As the defense landscape evolves and cybersecurity expectations rise, companies that engage early with CMMC aren’t just preparing for requirements, they’re positioning themselves for long-term competitiveness and growth.
Across the Defense Industrial Base, there’s a growing pattern: companies know CMMC is coming, but many still aren’t moving forward with their assessments. It’s not a lack of awareness. It’s not even outright resistance.
It’s hesitation. And that hesitation is being driven by a combination of real challenges and obstacles. Let’s break down what’s actually happening.
The Reality: CMMC Is Harder Than Expected
CMMC Level 2 requires:
- 110 security controls aligned to NIST 800-171
- 320 associated requirements to the 110 controls
- Formal documentation and evidence
- A third-party assessment
And it’s not quick:
- Most organizations need 6 to 18 plus months to prepare
- Costs can vary widely based on an organization’s current security maturity and gaps
It’s not just a one-time, “set it and forget it” effort:
- This isn’t a simple audit; it’s a full operational shift.
- So many companies stall.
The Real Reasons Companies Aren’t Moving Forward
Before we get to the challenges, it’s important to understand the common concerns:
Cost uncertainty
Most organizations underestimate:
- Remediation costs
- Tools and infrastructure upgrades
- Ongoing compliance overhead
Many start budgeting for the assessment and stop when they realize that’s the smallest expense.
Timeline Reality
CMMC is not something you can knock out in a quarter.
It requires:
- Scoping your CUI environment
- Closing technical gaps
- Building documentation and evidence
That timeline can be intimidating leading organizations into delaying instead of starting their CMMC journey.
Scoping Confusion
Companies often don’t fully understand:
- Where CUI lives
- How it flows
- What systems are in scope
- Who needs access to CUI and who doesn’t
When scope changes later, everything must be redone so companies hesitate to begin.
Resource Constraints
Especially for SMBs:
- Limited cybersecurity staff
- No internal compliance lead
- Competing operational priorities
Compliance loses to production every time.
The Challenges Slowing Everything Down
Now let’s talk about what we’ve actually heard in conversations.
These are the patterns that quietly stop progress:
Leadership and Mindset Excuses
- “We’ll wait until it shows up in a contract.”
Translation: We don’t want to invest until we’re forced to. - “CMMC might change again.”
Translation: We’re hoping this goes away or gets easier. - “We’re probably already compliant.”
Translation: We don’t want to discover we’re not.
Financial Constraints
- “We don’t have budget this year.”
Translation: This isn’t prioritized yet. - “We don’t know what it will cost.”
Translation: We’re uncomfortable with uncertainty. - “We’ll spend when we have to.”
Translation: We’ll deal with this later, even if it costs more.
Operational Roadblocks
- “We’re too busy right now.”
Translation: Revenue work is winning over compliance. - “We need to finish other projects first.”
Translation: CMMC keeps getting pushed to the next cycle. - “Our MSP will handle it.”
Translation: We don’t fully understand ownership.
Documentation Avoidance
- “We’ll document it later.”
Translation: We’re not ready for scrutiny. - “We don’t have time to write policies.”
Translation: We’re underestimating what assessors require.
Complexity Avoidance
- “This is too complicated to start.”
Translation: We don’t know where to begin. - “We’ll do it all at once.”
Translation: We’re setting ourselves up for a last-minute scramble.
Partner Issues
- “We’re waiting on our primes.”
Translation: We’re avoiding proactive action. - “Our vendors aren’t ready.”
Translation: We’re pushing responsibility outward.
What This Really Comes Down To
When you strip away the language, most of these challenges boil down to four root issues:
- Uncertainty – “We don’t fully understand scope, cost, or timeline.”
- Fear of exposure – “We don’t want to fail an assessment.”
- Competing priorities – “This isn’t urgent… yet.”
- Misunderstanding – “We think this is easier than it is.”
The Risk of Waiting
The companies that delay are making a gamble:
- That they’ll have enough time later
- That costs won’t increase
- That they can “turn it on” when needed
- That the C3PAO assessors will have immediate capacity when they need their assessment done
In reality:
- Late movers often pay more
- Face assessment bottlenecks
- And scramble under contract pressure
What Successful Companies Do Differently
Organizations that move forward early take a different approach:
- Treat CMMC as a business initiative, not an IT project
- Start with accurate CUI scoping
- Build documentation and evidence continuously
- Budget for the full lifecycle - not just the assessment
Final Thought
CMMC isn’t being avoided because companies don’t care.
It’s being delayed because it’s hard, expensive, and disruptive.
But the longer companies wait, the more complex and more expensive it becomes.
