Annual Assessment Support
  • Agency Reporting & Communication
  • POA&M Lifecycle Management
  • SRE Infrastructure Operations
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CMMC · Bastion · Assessment Support

For organizations entering the C3PAO assessment process

The assessment phase exposes weaknesses in preparation. C3PAOs request evidence that seems obvious in retrospect. Assessors ask questions that reveal undocumented assumptions. Technical validation uncovers implementation gaps that documentation reviews missed. Shogun provides dedicated support throughout this critical phase.

Service Components:

  • Readiness Validation Before engaging your C3PAO, we conduct internal readiness review. We verify that evidence exists for each assessment objective. We confirm that documentation accurately reflects current implementations. We identify and close gaps while there is still time to remediate.
  • Evidence Management C3PAO assessments require evidence artifacts mapped to all assessment objectives across all controls. We organize evidence packages, ensure artifacts demonstrate control implementation, and manage the evidence request and response cycle throughout assessment.
  • Interview Preparation Assessors interview personnel responsible for control implementation. We prepare interview subjects by reviewing relevant documentation, discussing likely questions, and ensuring they can articulate how controls operate in your environment.
  • Finding Response Assessment findings require documented responses, remediation plans, and potentially POA&M entries. We triage findings as they emerge, develop response strategies, and ensure remediation efforts address root causes rather than symptom.
  • Certification Completion From final evidence submission through SPRS score entry and certification issuance, we manage the administrative closure of the assessment process.

Assessment outcomes reflect preparation quality. Organizations with rigorous preparation experience straightforward assessments. Organizations with gaps in preparation discover those gaps at the worst possible time. Bastion ensures you enter assessment with confidence.

Includes:

  • Readiness Validation
  • Evidence Package Development
  • Interview Preparation
  • C3PAO Coordination
  • Finding Response and Remediation
  • POA&M Development
  • Certification Completion
Enter the Dojo
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CUI Enclave Services

For organizations seeking compliance through scope limitation

CMMC compliance scope follows CUI. If your organization can constrain where CUI is processed, stored, and transmitted, you can constrain your compliance boundary. A CUI enclave creates a defined environment subject to NIST 800-171 controls while allowing the broader enterprise to operate under less stringent requirements. For organizations with concentrated CUI workflows, this approach accelerates certification and reduces ongoing compliance burden.

Service Components:

  • Scope Analysis Determining enclave viability requires understanding CUI flows throughout your organization. We trace CUI from receipt through processing, storage, and transmission to identify minimum necessary boundaries. Some organizations discover their CUI footprint is broader than assumed. Others find enclave approaches highly practical.
  • Enclave Design Architecting an enclave that satisfies CMMC while remaining operationally practical. This includes network isolation strategies, access control mechanisms, data transfer procedures, and integration points with the broader enterprise. The goal is a boundary that is defensible to assessors and usable by your team.
  • Enclave Deployment Building the enclave environment according to the approved design. Infrastructure provisioning, security control implementation, monitoring deployment, and documentation development specific to the enclave scope.
  • Enclave Operations Ongoing management of the enclave environment. Security monitoring, vulnerability management, access administration, and compliance maintenance within the defined boundary.
  • Expansion Planning As contract portfolios grow, enclave boundaries may need expansion. We plan migration paths that build on existing investments rather than requiring wholesale rebuilds.

Enclaves are not shortcuts. They are scope management strategies that make compliance practical for organizations where enterprise-wide transformation is impractical or unnecessary. When CUI workflows are concentrated, enclaves offer faster certification timelines and lower ongoing compliance costs.

Includes:

  • CUI Scope Analysis
  • Enclave Architecture Design
  • Enclave Deployment
  • Security Control Implementation
  • Ongoing Enclave Operations
  • Expansion Planning
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Our Approach

Engineering Compliance Programs That Work.

CMMC is not a documentation exercise. It is a validation that security controls are implemented and effective. Documentation supports that validation, but the foundation is actual security. Our methodology builds from technical reality toward compliant documentation, not the reverse.

00.

PHASE 0: Discovery and Scoping

For organizations committing to full certification

Traditional engagements begin with gap assessments that produce reports. Those reports then inform separate advisory engagements. This creates delay and transition friction.

