Strike Graph, a provider of AI-native compliance management platforms, has released a free, guided Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Self-Assessment and Compliance Toolkit designed to assist U.

S. Department of Defense (DoD) contractors in preparing for the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) Final Rule, which becomes effective on November 10, 2025. This toolkit aims to enable defense contractors to take immediate action toward certification, safeguarding both national security and their eligibility for DoD contracts. The DFARS Final Rule signifies a shift in how cybersecurity requirements are integrated into DoD contracts and subcontracts, mandating that contractors maintain current CMMC status for all information systems handling Federal Contract Information (FCI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Despite this, the DoD contractor community, encompassing over 337,000 unique entities, remains largely unprepared, with many vendors only now beginning to understand their obligations after years of waiting for final rules. Justin Beals, CEO and Founder of Strike Graph, stated, “Compliance shouldn’t be a barrier to those serving our country—it should be a revenue accelerant. For prime and subprime vendors serving the DoD, achieving CMMC compliance isn’t just about checking boxes; it’s about effectively meeting security requirements to build trust with government partners, unlocking opportunities, and positioning their businesses at the front of the line for lucrative contracts.” To support the DoD vendor community during this transition, Strike Graph is offering free access to its guided self-assessment and a complete CMMC compliance platform for 60 days. This initiative provides DoD contractors with full access to Strike Graph’s AI-native CMMC compliance platform, which includes: a Guided CMMC Self-Assessment for identifying compliance gaps and submitting Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS) scores; comprehensive, customizable System Security Plan (SSP) Templates that meet CMMC requirements; Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&M) Tracking for documenting remediation efforts; NIST 800-171 Control Mappings for CMMC Level 2; Evidence Validation and Control Monitoring via Strike Graph’s patent-pending AI-native technology, Verify AI; Real-Time Compliance Dashboards for visual tracking; and Evidence Collection Automation. Contractors unprepared for the DFARS Final Rule risk more than just contract delays; they face potential loss of business, ineligibility for future contracts, and contractual penalties. A 2024 DoD review indicated that 70% of organizations claiming CMMC compliance failed their assessment, largely due to misunderstandings about the scope of CUI. Organizations often underestimate the time required to implement NIST SP 800-171 controls, the foundation of CMMC Level 2 certification, with preparation times ranging from 6 to 18 months or more depending on size and security posture. Compounding this challenge, there are only approximately 250 authorized C3PAO (Certified Third-Party Assessor Organization) companies globally to serve the tens of thousands of companies requiring CMMC Level 2 certification, creating a severe shortage that could prevent timely assessments. The head of Security at Sanmina noted, “Strike Graph gave us the confidence to successfully complete multiple CMMC assessments across our facilities. We’ve used Strike Graph for five CMMC assessments and passed all five. The platform was instrumental in helping us collect, organize, and evaluate over 600 artifacts of evidence per plant—something I can’t imagine doing without Strike Graph. Our C3PAO assessors consistently praised our evidence collection and organization, which directly contributed to our assessment success and positioned us to compete for critical DoD contracts.” While DoD will be required to include CMMC requirements in all solicitations and contracts processing FCI or CUI starting November 10, 2028, a three-year phase-in period begins November 10, 2025, during which the DoD has discretion to include these requirements. Given assessment timelines and C3PAO constraints, contractors are advised to begin their compliance journey immediately. Strike Graph’s free CMMC Self-Assessment is intended to remove initial barriers of cost, complexity, and confusion. Within 60 days, DoD contractors can aim to complete Level 1 or Level 2 self-assessments, generate SPRS scores, inventory systems handling FCI and CUI, create a documented System Security Plan, establish POA&Ms, implement quick-win security controls, build a foundation for ongoing compliance monitoring, and gain visibility into audit readiness. DoD contractors and subcontractors can access Strike Graph’s free 60-day CMMC Self-Assessment and Compliance Toolkit at https://www.strikegraph.com/self-assessments. Additional information about Strike Graph’s CMMC compliance solutions is available at https://www.strikegraph.com/nist-800-171. Founded in 2020 by technologist and serial entrepreneur Justin Beals, Strike Graph is an AI-native compliance management company. The company’s platform transforms governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) through its graph-based architecture, patent-pending agentic evidence validation technology (Verify AI), and dynamic mapping across over 30 compliance frameworks. Built with privacy-first principles, Strike Graph hosts its own AI models to ensure secure and siloed customer data. The company has assisted hundreds of organizations in reducing compliance timelines by more than 86% and achieving 100% clean audit reports.