CMMC 2.0 READINESS GUIDE
The practical 24-page playbook for defense contractors preparing for CMMC Level 1 or Level 2 certification. Written by a CMMC Registered Practitioner with a 90-day roadmap, SSP template walkthrough, and POA&M best practices.
What You Will Learn
Six chapters built from the 32 CFR Part 170 final rule, NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3, and real Registered Practitioner experience with DIB suppliers.
CMMC 2.0 Level 1 vs Level 2
Which level applies to your contracts, the difference between FCI and CUI, and how the phased rollout (48 CFR) affects your bid timeline.
NIST 800-171 Control Mapping
How the 14 control families map to CMMC Level 2 practices, what "adequate security" under DFARS 252.204-7012 actually means, and the assessment objectives your C3PAO will test.
90-Day Readiness Roadmap
A week-by-week plan: scoping, gap assessment, policy authoring, MFA and encryption rollout, logging, incident response, and pre-assessment dry run.
SSP Template Walkthrough
Section-by-section System Security Plan structure aligned to the 14 NIST 800-171 families, with prompts for each control and common auditor pushback points.
POA&M Best Practices
What belongs on a Plan of Action & Milestones, what does not, how to avoid a "Not Met" finding, and the limited POA&M allowances under the final rule.
C3PAO Assessment Prep
How to choose an authorized C3PAO, what evidence to stage, how Level 2 scoring works, and the remediation window if you score below 88 on a Level 2 assessment.
Written by a CMMC Registered Practitioner
You should know who is behind the advice you are about to read.
“CMMC is not a checklist you buy. It is a discipline you build. The goal of this guide is to give you the exact sequence our team uses so you can stop guessing and start certifying.”
Craig Petronella founded Petronella Technology Group in 2002 and has spent 24 years in cybersecurity. He holds the CMMC Registered Practitioner (CMMC-RP) credential, is a Licensed Digital Forensic Examiner (#604180), a Certified Wireless Network Expert (CWNE), and a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA). The Digital Forensic Examiner credential matters on CMMC engagements because CUI breach response is a different discipline from standard incident response.
The entire Petronella cybersecurity team holds the CMMC-RP credential, including Blake Rea, Justin Summers, and Jonathan Wood. Petronella Technology Group is a verified CMMC-AB Registered Provider Organization, RPO #1449, and has held a BBB A+ rating since 2003. Our headquarters is at 5540 Centerview Dr, Raleigh, NC, serving defense industrial base contractors across the Carolinas.
Want to see where you stand before you read the guide? Run our free SPRS calculator to self-score your NIST 800-171 posture in under 10 minutes.
Further reading on our CMMC capability: CMMC compliance for Raleigh NC contractors, CMMC compliance services, CMMC assessment prep, ComplianceArmor documentation engine.
See Your CMMC Score Before the Assessor Does
If you have already started on CMMC and want a second set of eyes on your SSP, scoping, or POA&M, book a working session with our Registered Practitioner team. We will walk through your current posture, your SPRS score, and your fastest path to Level 2 readiness.
Or call (919) 348-4912 to speak with a Registered Practitioner.