Tennessee · Southeastern US
Tennessee cybersecurity grants for defense contractors
Tennessee's defense footprint spans Arnold Air Force Base (AEDC) near Tullahoma, the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, and the Tennessee National Guard's cyber protection units in Nashville. 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 Tennessee's defense work come from?
Tennessee's defense economy spans flight-test engineering near Tullahoma, nuclear-weapons-complex manufacturing in Oak Ridge, and a statewide National Guard cyber mission based in Nashville, creating significant contracting opportunities, and CMMC obligations, for local businesses.
Tullahoma / Coffee & Franklin Counties
Arnold Air Force Base & the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC)
A roughly 40,000-acre Air Force Materiel Command installation, described by the Air Force as the most advanced and largest complex of flight simulation test facilities in the world, with more than 68 test facilities, including wind tunnels, rocket and turbine engine test cells, environmental chambers, and ballistic ranges, supporting developmental test and evaluation for the Air Force, Navy, Army, Missile Defense Agency, and NASA. Peak on-site personnel has reached roughly 2,700.
Oak Ridge
Y-12 National Security Complex
Operated by Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC under an NNSA contract, Y-12 is described by the Department of Energy as the nation's only source of enriched uranium nuclear weapons components and also supplies enriched uranium for the U.S. Navy, performing materials science, precision manufacturing, and stockpile-related storage.
Nashville
Tennessee National Guard cyber units
Joint Force Headquarters in Nashville is home to Tennessee National Guard cyber defense capability, including the 175th Cyber Protection Team, a Defense Cyber Operations Element, and the 119th Cyber Operations Squadron, which participate in national exercises such as Cyber Shield focused on hardening networks against malware, phishing, and ransomware.
Your local partner
Who is Tennessee's CMMC and manufacturing partner?
The Tennessee Manufacturing Extension Partnership (TMEP), housed within the University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services (UTCIS), part of the UT Institute for Public Service, is Tennessee's sole NIST MEP National Network cooperative-agreement holder. TMEP fields on-site consultants statewide, in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Jackson, and the Tri-Cities.
NIST SP 800-171 & CMMC readiness
TMEP explicitly offers compliance assessments against all 110 NIST SP 800-171 controls, remediation planning and roadmaps, System Security Plan (SSP) and Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M) documentation support, cybersecurity awareness training, and ongoing compliance-maintenance support for DoD contractors and subcontractors.
Statewide reach
With consultants across six metro areas, TMEP is built to work directly with Tennessee manufacturers wherever they are in the state, not just around a single installation.
More resources
What other cybersecurity support can Tennessee businesses use?
Beyond the grant, Tennessee businesses can tap additional support through federally funded, state-administered programs. Tennessee does not currently have a state-appropriated CMMC-specific grant; the programs below are funded by DoD's Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) or the SBA and administered by Tennessee institutions, and they generally use "NIST SP 800-171" rather than "CMMC" branding since that standard underlies CMMC Level 2.
UTCIS Cybersecurity Funding Opportunity
An OLDCC (DoD) grant-funded program administered through UTCIS in Nashville. It provides complimentary DFARS/NIST 800-171 awareness training, a cybersecurity gap assessment with a $525 company cost share, and up to 20 days of remediation technical assistance at a 15% company cost share, aimed at DFARS 252.204-7012/NIST SP 800-171 compliance for small and mid-size Tennessee manufacturers.
TSBDC "DATA ASSURED" Toolkit
Hosted by Middle Tennessee State University and funded via the Tennessee Small Business Development Center's SBA cooperative agreement. Offers a free cybersecurity toolkit, a free one-year subscription to a Cyber Risk Management Platform, and a discounted training marketplace that includes CMMC training alongside HIPAA, PCI, and GDPR courses. It is general cybersecurity resourcing, not a direct grant for CMMC assessment or certification costs.
TMEP compliance assessments
TMEP's own NIST SP 800-171 assessments, SSP/POA&M support, and remediation roadmaps (above) are the most CMMC-specific of Tennessee's available resources today.
The grant
How much does a CMMC gap assessment cost in Tennessee?
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 — Tennessee CMMC grants
Who qualifies for the CMMC gap assessment grant in Tennessee?
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. Tennessee businesses supporting Arnold Air Force Base (AEDC), the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, or the Tennessee National Guard's cyber units are typical candidates.
How much does a CMMC gap assessment cost in Tennessee?
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 Tennessee's MEP center?
The Tennessee Manufacturing Extension Partnership (TMEP) at the University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services (UTCIS) manages the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program for the state of Tennessee. It offers full NIST SP 800-171 compliance assessments across all 110 controls, plus SSP and POA&M documentation support, to Tennessee manufacturers pursuing DoD work.
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 Tennessee 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.