Which MINIMUM Level of certification must a contractor successfully achieve to receive a contract award...

1. Understanding CMMC 2.0 Levels and CUI Handling RequirementsUnderCMMC 2.0, contractors handlingControlled Unclassified Information (CUI)must meet aminimumcertification level to be eligible for contract awards involving CUI.

Level 1 (Foundational) – 17 Practices

Covers onlyFederal Contract Information (FCI)security.

Does NOT meet CUI handling requirements.

Level 2 (Advanced) – 110 Practices✅

REQUIRED for handling CUI.

Aligns withNIST SP 800-171, which establishes security controls for protecting CUI.

Contractorsmust achieve Level 2for contracts requiring CUI protection.

Level 3 (Expert) – 110+ Practices

Required for contracts involvinghigh-value CUIandcritical national security information.

Includesadditionalprotections fromNIST SP 800-172.

CMMC 2.0 Levels:

TheCMMC 2.0 Model Overviewclearly states that Level 2 is required for contractorshandling CUI.

DFARS 252.204-7012mandates that contractors protecting CUI must implementNIST SP 800-171, which is thefoundation of CMMC Level 2.

TheDoD’s CMMC Assessment Guidefor Level 2 specifies thatorganizations handling CUI must demonstrate full implementation of 110 practices from NIST SP 800-171to qualify for contract awards.

2. Official CMMC 2.0 References Confirming Level 2 for CUI

A. Level 1❌

Only covers FCI, not CUI.

Does notmeet DoD requirements for protectingCUI.

C. Level 3❌

While Level 3 offersadditional protectionsfor high-risk CUI, it isnot the minimumrequirement.

Level 2 is the minimumneeded to handle CUI.

D. Any level❌

OnlyLevel 2 and higherare eligible for contracts requiring CUI protection.

Level 1 doesnotmeet CUI security standards.

3. Why the Other Options Are Incorrect