# Minnesota Supplier Earns CMMC Level 2 Certification

Ardel Engineering & Manufacturing, a precision-machining supplier in New Hope, Minnesota, reports completing CMMC Level 2 certification after a multi-year effort with cybersecurity firm MAD Security. The effort involved building documentation and security practices aligned with NIST SP 800-171 to protect controlled unclassified information (CUI) across defense contractor and subcontractor operations. It is a supplier-readiness development, not a contract award or solicitation.

- Defense procurement teams can treat the certification as relevant supplier-readiness information when evaluating supply-chain cybersecurity and potential access to work involving CUI.
- Prime contractors and subcontractors handling CUI can assess whether their own security controls and supporting documentation align with the NIST SP 800-171 practices highlighted in the signal.
- Ardel President Mike Golden described the effort as a multi-year investment, underscoring the time and sustained documentation work that may be involved in preparing a supplier for certification.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Cybersecurity, Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** November 03, 2026

### Government Entities
- Department of Defense (DoD)

### Vendors
- Ardel Engineering & Manufacturing, Inc. ()
- MAD Security ()

### Key Quotes
> We spent several years building the documentation and security practices our defense customers depend on, because getting it right mattered more than getting it done quickly.
> — Mike Golden, President of Ardel Engineering & Manufacturing

### Sources
- [Strengthening Cybersecurity Across the Defense Manufacturing Supply Chain](https://www.thomasnet.com/insights/strengthening-cybersecurity-across-the-defense-manufacturing-supply-chain) - Thomasnet