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CMMC Bottleneck Coming

Why Early Adopters Are Positioned for Success

Insights based upon July 2025 Cyber AB data.

See What Primes Are Saying About CMMC 2.0

CMMC Rollout Projections

Maximize your competitive position

Cyber AB data suggests a looming bottleneck ahead. Based on our assessor capacity projections, only 14-20% of Level 2 organizations seeking certification are expected to complete their assessments before the Level 2 requirements phase of the CMMC rollout begins. These early movers will enjoy a significant competitive advantage, positioning themselves for priority consideration in new DoD contract awards.


Below is our projected assessment distribution across the phased rollout timeline based on July's data:

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Key Takeaways for Defense Contractors

  • rare (6) Certification remains rare While July showed some momentum, the fact remains that just 0.34% of the estimated 80,000 contractors requiring a Level 2 (C3PAO) certification have passed their assessment.
  • warning Assessor Growth Outpacing Supply The rate of Certified CMMC Assessors (CCAs) is increasing faster than new assessor applications, potentially signaling a plateau in assessment capacity by mid-2026.
  • advantage Early movers have the edge Contractors who proactively pursue certification are best positioned to secure future DoD contracts and expand their role in the defense supply chain.

Resources for Your CMMC Journey

CMMC 2.0's phased rollout will start before the end of the year. When you choose to start your compliance journey will be the biggest factor in winning new contracts or losing out on opportunities. 

Check out these resources to guide your CMMC strategy.

Find Your CMMC Readiness Signal

Quickly assess your current compliance posture and receive tailored, downloadable resources based on your responses.
Take the Quiz
Find Your CMMC Readiness Signal

Steal Our CMMC Level 2 Strategy

This step-by-step guide breaks down what’s required at each stage of CMMC Level 2—written for IT leaders, compliance teams, and executives alike.
Download Here
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Webinars & Workshops

Get direct access to CMMC professionals and industry experts who walk through key topics, updates, and common pitfalls.
Watch Them Here
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Tips for Improving Your Competitive Advantage

Don’t mistake low certification rates as a green light to delay.
The current low percentage of certified Level 2 companies isn’t a grace period; it’s a warning signal. Many organizations will scramble for certification once Level 2 (C3PAO) becomes a contract requirement in November 2026. Getting ahead now ensures you’re not caught in the bottleneck later.
Target April–September 2026 for your C3PAO assessment.
If you haven’t scheduled an assessment, aim for mid-2026. C3PAOs are already booking into that window, and competition for assessor availability will intensify. Remediation can take 6-18 months, depending on your environment. Start now: complete your gap assessment, plan your remediation timeline, and begin vetting C3PAOs. 
Bring in a CMMC-savvy partner.
Achieving compliance requires technical depth and speed. External service providers can augment your IT team, accelerate remediation, and ensure your environment meets CMMC requirements (particularly if you're managing complex or hybrid infrastructures).
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Ready to get ahead of the curve?

Start building your compliance plan today and talk to one of our CMMC advisors to map out your next steps.

Request A Discovery Call

Tracking cmmc compliance

what the latest data reveals

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Completed CMMC Assessments

Of the 80,000 contractors estimated to require Level 2 certification, 269 have achieved final or conditional certification, while an additional eight organizations have failed their assessments.

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Certified CMMC Assessors (CCAs)

300 of which are also Lead Assessors. Growth in CCAs has been growing over the past three months and saw a 17% increase from June to July 2025.

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CUMULATIVE CCA APPLICATIONS

CCA Applications are growing at a steady rate, averaging a 6.44% increase month over month since February 2025.

PERCENTAGE TO FULL LEVEL 2 COMPLIANCE

July 2025: 0.34%

Each month, the Cyber AB releases updates tracking the growth of the CMMC ecosystem, including how many Level 2 organizations seeking certification (OSCs) are successfully completing assessments every quarter. These updates offer critical insight into the readiness of the defense industrial base.