If your organization holds federal contracts or handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), compliance with CMMC and potentially FedRAMP is not optional — it’s a contract requirement. Failing to meet these standards means losing contracts and facing potential legal liability. Atlantic Computer Systems helps government IT contractors achieve and maintain compliance with practical, cost-effective solutions.
Understanding CMMC 2.0
The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC 2.0) replaced the self-attestation model with three levels of verified compliance. Level 1 (Foundational): 17 controls from FAR 52.204-21, self-assessed annually. Level 2 (Advanced): 110 controls from NIST SP 800-171, requiring third-party assessment for critical contracts. Level 3 (Expert): 110+ controls assessed by government officials. Most DoD contractors need Level 2, which requires significant IT infrastructure and process maturity.
Key CMMC Level 2 Controls
The 110 controls span 14 families. Critical IT-related controls include: MFA on all accounts accessing CUI (see our Cybersecurity Best Practices), encrypted storage and transmission of CUI, FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic modules, continuous monitoring and alerting, incident response plan with 72-hour reporting, vulnerability scanning at least monthly, security awareness training, configuration management, and audit log retention. Our managed IT services implement and monitor all of these.
FedRAMP for Cloud Services
If you provide cloud services to federal agencies, FedRAMP authorization is required. This involves: documenting all security controls (300+ for Moderate), third-party assessment by a 3PAO, continuous monitoring with monthly vulnerability scans, annual assessments, and incident reporting within specified timeframes. ACS helps organizations build FedRAMP-ready environments using compliant cloud infrastructure.
Building a Compliant IT Environment
Start with our IT Deployment Guide for infrastructure fundamentals, then layer on: a separate CUI enclave with access controls, SIEM/log management for continuous monitoring, encrypted VoIP communications, compliant hardware with TPM 2.0, endpoint detection and response (EDR), and documented onboarding and offboarding procedures.
The Assessment Process
CMMC Level 2 assessment involves: pre-assessment gap analysis (ACS provides this), remediation of identified gaps, documentation of all controls in a System Security Plan (SSP), third-party assessment by a C3PAO, and ongoing continuous monitoring. The entire process typically takes 6-12 months from gap analysis to certification.
Start Your Compliance Journey
Contact ACS for a CMMC readiness assessment. We’ll identify your current maturity level, map the gaps, and build a realistic remediation plan. View pricing or call 1-650-300-7557. Also review our Compliance Checklist for cross-framework requirements.
