DESE Research Achieves CMMC Level 2 Certification

DESE is proud to announce a major milestone in our ongoing commitment to protecting sensitive information and supporting the defense community: we are now officially CMMC Level 2 certified—earning a flawless 110 out of 100 on the very first attempt!

This achievement reflects DESE's rigorous implementation of the NIST SP 800-171 cybersecurity controls and successful completion of a third-party assessment by the DoW-accredited A-LIGN (C3PAO) on March 27, 2026, resulting in a final (non-conditional) certification.

Earning CMMC Level 2 demonstrates that DESE meets the Department of War's enhanced requirements for safeguarding Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). It reinforces our long-standing commitment to security, reliability, and excellence across every program we support.

We extend our appreciation to everyone across the organization who contributed—particularly our IT and HR departments—to the extensive preparation, documentation, and validation efforts that made this certification possible. Your diligence and dedication strengthen our reputation and enhance partners' trust in DESE.

This is a significant accomplishment—and just one more step forward as DESE continues to advance, secure, and innovate.