NIST 800-171 is a live contract obligation under DFARS 252.204-7012. The pause on CMMC Phase 2 assessments did not change it. Read our analysis →
CUI scoping, gap analysis against all 110 NIST 800-171 controls, full implementation of policies and procedures, and the technical work assessors will evaluate. We work weekly alongside your team from kickoff through assessment-ready, whether the assessor is government-led, a prime's supply chain office, or a C3PAO where a contract still requires one. Built for organizations starting from scratch, and for those with technology already in place.
800-171 Readiness is the engagement most defense contractors come to Stehrling for. It's how you get from your current state, whatever that looks like, to a defensible NIST SP 800-171 posture that stands up to any assessor.
What this engagement rests on does not move with the program news. DFARS 252.204-7012 is in your contracts. NIST SP 800-171 is the standard behind it. Your SPRS score has to be accurate, and an executive at your company signs an annual affirmation that it is. The pause on third-party certification changed who checks and when. It changed none of that. The certificate was paused. The work was not.
The work covers everything an assessor will evaluate. CUI scoping and assessment boundary definition. All 110 NIST 800-171 controls implemented and validated. Documentation written to assessor standards. Technical architecture aligned with the policies that describe it. Evidence collected and organized. Your team trained and ready to answer interview questions.
This is not a checklist exercise. 800-171 Readiness rebuilds your compliance program from the ground up where needed, refines what's already working, and produces an organization that isn't just ready for an assessment but ready to operate under its obligations year after year, whatever shape the verification regime takes.
The technical controls and the program work that governs them, built together so the documentation describes the environment you actually run. How the technical work is done.
Architecture, configuration, and validation of the technical controls assessors evaluate. We design what's needed, recommend what to deploy, and validate what's in place.
The policies, procedures, training, and program work that defines how your organization actually operates under the standard. This is where most compliance programs stall.
800-171 Readiness engagements move through four phases. Each phase has defined deliverables, a clear duration, and a working cadence with your team. The same practitioners stay with you from kickoff to assessment-ready.
The engagement scales to where you actually are. Starting from scratch with no formal program looks different than coming in mid-stream with partial implementation. Both work. The engagement shapes to your situation, not the other way around.
You have technology and operations, but no formal compliance program. No SSP. No documented procedures. No assessment boundary. Engagement runs the full Readiness sequence, building the program from the ground up.
You've started, maybe with an internal team or another firm. Some documentation exists. Some controls are in place. The engagement begins with a focused gap assessment and remediates from there, working with what's already done.
You've been at this for months and aren't making progress. The work has bogged down, the team has lost momentum, or the previous approach hasn't worked. We assess where you actually are and build a path forward from there.
A contract, a prime, or your own affirmation deadline requires demonstrated compliance by a specific date. The engagement compresses to fit your timeline, with focused effort on the controls and evidence that matter most for the requirement in front of you.
Most Readiness clients move into one or both of these engagements. Each one is built to continue the work seamlessly, with the same team you already know.
A full rehearsal of the assessment you will face, whether from DIBCAC, a prime, or a C3PAO, conducted by our CCAs and CCPs. Every control reviewed, every piece of evidence checked, every interview rehearsed. We tell you what an assessor will find before the assessor does.
Learn about Mock AssessmentOngoing program ownership after Readiness. Quarterly SSP reviews, POA&M management, regulatory monitoring, and support for the annual affirmation your leadership signs. The work that keeps your posture defensible year over year, whatever the verification regime becomes.
Learn about Continuous ComplianceTalk to a practitioner directly. We'll tell you exactly where you stand, what your situation actually requires, and whether Readiness is the right starting point. Expect a reply within one business day.
Talk to a Practitioner → Book a 20-minute call
An independent firm building NIST 800-171 compliance programs and AI governance for defense contractors and the DIB.