Ohio is one of the top states in the country for manufacturing output with nearly 14,000 manufacturing firms in the state, contributing 15.7% of the total output nationwide in 2022. Yet, many of these Ohio companies, especially those pursuing Department of Defense contracts, struggle to meet the strict cybersecurity requirements necessary to compete for federal work.
The Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence (CDME) is collaborating with MxD (Manufacturing x Digital) to help small and medium-sized manufacturers navigate the complex process of meeting federal cybersecurity deadlines.
“As of November 2025, CMMC compliance is no longer optional for the Department of Defense or its contractors,” said Vimal Buck, project lead and CDME director of cybersecurity. “It is now a mandatory requirement to compete for the $400 billion in annual DoD contracts. Achieving compliance, however, can be costly. Our tool is designed to simplify the process by providing education, templates and step-by-step guidance. With these resources, users can efficiently prepare the necessary artifacts to demonstrate and achieve conformance.”
The project aims to develop a first-of-its-kind interactive playbook that simplifies the Department of Defense’s Cybersecurity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 Level 2. The tool will guide manufacturers through the certification process step by step, translating dense technical requirements into clear, actionable steps.