We're just 35 days away from the start of CMMC phase 1.
Have questions?
We've been streaming live every Friday for over a year.
Come hang out!

Every week we sit down to answer as many questions as possible in an hour.
And we do it live!
I used to think an hour was too long, but with nearly 100 live viewers every week we can barely get through everything.
See you there!

Some of the most interesting questions are the ones that don't get asked.
Lots of people assume they will be allowed to self-assess CMMC level 2 during phase 1 of the roll-out.
First, DoD policy has a caveat to phase 1 so big you could drive a truck through it - level 2 certifications will absolutely be required.
Second, according to the final rule estimate, only 2% of defense contractors would qualify for a level 2 self-assessment.
With such a large policy gap and such a small % chance, where is the confidence in self-assessments coming from?
Tune in Fridays at 10am PST and we'll try to figure it out together.

Here we are nearly a year later at live episode no. 50!
And the Summit 7 YouTube channel recently crossed 60,000 subscribers!
Our audience has collectively spent over 15,000 hours watching our CUI Hotline livestreams alone.
We absolutely love interacting with everyone each week.
Here's to 50 more!

We're coming up on our 50th CMMC Q&A livestream.
First, we never get tired of answering questions.
Second, it's amazing how often the same questions come up.
It's also amazing how often new questions come up about old information.
For example, the most recent DFARS class deviation simply reinforces CMMC policy guidance that went into effect in December 2024:
The CMMC phased roll-out begins on the effective date of the 48 CFR CMMC final rule - NOT on October 1st.
We won't know the effective date until the 48 CFR CMMC final rule is published in the federal register (which could be literally any day now).
We've been sitting down answering questions live every week for nearly a year and we don't plan to stop any time soon.

CUI HOTLINE - EMERGENCY EDITION
ICYMI: The 48 CFR CMMC final rule is out.
CMMC Phase 1 begins November 10th, 2025.
Today, 9/9/25, the 48 CFR CMMC final rule is out for public inspection.
Tomorrow, 9/10/25, the rule will be officially published in the Federal Register.
60 days later, 11/10/25, the rule officially goes into effect.
From that day forward, all new DoD solicitations and contracts will include some level of CMMC requirement as a condition of contract award.
Join us today for our instant reaction episode!

Not every question has an answer.
For example: Will CMMC Phase 1 include Level 2 certification assessments?
A lot of people have convinced themselves that Phase 1 will only include self-assessments.
We've read the relevant policies roughly 3,185 times and that's not what they say.
The real question is how to strategize and operate your business under uncertainty.
We sit down every week to try and help with that problem - even if there isn't a black and white answer.

The most confusing part about CMMC is where people get their wacky ideas from.
It is incredibly unlikely that CMMC will be required on October 1st.
It is incredibly likely it will start being required in Q4.
Not every contract will require certification in the first 12 months.
But it's more likely than not that you'll be asked for certification during that same time period.
Want straight answers with citations?
We host a Q&A livestream every Friday at 10am PST.
Check it out.