Fedstack CMMC Win Signals New Era for DoD Contractor Cybersecurity

WASHINGTON, DC – May 04, 2026 – Fedstack, the federal services division of Smoothstack, Inc., announced today it has achieved Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 2, a milestone that places it at the forefront of a seismic shift in the defense contracting landscape. While the certification validates the company’s own data security, its true significance lies in what it represents for the entire Defense Industrial Base (DIB): the era of cybersecurity as a mere suggestion is definitively over, replaced by a mandatory and verifiable standard of digital defense.

This achievement comes just months after the CMMC 2.0 final rule became effective in November 2025, transforming years of planning into a concrete requirement for the tens of thousands of companies that do business with the Department of Defense (DoD). For Fedstack, a company specializing in federal workforce development, the certification is a critical enabler. For the rest of the industry, it's a loud and clear signal of the new, non-negotiable cost of entry.

The New Digital Gatekeeper for Defense Contracts

The CMMC framework was developed by the DoD to stem the tide of intellectual property and sensitive data theft from its vast network of contractors. CMMC 2.0 streamlines the original model into three tiers, with Level 2 becoming the pivotal standard for any organization that handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)—sensitive but non-classified data that is a frequent target for cyber adversaries.

Achieving Level 2 is no simple feat. It requires a company to successfully implement all 110 security controls from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-171. More importantly, it largely ends the era of self-attestation, where companies could simply declare their compliance. For most Level 2 contracts, companies must now undergo a rigorous audit by a Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) to prove their systems and processes are secure. This shift to third-party verification is the core of CMMC's power, turning cybersecurity from a checklist into an enforceable and audited reality.

As the DoD's phased rollout continues, CMMC requirements are increasingly appearing in new solicitations. Companies without the proper certification are finding themselves unable to bid on new work or even maintain existing contracts. This has created a frantic race toward compliance among an estimated 80,000 DIB companies, many of whom are small and medium-sized businesses struggling with the cost and complexity of implementation.

A Competitive Edge in a High-Stakes Environment

For early adopters like Fedstack, this challenging environment presents a significant competitive advantage. By achieving Level 2 certification now, the company not only ensures its eligibility for future DoD contracts but also positions itself as a trusted and reliable partner for federal agencies and prime contractors who are now scrambling to secure their supply chains.

"Achieving CMMC Level 2 reflects the strength of our program and our commitment to the customers we support," said Chris Coligado, EVP at Fedstack, in the company's announcement. "This certification ensures we can continue delivering secure, compliant workforce solutions that meet the evolving requirements of DoD programs and the broader Federal landscape."

Fedstack's approach, as outlined by the company, is to integrate compliance directly into its operating model. This contrasts sharply with traditional providers who may treat cybersecurity as a separate IT function or an afterthought. By embedding security into the very systems that deliver and support their technical workforce, Fedstack argues it can place talent into high-trust government environments with a higher degree of assurance.

This integrated model is particularly compelling in the CMMC era. Prime contractors are not just looking for subcontractors with a certificate; they are looking for partners who can demonstrably reduce the overall security risk of a project. A workforce provider that has built its entire operational framework around the 110 NIST controls offers a level of security that is fundamentally more robust than one that simply bolts on security measures after the fact.

The Ripple Effect Across the Defense Supply Chain

The pressure to comply is not just coming from the Pentagon. Prime contractors, facing their own CMMC obligations, are aggressively pushing these requirements down to their subcontractors. This "flowdown" effect means that even small businesses far down the supply chain are being forced to invest in cybersecurity or risk being cut off. This has created a bifurcated market: one for the CMMC-compliant, and one for those left behind.

This dynamic makes Fedstack's certification a powerful marketing tool. It allows them to approach prime contractors not just as a provider of talent, but as a pre-vetted, low-risk partner that strengthens the prime's own compliance posture. As CMMC 2.0 becomes a universal requirement for all applicable contracts by 2028, the value of this early certification will only grow.

"Security is not an add-on for us. It is embedded in how we operate," stated Kevin Bierschenk, SVP of Client Solutions at Fedstack. "This certification reinforces our ability to deliver talent into high-trust environments with the rigor those missions demand."

This statement underscores the strategic importance of building security into the core business model. For the thousands of DIB companies still navigating the path to compliance, the process is a significant drain on resources, with certification costs running from tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars. They face the dual challenge of implementing complex technical controls while also creating the extensive documentation required to pass a C3PAO audit. Fedstack's success demonstrates that while the path is difficult, it is achievable and positions a company for long-term success in the newly secured federal marketplace.