Prime contractors carry a responsibility that extends beyond their own walls: ensuring their supply chains are ready for CMMC. While many subcontractors continue to struggle with compliance, the risks extend to every contract they touch and every other vendor they work with. Primes that fail to bring suppliers along face the same delays, failed assessments, and potential contract losses as the suppliers themselves when CMMC requirements become mandatory in November.
Jeannette Baker, Senior Mission Assurance Engineer at Northrop Grumman, will share how one of the largest defense contractors in the world is addressing the challenge at CMMC CON 2025. With more than 20 years of experience assessing small business systems, Baker brings a rare perspective on what primes expect, how they’re helping their partners prepare, and why subcontractor compliance is a shared responsibility across the defense industrial base.
Baker and her team have seen the full spectrum of supplier readiness. Some partners are still grappling with basic questions about maturity levels and scope, while others struggle to balance documentation, staffing, and day-to-day business operations with the demands of compliance. Rather than treating assessments as a top-down audit, Northrop Grumman works directly with suppliers to close gaps, provide guidance, and demonstrate that compliance is a business driver tied to national security.
Her conversation with Matt James, CyberSheath’s Vice President of Supply Chain, will highlight what this collaboration looks like in practice. From initial assessments to on-site support and ongoing partnership, Baker will show how primes can reduce complexity, secure sensitive data, and build stronger relationships across the supply chain. It’s a candid look at what’s expected, and what’s possible, when primes and subs treat CMMC as a joint effort.
No contractor can afford to treat compliance as a solo act. Whether you’re a prime responsible for hundreds of subs or a supplier seeking to stay competitive, this session offers practical insight into how to meet requirements and keep business moving.
Register now for CMMC CON 2025 to hear Baker outline how primes are supporting their supply chains, and what every contractor can do today to prepare for certification.