What Exactly Is NIST?
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was founded in 1901 and now is part of the U.S Department of Commerce. Congress established the agency to remove a major challenge to U.S industrial competitiveness at the time.
In today’s world NIST works with any company acting as a government contractor. NIST publishes a set of guidelines- including the 800 series- that outlines the United States federal government computer security policies.
While all these documents are available to the public, compliance requirements depend on the comprehension of the exhaustive standards as laid out in the 800 series guideline.
As a NIST Consultant, we help Department of Defense (DOD) contractors throughout the U.S, implement the NIST 800-171 cybersecurity framework in order to comply with DFARS and prepare for an upcoming CMMC audit.
What Are the Benefits of Working with an IT Partner for NIST Compliance?
NIST Consultants work closely with your organization to determine what action should be taken to ensure compliance with DFARS/CMMC requirements. Our team at Corsica Technologies starts by conducting a Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification audit.
For many government contractors, contracts with the DOD make up a substantial part of their business. Our team helps take out the guesswork.
Our consultants can assist with not only assessing your company but also purchasing, installing, configuring and providing continuous monitoring necessary to maintain compliance.
Establishing a relationship with a proven consultant and managed service provider lets you monitor your IT solution to ensure your business maintains compliance, avoids hefty fines and any lost business time.
The benefits of meeting NIST 800-171
DFARS/CMMC Assessments by our NIST Consultants can help you meet steep compliance demands. Our NIST Consultants will:
- Perform a detailed assessment to determine your compliance level.
- Develop the required Systems Security Plan (SSP) and Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M).
- Successfully implement the security controls and requirements in NIST SP 800-171.
- Monitor and respond to security threats and breaches on your network with our Security Operations Center (SOC).
What Happens If My organization Is Not NIST Compliant?
A government contractor that is not compliant with DFARS 225.204-7012 is at risk of losing business with the government. That means your business revenue and reputation is at risk.
In response to comments on the DFARS rule, the government stated, “the rule does not preclude a requiring activity from specifically stating in the solicitation that compliance with the NIST SP 800-171 will be used as an evaluation factor in the source selection process.”
Ultimately, it’s up to the government to decide how compliance will be measured in regard to your specific solicitation. The government also stated, “by signing the contract, the contractor agrees to comply with the contract’s terms.” It is in the best interest of government contractors to be compliant with NIST 800-171 requirements and be able to demonstrate that compliance. Partnering with an IT company can help you easily demonstrate compliance.
If you’re interested in learning more about NIST and DFARS compliance requirements or ready to schedule your CMMC Consultation with our cybersecurity experts, give us a call at (877) 659-2261.
