Louisiana Cybersecurity Grants for Small Business and Defense Contractors

Barksdale AFB Air Force Base

NASA Michoud Space Program Facility

Port of NO Major Maritime Port

Louisiana defense contractors and small businesses have multiple pathways to strengthen their cybersecurity posture through grants, state programs, and federal resources. With the CMMC Phase 2 certification requirement on hold pending DoD's program review, now is the time to understand what support is available and how to access it.

Louisiana Defense Infrastructure and Cybersecurity Landscape

Louisiana defense contractors and small manufacturers face a distinct cybersecurity landscape shaped by the state critical infrastructure footprint. The combination of energy sector assets, maritime operations, and defense installations creates specialized cybersecurity requirements.

• Barksdale Air Force Base (Bossier City): Headquarters for the 8th Air Force, part of Air Force Global Strike Command. Hosts significant cyber operations capabilities and generates contracting in communications and cybersecurity.
• NASA Michoud Assembly Facility (New Orleans): NASA primary manufacturing facility for Space Launch System rockets and Orion spacecraft. High-technology manufacturing with strict cybersecurity requirements.
• Fort Polk/Kincaid: Army installation focused on training and readiness. Contracts in logistics, construction, and professional support services.
• Port of New Orleans: Critical maritime infrastructure handling massive volumes of petroleum, agricultural commodities, and manufactured goods. Cybersecurity requirements for logistics providers.

Louisiana MEP Center: MEPOL

MEPOL (Louisiana Manufacturing Outreach Corp), located in Baton Rouge, serves as Louisiana Manufacturing Extension Partnership center. MEPOL provides specialized assistance to manufacturers pursuing defense contracting and CMMC compliance.

• Website: mfrx.org
• Cybersecurity Consulting: MEPOL connects Louisiana manufacturers with certified assessors and remediation support.
• Defense Contracting Support: MEPOL helps businesses with supplier registration, capability statements, and prime contractor outreach.
• NASA Space Program Support: MEPOL has specialized experience supporting contractors working on NASA programs at Michoud.

NASA Space Program and Maritime Cybersecurity

Louisiana businesses supporting NASA space programs and maritime operations face unique cybersecurity challenges requiring specialized compliance approaches.

• CISA Region 6: CISA's regional office provides cybersecurity support to Louisiana organizations through vulnerability scanning, threat intelligence, and incident response.
• Energy Sector: Louisiana processes 18% of U.S. crude oil and 24% of LNG production. Contractors in petrochemical operations increasingly encounter CUI in their work.
• Maritime Cybersecurity: Digital systems managing port logistics require cybersecurity programs aligned with defense contracting standards.

CMMC Compliance: What Louisiana Defense Contractors Need to Know

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program requires defense contractors to meet specific cybersecurity standards before winning contracts that involve Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).

• NIST SP 800-171: The foundation of CMMC Level 2. Covers 110 security controls across 14 domains including Access Control, Audit and Accountability, Risk Assessment, and Incident Response.
• Gap Assessment: A professional gap assessment identifies exactly which controls your organization does not yet meet and ranks them by severity. This is the critical first step before remediation.
• CGA Grant: The CGA CMMC Gap Assessment Grant provides an in-kind professional assessment at no cost to eligible contractors. Apply now.

CGA National CMMC Gap Assessment Grant

Cyber Grants Alliance (CGA) has 73 of its 100 in-kind grants remaining to help defense contractors and manufacturers complete a professional CMMC gap assessment.

• What You Get: A professional gap assessment against all 110 NIST SP 800-171 controls, conducted by certified CMMC assessors. You receive a prioritized list of your compliance gaps by severity.
• What It Costs: Nothing. The assessment is provided at no cost to you through the CGA grant program, sponsored by Capital Cyber Compliance.
• How to Apply: Complete the online application. Grants are awarded on a rolling basis until all 100 are distributed.

How to Get Started

Taking the first step toward CMMC compliance starts with understanding where your organization stands.

• Step 1: Complete the CGA Grant Application at cybergrantsalliance.org/cmmc-level-2-gap-assessment-grant. Applications take under 10 minutes.
• Step 2: If approved, you will be connected with an independent certified assessor who will coordinate your assessment timeline with you.
• Step 3: Review your prioritized gap list and decide what to fix first. Remediation and implementation help is available separately from Capital Cyber Compliance.
• Step 4: Once remediation is complete, post your self-assessment score in SPRS, and plan for a C3PAO assessment if your contracts require one.

Ready to Start Your CMMC Journey?

Apply for the CGA National CMMC Gap Assessment Grant. 73 of our 100 in-kind grants remain.

Apply for the Grant →

This post is for informational purposes only. Cyber Grants Alliance is a nonprofit providing grant access. Capital Cyber Compliance sponsors the CMMC gap assessment grants and provides professional assessment services.