Phase 0 compresses discovery and advisory kickoff. We perform technical evaluation and immediately begin producing working artifacts. The output is not a report to be reviewed and filed. It is the foundation of your compliance program:

  • CUI Boundary Definition
  • System Security Plan Framework
  • Control Ownership Matrix
  • Prioritized Remediation Roadmap
  • Risk Register

Discovery findings flow directly into documentation development. No handoff meetings. No re-explaining your environment to a new team. Continuous momentum from day one.

01.

Gap Assessment

For organizations evaluating the CMMC investment

Not ready to commit to full advisory? Start with a gap assessment. We evaluate your current state against NIST 800-171 requirements and deliver a comprehensive remediation roadmap.

This is not a questionnaire exercise. We review actual configurations, interview personnel, and assess implementations. The deliverable tells you exactly what exists, what is missing, and what it will take to achieve certification.

  • Control-by-Control Implementation Status
  • CUI Scope Analysis
  • Prioritized Remediation Requirements
  • SPRS Score Calculation
  • Realistic Timeline and Resource Projections for the Full Journey

What We Need From You:

  • Access to systems and configurations
  • Availability of technical personnel for interviews
  • Honesty about current state (we need reality, not aspirations)

02.

Advisory & Documentation Development

Building the compliance package

Documentation development is the core of the advisory engagement. We create everything required for C3PAO assessment: SSP, POA&M, policies, procedures, plans, diagrams, and evidence frameworks.

Our Approach:

  • Discovery Sessions Structured interviews with control owners to understand implementations. We record sessions to minimize repeated disruptions to your team.
  • Documentation Drafts We write initial drafts based on discovery findings. Documents reflect your environment, not generic templates.
  • Client Review Your team reviews drafts for accuracy. We need validation that documentation matches reality, not rewrites.
  • Evidence Mapping Each control implementation statement links to evidence artifacts that demonstrate implementation.
  • Parallel Remediation While documentation develops, your team addresses gaps. We provide technical guidance when implementation questions arise.
  • Assessment Preparation As documentation finalizes, we shift focus to assessment readiness. Evidence organization, interview preparation, and C3PAO coordination.

The output is a complete package ready for C3PAO assessment, with documentation that accurately represents your implemented controls.

03.

Bastion · Assessment Support

Sustained engagement through certification

Documentation delivery does not conclude our engagement. Bastion provides continuous support through the C3PAO assessment process until certification is achieved.

Pre-Assessment:

  • Evidence package validation
  • Documentation currency verification
  • Interview subject preparation
  • C3PAO kickoff coordination

During Assessment:

  • Evidence request response
  • Clarification support
  • Finding triage and response
  • Real-time coordination

Post Assessment:

  • POA&M finalization
  • Remediation tracking
  • SPRS submission
  • Certification closure

Assessment timelines vary based on C3PAO schedules and finding volumes. We remain engaged throughout, ensuring momentum continues until your certification is issued.

Certified.

Certification marks the beginning of continuous compliance

Your organization has achieved CMMC certification. Your SPRS score reflects full implementation. Your certification status enables contract eligibility.

Now the work shifts to sustainment. CMMC requires:

  • Annual affirmation of continued compliance
  • Ongoing POA&M management
  • Continuous monitoring activities
  • Triennial reassessment

Options for Ongoing Compliance:

  • ConMon Advisory Services Periodic engagement for POA&M management, affirmation preparation, and reassessment readiness. Your team handles daily operations with our oversight.
  • bladeRAMP Managed Services We operate your compliance program. Security monitoring, vulnerability management, POA&M lifecycle, and annual affirmations handled by the team that built your program.
  • Bitstream Merc Engineering Support Services Bitstream Merc engagements for specific technical needs. Remediation projects, architecture changes, or security tool deployments.
Forge Your Certification
What Defense Contractors Must Understand

CMMC Regulatory Landscape

Streamlined steps to navigate and discover your perfect insurance plan effortlessly.

The Two Rules

  • 32 CFR Part 170 establishes the CMMC program. It defines levels, requirements, assessment processes, and certification procedures. This rule has been effective since December 16, 2024.
  • 48 CFR Parts 204, 212, 217, and 252 We operate your compliance program. Security monitoring, vulnerability management, POA&M lifecycle, and annual affirmations handled by the team that built your program.

