Security Technology Solutions
Government Contractors and Public Services
Organizations working with federal, state, or local governments, or within the public sector, handle vast amounts of sensitive government data, including Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of citizens, and critical infrastructure data. Compliance with government-mandated cybersecurity frameworks is not merely a best practice; it is a prerequisite for securing and maintaining contracts and protecting national security.
Key Regulations For Government/Public Sector
NIST SP 800-171 (Protecting CUI in Nonfederal Systems and Organizations):
This is a critical foundation. It specifies security requirements for non-federal information systems and organizations that process, store, or transmit Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Mandatory for most DoD and federal contractors.
FISMA (Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014):
Mandates cybersecurity requirements for federal agencies and their information systems. Government contractors often fall under agency FISMA requirements if they operate or maintain federal information systems. It relies heavily on NIST publications like SP 800-53 for security controls.
ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) / EAR (Export Administration Regulations):
Relevant for contractors involved in defense manufacturing or technology transfer, these govern the export of sensitive controlled information and require robust cybersecurity to prevent unauthorized disclosure.
CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification):
The Department of Defense's tiered certification program. It builds upon NIST 800-171 and will be a contractual requirement for all DoD contractors handling CUI. It mandates third-party assessments to verify a contractor's cybersecurity maturity level.
FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program):
A government-wide program that standardizes security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services used by federal agencies. If you're a cloud service provider (CSP) looking to serve the federal government, FedRAMP authorization is mandatory.
State & Local Government Regulations:
Many states and municipalities have their own specific cybersecurity mandates for contractors and public sector entities, often mirroring federal frameworks like NIST CSF but with unique reporting or control requirements. Examples include state-specific data privacy acts for citizen PII.
DFARS (Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement) Clauses (e.g., 252.204-7012, 7019, 7020, 7021):
These contract clauses directly implement NIST 800-171 and CMMC requirements for DoD contractors, including mandates for cyber incident reporting within 72 hours and access for DoD forensics.
FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation) Clauses (e.g., 52.204-21):
The "basic" FAR clause that applies to federal contracts and subcontractors when Federal Contract Information (FCI) resides in or transits through their information systems, requiring basic safeguarding of FCI.
Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022 (CIRCIA):
Requires critical infrastructure entities (which can include many government contractors or public sector entities operating critical systems) to report covered cyber incidents and ransomware payments to CISA.
Our Solutions for Government / Public Sector
Security Technology Solutions specializes in guiding government contractors and public sector entities through the complex landscape of federal and state cybersecurity mandates.
• Security Posture Assessments & Gap Analysis: We perform in-depth assessments against NIST SP 800-171, CMMC, and FISMA requirements, identifying critical gaps in your systems that handle CUI and other sensitive government data, providing a clear path to compliance and contract readiness.
• Regulatory Compliance & Governance Consulting: Our experts provide comprehensive guidance on CMMC certification readiness, NIST 800-171 implementation, FISMA, and FedRAMP requirements, assisting with policy development, System Security Plan (SSP) creation, and audit preparation to secure government contracts.
• Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) & Risk Analysis: We help identify and mitigate risks to government data, critical infrastructure information, and public services, aligning your cybersecurity efforts with federal risk management frameworks (e.g., NIST RMF).
• Incident Response Planning & Advisory: We develop and test robust incident response plans that meet stringent government reporting requirements (e.g., 72-hour reporting for CUI incidents under DFARS), ensuring rapid containment, recovery, and minimal disruption to government operations.
• Security Strategy & Roadmap Development: We assist in developing a long-term cybersecurity strategy aligned with federal agency requirements, ensuring your security investments support continuous monitoring and evolving government mandates.
• Security Awareness Training & Education Program Design: Customized training for government contractors and public sector employees focuses on the specific threats to government data, proper handling of CUI, phishing awareness, and adherence to security policies critical for compliance.
• Vendor Risk Management (Third-Party Risk Advisory): Essential for multi-tier supply chains in government contracting, we help assess and manage the cybersecurity posture of subcontractors and cloud service providers to ensure their compliance doesn't jeopardize your prime contracts (e.g., CMMC flow-down requirements).
• Data Privacy Consulting: We provide specialized guidance on protecting PII handled for government services and citizens, ensuring compliance with federal privacy laws and secure data lifecycle management.