CMMC Compliance Blog

Expert insights on CMMC 2.0, NIST 800-171 compliance, and defense contractor cybersecurity.

February 28, 2026 8 min read

The CMMC C3PAO Assessment Backlog: Why Defense Contractors Can't Afford to Wait

As of February 2026, only 431 organizations have achieved CMMC Level 2 certification out of roughly 80,000 defense contractors who will need it. That's 0.5%. With C3PAO assessment slots booking 8+ months out and the October 31, 2026 deadline approaching, here's what you need to know about the compliance crisis facing the defense supply chain.

CMMC 2.0 C3PAO Compliance Deadline

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