The Practical Impact:

Starting November 10, 2025, new DoD contracts will include CMMC requirements. No certification means no contract eligibility. This applies to prime contractors and flows down to subcontractors at all tiers who handle FCI or CUI.

Understanding the Levels

Foundational

Level 1
  • 17 security practices from FAR 52.204-21
  • Protects Federal Contract Information (FCI)
  • Annual self-assessment with affirmation in SPRS
  • Appropriate for contractors handling FCI without CUI exposure

Advanced

Level 2
  • 110 security practices from NIST SP 800-171 Revision 2
  • Protects Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)
  • Triennial assessment by Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO)
  • Annual affirmation of continued compliance
  • Where approximately 80,000 DIB contractors will certify

Expert

Level 3
  • 110+ practices incorporating NIST SP 800-172 requirements
  • Protects against advanced persistent threats targeting critical programs
  • Reserved for contractors supporting the most sensitive defense programs
  • Annual affirmation of continued compliance
  • Where approximately 80,000 DIB contractors will certify

Implementation Timelines

Program rule effective

CMMC Program Established (32 CFR)

The CMMC Program rule takes effect, defining levels, assessment mechanics, and the four-phase implementation structure.

December 16th, 2024

Effective

Acquisition rule published

DFARS Contract Rule Published (48 CFR)

The DFARS final rule is published, enabling CMMC requirements to be inserted into solicitations/awards once it becomes effective.

September 10th, 2025

Published

Initial contracting rollout

Phase 1 Begins

DoD intends to require Level 1 (Self) or Level 2 (Self) for applicable awards; DoD may also require Level 2 (C3PAO) in some cases.

November 10, 2025

Begins

Third-party Level 2 expands (as applicable)

Phase 2 Begins

DoD intends to include Level 2 (C3PAO) for applicable awards; Level 3 (DIBCAC) may appear in select cases.

November 10, 2026

Begins

Broad certification expectations

Phase 3 Begins

DoD intends Level 2 (C3PAO) and Level 3 (DIBCAC) requirements to apply across all applicable awards (with limited discretion to delay to option periods)

November 10, 2027

Begins

Full implementation

Phase 4 Begins

DoD will include CMMC requirements in all applicable solicitations/contracts, including option periods on certain pre-Phase-4 awards. Note: COTS-only exceptions and waivers exist.

November 10, 2028

Begins

Prime Contractor Pressure

Why Immediate Action Matters

  • Prime Contractor Pressure CMMC is a supply-chain requirement. Prime contractors must flow down the required CMMC level and ensure subcontractors have the appropriate CMMC status before subcontract award making readiness a near-term due-diligence gate.
  • Assessment Capacity Constraints DoD estimates a large population will ultimately require Level 2 certification. Expect assessment capacity to be a bottleneck; delaying increases the risk of longer queues and compressed timelines.
  • Implementation Reality Many organizations need months (often 6–12+, depending on maturity and scope) to implement NIST SP 800-171, remediate gaps, and become assessment-ready. Once a solicitation requires CMMC, you generally can’t “become compliant after award.”
  • Contract Eligibility CMMC status is an award gate. Contracting officers are directed to not award if the offeror lacks a current CMMC status at the level required by the solicitation (or higher), posted in SPRS. “Current” includes Final and (where permitted) Conditional status; Conditional requires POA&M closeout to reach Final.
  • Parallel Remediation While documentation develops, your team addresses gaps. We provide technical guidance when implementation questions arise.
  • Assessment Preparation As documentation finalizes, we shift focus to assessment readiness. Evidence organization, interview preparation, and C3PAO coordination.
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CMMC and FedRAMP: Understanding the Relationship

CMMC applies to organizations handling FCI/CUI for DoD work and validates implementation for the systems used to process, store, or transmit that data. 

FedRAMP authorizes cloud service offerings for federal agency use through a standardized security assessment and authorization approach.

Some organizations need both; many need only one. We advise on both frameworks, if you’re unsure what applies, we can scope it and map a practical plan.

Ready to Discuss Your Path to Certification?

Skip the sales presentation. Schedule a technical conversation with engineers who understand CMMC at the implementation level. We’ll discuss your CUI scope, current posture, and whether our approach fits your situation.