Small Manufacturers Without Resources to Meet DoD Cybersecurity Regulations Risk Revenue Loss
Manex Consulting a member of –The Foundation for Manufacturing Excellence, the educational foundation for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Centers, a public/private partnership program under the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) within the U.S. Department of Commerce focused on assisting U.S. manufacturers located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, announced a host of services and resources for manufacturers seeking to meet the Department of Defense (DoD) minimum cybersecurity requirements. All DoD contractors and subcontractors that process, store or transmit Covered Defense Information (CDI) must meet the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) minimum security requirements. These tools, a combination of free online resources and affordable in-person consulting services with leading cybersecurity experts, are made available through the MEP National Network™.
“Despite a December 31, 2017 deadline to meet the new DoD information technology requirements, many small and medium-sized DoD manufacturing contractors do not have the knowledge or resources to upgrade their information technology systems and are at risk of losing their contracts,” explained John Lloyd, Chairman of The Board, The Foundation for Manufacturing Excellence. “For others, the inability to meet these new security guidelines greatly diminishes their competitive edge.” Manex has these resources available to manufacturers in the Bay Area and Greater Sacramento Region.
Small manufacturers are often seen as an easy entry point into larger supply chains. The MEP National Network’s cybersecurity support program is also available to manufacturers operating in commercial supply chains who want to protect their information assets from the risks of cyber attacks and better manage their organizational risks.
According to Mike Kelly, president of Calienté LLC, one of the leading suppliers of thermal target systems to the U.S. military, “When we began supplying products to the DoD, we didn’t meet cybersecurity requirements for defense contractors and we risked losing a big portion of our business. The Purdue MEP Center, part of the MEP National Network, connected us with leading cybersecurity experts who provided a detailed gap analysis of our protocols and procedures according to DoD requirements and created an action plan to ensure compliance as quickly as possible.”
Added Kelly, “Thanks to the resources of the MEP National Network, we protected one quarter of our business revenue and averted operational losses in money and client goodwill that could have resulted from an information breach.”
The MEP National Network has trusted business advisors across the country committed to finding ways to solve business problems for and with small and medium-sized manufacturers. Further, the network connects manufacturers with third-party cybersecurity experts through the organization’s local MEP Centers.
In addition to consulting services and webinars, the MEP National Network offers the following online resources:
- Cybersecurity Self-Assessment Handbook for Assessing DFARS Security Requirements
- This handbook provides a step-by-step guide to assessing a manufacturer’s information systems against the DFARS security requirements.
- The “Manufacturing Profile” of the Cybersecurity Framework
- A roadmap for reducing cybersecurity risk for manufacturers that is aligned with manufacturing sector goals and industry best practices.
Information Security for Small Business: The Fundamentals
- A report with guidance on how small businesses can provide basic security for their information, systems, and networks. This publication also offers an overview of cybersecurity best practices.
Whether you are a manufacturer implementing a cybersecurity program or a DoD supplier looking to achieve compliance, local members of the MEP National Network are available to provide resources. Contact Manex at 1-877-33MANEX or Michael Shabaka, Ph.D. at 925-807-5101 or mshabaka@manexconsulting.com
About The Foundation for Manufacturing Excellence
The Foundation for Manufacturing Excellence is the educational foundation for NIST-MEP Centers. The primary goal and focus of the Foundation is to assist in providing continuing education to the nationwide system of manufacturing center members.
