Mississippi · Gulf Coast & Southern US
Mississippi cybersecurity grants for defense contractors
Mississippi's defense and shipbuilding footprint runs from Ingalls Shipbuilding's warship production on the Gulf Coast to Navy pilot training at NAS Meridian, Air Force pilot training at Columbus AFB, and the Atlantic Fleet Seabees at Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport. 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.
- ~11,000Ingalls Shipbuilding employees
- 4,500+Seabees at NCBC Gulfport
- 100Grants available
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 Mississippi's defense work come from?
Mississippi's defense economy centers on Gulf Coast shipbuilding for the Navy, alongside Air Force and Navy training missions and a major Seabee construction base, creating significant contracting opportunities, and CMMC obligations, for local businesses.
Pascagoula
Ingalls Shipbuilding
Part of Huntington Ingalls Industries, this 800-acre shipyard is Mississippi's largest private employer with roughly 11,000 workers, producing nearly 70 percent of the Navy's surface fleet of warships, plus U.S. Coast Guard and Marine Corps vessels.
Meridian
Naval Air Station Meridian
One of the Navy's two jet strike pilot training bases, supporting aviation and technical training under Training Air Wing One.
Columbus
Columbus Air Force Base
Home to the 14th Flying Training Wing, which runs a 52-week Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training program for U.S. Air Force and allied officers.
Gulfport
Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport
A 1,100-acre installation and home base for the Atlantic Fleet Seabees, with more than 4,500 Navy Seabees and over 10,000 people working on base daily.
Your local partner
Who is Mississippi's CMMC and manufacturing partner?
MMA-MEP is Mississippi's Manufacturing Extension Partnership center, a non-profit division of the Mississippi Manufacturers Association and one of 51 state MEP Centers funded by NIST. It is delivered through community college and university-based centers, including Mississippi State University's Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, Itawamba Community College, Northeast Mississippi Community College, Pearl River Community College, and the Mississippi Polymer Institute at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Growth & quality-systems services
MMA-MEP provides growth services, lean optimization, quality systems, industrial engineering, and workforce solutions to small and mid-sized Mississippi manufacturers statewide.
Federal contracting support
MMA-MEP works alongside the Mississippi APEX Accelerator (formerly the Mississippi PTAC), which is partly funded through a DoD Office of Small Business Programs cooperative agreement and hosted under the Mississippi Development Authority.
More resources
What other cybersecurity support can Mississippi businesses use?
Beyond the grant, Mississippi businesses can tap additional support through state programs and federal resources.
Mississippi APEX Accelerator
Formerly the Mississippi PTAC, this Mississippi Development Authority program helps businesses navigate government contracting and facilitate cybersecurity compliance, with regional centers in Gulfport, Columbus, Cleveland, Meridian, and Jackson, plus satellite offices in Tupelo and Hattiesburg.
Made Safe in Mississippi
A cybersecurity training initiative from the Mississippi SBDC Network, delivered in partnership with Cyber Wyoming, that equips business advisers and small manufacturers with tools to identify and secure vulnerabilities in manufacturing systems and supply chains.
Mississippi Office of Homeland Security
Administers the federal State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) for Mississippi jurisdictions, funding statewide risk and vulnerability assessments with an emphasis on rural areas.
The grant
How much does a CMMC gap assessment cost in Mississippi?
Through the CMMC gap assessment grant, it is an in-kind award. 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 identifies the gaps that stand between you and CMMC Level 2.
Leave knowing where you stand
You receive a prioritized list of your compliance gaps by severity, so you know what to fix first.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: Mississippi CMMC grants
Who qualifies for the CMMC gap assessment grant in Mississippi?
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. Mississippi businesses supporting Ingalls Shipbuilding, Naval Air Station Meridian, Columbus Air Force Base, or Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport are typical candidates.
How much does a CMMC gap assessment cost in Mississippi?
Through the Cyber Grants Alliance program, the assessment is delivered as an in-kind grant. You receive the assessment itself from a certified partner. 100 grants are available.
What is Mississippi's MEP center?
MMA-MEP, a division of the Mississippi Manufacturers Association, is Mississippi's Manufacturing Extension Partnership center, a NIST MEP affiliate delivered through community college and university-based centers including Mississippi State University's Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, Itawamba Community College, Northeast Mississippi Community College, Pearl River Community College, and the Mississippi Polymer Institute at the University of Southern Mississippi. It provides growth, quality-systems, and workforce services to Mississippi 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 Mississippi 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. Confirm eligibility and submit in minutes.
Or email info@cybergrantsalliance.org or call +1 (888) 323-9991