Kansas · Central US
Kansas cybersecurity grants for defense contractors
Kansas pairs one of the Army's largest maneuver installations, Fort Riley, with an air-refueling wing at McConnell Air Force Base and a nationally concentrated aerospace manufacturing base around Wichita. If you hold or pursue DoD work, a CMMC gap assessment shows exactly where you stand, and the Cyber Grants Alliance grant can cover it.
CMMC Phase 2 status: under DoD review. DoD suspended the CMMC Phase 2 third-party certification requirement in July 2026 pending a program review. Phase 1 self-assessment against NIST SP 800-171 remains mandatory now, and self-certified compliance carries more liability with third-party verification on hold.
Why it matters here
Where does Kansas's defense work come from?
Kansas's defense and national-security economy runs from Fort Riley's Army maneuver mission in the Flint Hills to McConnell Air Force Base's air-refueling wing in Wichita, alongside a Wichita-area aerospace manufacturing cluster the Department of Defense has designated a Defense Manufacturing Community, creating significant contracting opportunities, and CMMC obligations, for local businesses.
Junction City / Manhattan
Fort Riley
Home of the Army's 1st Infantry Division, "The Big Red One," spanning roughly 101,000 acres in the Flint Hills and supporting a community of more than 67,000 active-duty members, families, civilian employees, retirees, and veterans.
Wichita
McConnell Air Force Base
Home to the 22nd Air Refueling Wing, which flies the KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-46 Pegasus for global air-refueling and airlift missions, alongside the Air Force Reserve's 931st Air Refueling Group and the Kansas Air National Guard's 184th Wing.
Wichita region
Aerospace & defense manufacturing cluster
Aerospace and defense employed more than 65,000 Kansans in 2021 across companies including Spirit AeroSystems, Textron Aviation, and Bombardier Learjet, generating over $24 billion in economic output; the region's aerospace manufacturing employment concentration is the highest in the nation.
Your local partner
Who is Kansas's CMMC and manufacturing partner?
Kansas Manufacturing Solutions (KMS), based in Lenexa, is the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership center for Kansas and the only federally supported MEP center in the state. Operating since 1991 (formerly known as MAMTC), KMS provides consulting services to more than 2,700 Kansas manufacturers on supply chain, technology acceleration, workforce development, and process improvement.
Cybersecurity & compliance readiness
KMS offers cybersecurity compliance services, including support for NIST 800-171 and DFARS requirements that underpin CMMC Level 2 readiness for defense manufacturers.
Federal contracting support
KMS works alongside the Kansas APEX Accelerator (formerly the Kansas PTAC), which is funded in part through a DoD cooperative agreement and has helped businesses secure more than $1 billion in government contract awards.
More resources
What other cybersecurity support can Kansas businesses use?
Beyond the grant, Kansas businesses can tap additional support through state programs and federal resources.
Kansas Department of Commerce
Supports cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and aerospace as priority industries for recruitment and development, and has backed initiatives such as the Heartland Cyber Range workforce-development effort.
CISA Region 7
Serves Kansas through CISA's Kansas City regional office, providing no-cost cybersecurity advisories and incident-response support.
Kansas APEX Accelerator
Formerly the Kansas PTAC and hosted by Wichita State University, this DoD-funded program provides free help with SAM.gov registration, bid matching, and preparing for federal cybersecurity requirements from offices across the state.
The grant
How much does a CMMC gap assessment cost in Kansas?
Through the CMMC gap assessment grant, it is a $5,000 in-kind award, no cash changes hands. You receive the assessment itself, delivered by a certified partner. 100 grants are available.
Confirm you qualify
Open to U.S. defense contractors and manufacturers in the supply chain that hold or pursue DoD contracts and have not yet completed a CMMC assessment.
Get assessed against NIST 800-171
A certified partner reviews your current controls and produces a scored gap report showing what stands between you and CMMC Level 2.
Leave with a remediation plan
You receive a prioritized action list and the resources that can fund the fixes, so compliance becomes a budget line, not a guess.
Questions
Frequently asked questions — Kansas CMMC grants
Who qualifies for the CMMC gap assessment grant in Kansas?
The grant is open to U.S. defense contractors and manufacturers in the DoD supply chain that hold or are pursuing DoD contracts and have not yet completed a CMMC assessment. Kansas businesses supporting Fort Riley, McConnell Air Force Base, or the state's aerospace and defense manufacturing supply chain are typical candidates.
How much does a CMMC gap assessment cost in Kansas?
Through the Cyber Grants Alliance program, the assessment is delivered as a $5,000 in-kind grant, no cash award. You receive the assessment itself from a certified partner. 100 grants are available.
What is Kansas's MEP center?
Kansas Manufacturing Solutions (KMS), based in Lenexa, is Kansas's NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership center and the only federally supported MEP center in the state. It provides cybersecurity compliance support, including NIST 800-171 and DFARS readiness, alongside supply chain and process improvement services for Kansas manufacturers.
Is CMMC Level 2 enforcement still happening on November 10, 2026?
No. DoD suspended the CMMC Phase 2 third-party (C3PAO) certification requirement on July 13, 2026, pending a program review, so there is no confirmed enforcement date at this time. Phase 1 self-assessment against all 110 NIST SP 800-171 controls remains mandatory now, and self-certified SPRS scores carry more liability while third-party verification is paused. A gap assessment is still the essential first step.
Do subcontractors in Kansas need CMMC?
If your contract or a prime's contract involves Controlled Unclassified Information, CMMC requirements generally flow down to subcontractors that handle that information. A gap assessment is the fastest way to confirm what applies to you.
Ready when you are
Apply for your CMMC gap assessment grant
100 in-kind awards, $5,000 each. Confirm eligibility and submit in minutes.