What Is a CMMC Evidence Binder?
An evidence binder is a consistent place to organize the artifacts that show what your team actually did. Here is what goes in one and how to keep it current.
Resources
Practical, vendor-neutral guidance on organizing cybersecurity evidence for small Defense Industrial Base companies. Educational only — not consulting or assessment advice.
The CMMC Rollout Timeline: Phases, Dates, and What They Mean for Small DIBs
CMMC is phasing into DoD contracts — self-assessments now, third-party assessments for many CUI contracts from around November 2026. Here's the timeline in plain language.
CUI Handling on the Shop Floor: Records Small Manufacturers Often Forget
Controlled prints, visitor logs, destruction records, and supervisor checks are easy to do and easy to forget to write down. Here are the shop-floor records that often go missing.
Vendor Remote Access Records for Small DIB Companies
Machine vendors, ERP vendors, and MSPs all reach into your systems. The records that show who had access and when are usually scattered. Here is how to pull them together.
A Simple Evidence Folder Structure for Small DIB Companies
A consistent folder structure beats ad-hoc folders every time. Here is a simple, ready-to-use evidence folder layout for small DIB teams — free to download.
Building a CMMC Evidence Checklist for Your Self-Assessment
An evidence checklist is a list of the artifacts your team gathers and keeps organized. Here is how to build one that fits a small DIB company, grouped by topic with owners and refresh dates.
How to Approach a CMMC Self-Assessment: A Small DIB Walkthrough
In the current phase, many contracts accept a self-assessment. Here's the generic process — scope, evidence, SSP, POA&M, score — for a small DIB team.
Organizing CUI Evidence: A Practical Approach for Small DIB Teams
Evidence about how you handle controlled information tends to scatter across email, tickets, and the shop floor. Here is a practical, generic way to organize it on your side.
CMMC Level 1 and FCI: What Basic Safeguarding Looks Like
CMMC Level 1 is about basic safeguarding of Federal Contract Information. Here are the capability areas it touches and the evidence a small DIB team would organize.
CMMC Level 2 and NIST SP 800-171: Organizing Evidence for CUI
CMMC Level 2 protects CUI and is based on NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 — 110 requirements across 14 families. Here is how a small DIB team organizes the evidence.
CMMC Level 3 and NIST SP 800-172: What's Different
CMMC Level 3 targets higher-risk CUI and adds selected enhanced requirements from NIST SP 800-172. Here is how it differs from Level 2 and what evidence it touches.
NIST 800-171 Rev 2 vs Rev 3: Which One Applies to CMMC Right Now?
CMMC Level 2 still uses NIST SP 800-171 Rev 2. Rev 3 exists and is coming eventually — here's the difference and why you shouldn't rebuild your program yet.
CMMC, DFARS, and NIST: The Authoritative Sources (and Where to Find Them)
A pointer map to the authoritative CMMC, FAR/DFARS, NIST, and CUI sources — read the requirements at the source, not from a summary.
What Is a System Security Plan (SSP)? A Plain-Language Guide for Small DIB Teams
An SSP describes your systems and how you address each security requirement. Here is what goes in one, in plain language, for a small DIB company.
What Is a POA&M? Plans of Action & Milestones for Small DIB Teams
A POA&M is your own list of items you've decided to work on, each with an owner and a target date. Here's how to build and maintain one.
What Counts as MFA Evidence? A Checklist for Small DIB Teams
Multi-factor authentication is one thing to turn on and another thing to prove. Here's the evidence a small DIB team gathers to show MFA is in place.
Building an Asset Inventory for Small DIB Companies: What to Include
You can't protect what you don't know you have. Here's a plain, practical asset inventory for a small DIB team — what to capture and how to keep it current.