If your company does business with the Federal Government, the clock just started ticking. On August 25, 2025, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) approved the long-awaited CMMC acquisition rule under the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS). This moves CMMC from a framework of recommendations into enforceable law for all Department of Defense contractors and subcontractors.
For businesses outsourcing IT to an MSP, this shift is urgent. Compliance is no longer optional or “something to figure out later.” Without CMMC, you will soon be locked out of bidding on, winning, or renewing federal contracts.
What This Means Right Now
The CMMC rule is expected to be published in the Federal Register within weeks and will take effect in November 2025. At that point:
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Compliance is a condition of award. No certification, no contract.
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Phase 1 begins. Level 1 self-assessments for handling Federal Contract Information (FCI), and Level 2 assessments (often third-party) for Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).
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SPRS postings matter. Contracting officers will verify CMMC status in the Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS) before awards or option exercises.
The challenge is scale. Out of 80,000+ companies that need CMMC Level 2, fewer than 300 were certified as of August 2025. This means bottlenecks, scheduling delays, and intense competitive pressure for companies still waiting in line.
Why Traditional MSPs Are Not Enough
Many mid-sized businesses rely on MSPs to keep IT costs predictable and operations stable. But traditional MSPs were never designed to deliver security controls at the level CMMC requires. Things like NIST SP 800-171 alignment, incident response documentation, audit readiness, and regulatory reporting fall outside the standard MSP model.
That gap creates risk—not just for compliance, but for your entire business model. Prime contractors are already pushing their supply chains to certify early, and those who delay will see doors close.
A Bigger Picture: Security, Compliance, and IT Together
CMMC is not just a checklist. It’s about reducing the attack surface across the defense industrial base and protecting sensitive data from advanced threats. To succeed, you need an IT partner who:
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Implements framework-aligned security controls across people, processes, and systems
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Guides gap analyses and remediation plans against NIST SP 800-171
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Provides continuous monitoring, detection, and compliance reporting
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Coordinates with certifying bodies and prepares for third-party assessments
This requires more than IT uptime or help desk support. It requires integration: IT operations, security, and compliance working as one.
Why Act Now
The early movers will be rewarded. Companies that achieve CMMC certification sooner will move to the head of the vendor selection queue, securing contracts while others wait. Those who hesitate risk losing their place in the market for years.
At Integrated IT, we help mid-sized businesses bridge the gap between MSP and MSSP by delivering security, compliance, and IT in a unified model. Our team has the expertise to implement CMMC-aligned controls and prepare you for certification—without slowing down your business.
👉 Talk to Integrated IT today and put your company ahead of the curve.
