Problem
Green Contracting Company, Inc. (GCC) is a heavy industrial and mechanical contractor with more than 56 years of experience serving private manufacturers, public corporations, and multiple departments of the United States Government. As a Department of Defense (DoD) contractor, Green plays a role in supporting the U.S. defense supply chain.
With the rollout of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), the DoD introduced a mandatory cybersecurity requirement for all defense contractors. In order to retain and win new DoD contracts, Green Contracting had to formally demonstrate compliance with NIST SP 800-171 controls and successfully pass a CMMC assessment conducted by a certified third-party assessor organization (C3PAO).
The challenge was significant.
Green Contracting’s internal IT department consisted of one IT manager responsible for daily operations: user support, infrastructure management, system reliability, and business continuity. Implementing dozens of technical security controls, documenting policies and procedures, creating a compliant System Security Plan (SSP), managing a Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M), and preparing for a formal CMMC audit is effectively a full-time cybersecurity and compliance role in itself.
Attempting to handle both daily IT operations and a complex federal compliance initiative would have placed enormous strain on the organization and increased the risk of audit failure.
Recognizing the scope of the mandate, Green Contracting’s IT manager engaged SysArc, Inc., a managed service provider and managed security service provider specializing in DoD contractor compliance and CMMC readiness.
Solution
SysArc deployed its proprietary CMMC Readiness OS™, an audit-ready operating framework purpose-built for defense contractors. Developed through nearly a decade of experience helping organizations navigate DFARS and CMMC requirements, the framework delivers a structured, repeatable path to certification.
SysArc guided Green Contracting through a six-phase implementation process:
Discover
SysArc began by meeting with key stakeholders to understand how Green Contracting’s organization operates, how Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) flows through the business, and how users interact with systems.
A comprehensive gap analysis was performed to evaluate existing security controls against NIST SP 800-171 requirements. This analysis identified compliance deficiencies and informed a clearly defined scope of work tailored to Green’s operational realities.
Design
Using the gap analysis findings, SysArc engineered a remediation roadmap and secure architecture aligned with CMMC requirements. This included designing a compliant enclave environment to properly safeguard CUI and reduce risk exposure.
Build
SysArc migrated Green Contracting’s users and data into a secure Microsoft GCC High environment, purpose-built for organizations handling sensitive government information. This migration established the technical foundation required for CMMC compliance while minimizing disruption to daily operations. For more information, see our GCC High Migration Services. This environment was then hardened to meet the controls within NIST 800-171.
Prove
Compliance is not just about implementing controls; it must be documented and defensible.
SysArc developed Green Contracting’s System Security Plan (SSP) and Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M), clearly mapping implemented controls and demonstrating compliance to the C3PAO. This documentation provided the formal evidence required to support certification.
Validate
Before the official assessment, SysArc conducted a mock audit to evaluate readiness and assign a readiness score. This proactive validation ensured there were no surprises on assessment day.
When the formal CMMC assessment occurred, SysArc joined Green Contracting’s team, providing direct support, answering auditor questions, and ensuring that all required artifacts and explanations were readily available.
Sustain
Compliance is not a one-time event. Without ongoing governance, organizations risk “compliance drift.”
Through its managed IT and cybersecurity services, SysArc continuously monitors, maintains, and strengthens Green Contracting’s security posture. This ensures ongoing CMMC alignment while protecting against evolving cyber threats.
Result
Green Contracting successfully met its CMMC requirements and achieved certification, enabling the company to maintain existing DoD contracts and remain eligible for future contract awards.
The impact extended far beyond certification:
- Business Continuity Secured: Green can confidently continue competing for and executing DoD projects.
- Competitive Advantage: Achieving CMMC positions Green Contracting as a security-conscious, trustworthy partner in the defense supply chain.
- IT Leadership Elevated: The IT manager was able to dramatically increase the organization’s cybersecurity maturity without sacrificing daily operational performance. By leveraging SysArc’s expertise, he became the internal champion who modernized the company’s security framework.
- Significant Cost Avoidance: Instead of hiring a full internal cybersecurity and compliance team, Green leveraged SysArc’s specialized expertise, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.
- State-of-the-Art Security: With a secure GCC High environment, documented controls, and ongoing managed security oversight, Green Contracting significantly reduced its exposure to modern cyber threats.
By partnering with SysArc and implementing the CMMC Readiness OS™, Green Contracting not only achieved certification — it strengthened its operational resilience, elevated its market position, and reinforced its commitment to protecting the U.S. defense supply chain.