Mostly Compliant

Welcome to another episode of Mostly Compliant, hosted by Matt Bruggeman, Director of Federal GTM at A-LIGN.

In this episode, Matt sits down with Michael Brooks, Lead CMMC Assessor at A-LIGN, to break down the CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) for Level 2 certification. Together, they explore the CAP’s purpose, its four key phases, and why Phase 1 — the pre-assessment — is essential for ensuring readiness.

The conversation dives into the importance of system security plans (SSPs), scoping, and evidence preparation, while also addressing common misconceptions about Phase 1 and how it differs from a mock audit. Michael shares expert advice on navigating the process, avoiding pitfalls, and setting your organization up for success in the formal assessment.

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About Mostly Compliant: Hosted by Matt Bruggeman, Director of Federal GTM at A-LIGN, Mostly Compliant is a cybersecurity podcast that brings together experts from across the federal compliance landscape to discuss CMMC, FedRAMP, and other key topics shaping the industry.

Welcome to another episode of Mostly Compliant, hosted by Matt Bruggeman, Director of Federal GTM at A-LIGN.

In this episode, Matt is joined by Jacob Horne, Chief Security Evangelist at Summit 7 and a leading expert in cybersecurity compliance for the Aerospace and Defense industry. Together, they explore the challenges contractors face as CMMC becomes enforceable, including the risks of last-minute preparation, misconceptions about self-assessments, and the critical role of procurement timelines. Matt and Jacob also discuss the overconfidence many organizations have in their compliance status and the importance of acting now to avoid costly missteps.

In this episode, Matt sits down with Kevin Jans, a former contract officer and the founder and CEO of Skyway Acquisitions, a consulting organization made up of former contract officers dedicated to bridging the gap between contractors and government buyers. Together, they dive into the role of contract officers in the CMMC ecosystem, exploring their influence on requiring CMMC clauses in contracts, the number of bids needed to award new contracts, and the significant competitive advantage organizations can gain by achieving CMMC certification early.

Welcome to the first episode of Mostly Compliant, hosted by Matt Bruggeman, Director of Federal GTM at A-LIGN.

On today's episode, we’re joined by the Director of Sales Engagement at Summit 7, Daniel Akridge. Matt and Daniel discuss the overall strategy of CMMC Level 2 compliance, explaining the distinction between technical and non-technical requirements, how Microsoft solutions can help with technical challenges, and the critical role of outside experts in the process.