# DoD Emphasizes Maintaining CMMC Cybersecurity Standards

The Department of Defense continues to underscore the critical importance of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program to safeguard its supply chain against cyber threats. Industry experts and government stakeholders highlight that weakening or halting CMMC compliance efforts risks exposing sensitive controlled unclassified information (CUI), undermining prior investments, and threatening the viability of small and medium-sized defense contractors. Procurement professionals and contractors are urged to prioritize adherence to evolving cybersecurity requirements and leverage available support resources to meet CMMC standards, ensuring continued eligibility for DoD contracts.

- The DoD and associated federal agencies like NIST and NSA remain committed to enforcing CMMC as a mandatory cybersecurity framework for defense contractors.
- Companies engaged in DoD contracting should maintain or enhance their cybersecurity posture to protect sensitive data and avoid contract risks.
- Small and medium-sized businesses in the defense supply chain must consider CMMC compliance a critical factor for sustaining business viability and competitive positioning.
- Service providers specializing in CMMC assessments and cybersecurity can expect ongoing demand as contractors seek to meet certification requirements.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Cybersecurity
**Published:** September 24, 2026

### Government Entities
- Department of Defense (DoD)
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
- National Security Administration (NSA)
- Army
- Congress

### Vendors
- Cybersec Investment (prime contractor or service provider)
- Redspin (industry service provider)

### Key Quotes
> Unnecessary cost and complexity should absolutely be removed from CMMC, but that can’t mean reducing the responsibility to protect CUI.
> — Robert Teague, Vice President at Redspin

### Sources
- [
        What is defending our warfighters actually worth? | Federal News Network](https://federalnewsnetwork.com/commentary/2026/09/what-is-defending-our-warfighters-actually-worth-2) - Federal News Network