DFARS Compliance for small business

DFARS stands for Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement. Despite its best intentions, the acronym doesn’t give the layman much of a hint to its actual purpose. In simpler terms, the DFARS compliance is a security standard set by the forth by the Department of Defense (DOD).

Any small business or entity that holds Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) is required to meet the DFARS minimum security standards or runs the risk of losing all of their DOD contracts. This supplement regulation summary comes from NIST. A complete breakdown of cybersecurity requirements and step-by-step guide is available for even small business. DFARS compliance for small business are closely related with NIST 800-171 but have separate requirements that must be met in order to maintain DOD contracts.

Preparation for DFARS Compliance for small business

DFARS compliance guidelines, requires strategic effort to make sure that contractor is prepared for the compliance. Below are essential steps that a government contractor should take for the DFARS compliance for small business.

  • Update your Compliance program
  • Identify CUI and CDI data
  • Plan Risk and Security System Assessments
  • Research File Sharing Solutions
  • Monitor Your Data

5 steps to DFARS Compliance for small business

While there aren’t many steps to reach DFARS compliance for small business, each one may be somewhat involved. Be prepared to take your time so you can gain all the advantages of a DOD contract.

  1. Know if you need to be compliant – Obviously, if you don’t need be DFARS compliance for small business, there is no need to put in the effort. However, if you want to earn any additional income for your business though DOD contracts, then contractor will need to ensure compliance. All small businesses that earned any money through the Department of Defense are expected to be DFARS-compliant.
  2. Fill out the Cybersecurity Questionnaire – Check with the DOD to get a cybersecurity questionnaire. This will help them see that you are in a position to protect any sensitive information you may come into contact with. However, this questionnaire alone is not enough to prove DFARS compliance for small business.
  3. Conduct a self-assessment – There are 110 controls you need to use to assess your company for compliance. Check each one to ensure your company is prepared to be compliant.
  4. Develop a system security plan – The other part of proving your compliance with the DOD is creating a system security plan (SSP). This plan show the exact steps you are already using and will be using to become DFARS-compliant.
  5. Being implementing security plan – Once contractor have the plan that is needed to be immediately implement it. Once it’s fully in place, contactor can show how it’s working to the DOD to get contract with them. Contractor may also need to go back and do another self-assessment done to show that SSP is working as it should be.

Important clauses of DFARS Compliance for small business

You must have to comply with one or more of the following clauses on the base of the nature of your DOD contract. Here are the key clauses of the DFARS regulation: -

  • DFARS 252.204-7008
  • DFARS 252.204-7009
  • DFARS 252.204-7012

The DFARS services provider will help you to fulfill these clauses and help you to acquire a DOD contract. You must have to consult experienced DFARS services provider for staying secure and acquiring a sure contract.