Phase 2 Suspension

Justin Dauphney · 2026-07-14T18:57:06.401Z

My two cents and personal opinions only: The Phase 2 suspension feels more like a postponement than a halt of any kind. " Additionally, the Department will begin a comprehensive review of CMMC aimed at aligning with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's Acquisition Transformation System (ATS) directives prioritizing speed to capability, lowering barriers for small, medium, and non-traditional businesses , and replacing bureaucratic compliance with scalable, resilient cybersecurity measures." I think this quote is the heart of the matter. I've seen estimates of ~ 80,000 contractors with level 2 requirements. According to this analysis it lists for CMMC Level 2: Adoption rate: 8% (certified), 42% (in progress) Average implementation time: 12-18 months Compliance cost range: $75,000 – $300,000 (sources in link) ... which leads me to believe there's an estimated half (~40,000) of contractors where level 2 isn't on their radar. Of course these aren’t official DoW numbers, but they paint a reasonable picture of the landscape. I believe C3PAOs and assessors are still needed, and how/where they fit in will be realized during this 60-day window (or at least, eventually). Speaking as someone who's not yet CMMC certified, I'm confident saying that the pursuit of becoming certified is worthwhile and I plan on doing so as soon as I can (because those T3 background checks won't be getting any shorter!)

Public Group

CMMC Professionals Network

Don't navigate CMMC alone. Join our nonprofit community for the hands-on education, credentials, and resources to advance your CMMC career.

271

Members

Posts

Admins

Sustaining CMMC Readiness

💼 Career Opportunity | CMMC Assessor

Phase 2 Suspension

Phase 2 Suspension