A Complete CMMC Enablement Framework for Research Institutions

Our client, an R1 private research university, needed to achieve CMMC and NIST SP 800-171 compliance to access federal funding, while keeping researchers productive in modern, collaborative cloud environments. To address this, Relevance Lab implemented a pre-integrated platform and services framework, delivered in partnership with AWS, combining secure cloud architecture, automated compliance, and expert advisory.

Friction Points

• Lengthy Compliance Timelines: Traditional CMMC and NIST 800-171 compliance initiatives took months or years to complete.
• Complex Certification Documentation: Producing audit-ready SSPs, POA&Ms, and security policies was time-consuming.
• Researcher Friction: Researchers had to navigate complex IT processes to access secure environments.
• Ongoing Compliance Demands: Maintaining compliance required continuous operations, not just one-time setup.

Solution

• Secure Cloud Foundation: Deployed a governed, multi-account AWS environment using the Landing Zone Accelerator on AWS.
• Universal Compliance Framework: Mapped CMMC and NIST 800-171 controls to infrastructure with policy-as-code and continuous monitoring.
• Research Gateway Self-Service Portal: Enabled researchers to provision secure environments without navigating complex IT processes.
• CMMC Process Repository & Advisory: Provided pre-built compliance documentation plus expert guidance from CMMC audit specialists.
• Managed Plan-Build-Run Services: Delivered ongoing governance, deployment, and monitoring to sustain compliance long term.

Impact

• Faster Certification Readiness: Replaced multi-year consulting engagements with a bundled, accelerated compliance platform.
• Lower Costs, Simplified Operations: Reduced compliance implementation and management costs through pre-built architectures.
• Continuous Audit Readiness: Maintained ongoing compliance with automated policy enforcement and evidence collection.
• Unlocked Federal Funding: Gave the institution a predictable path to CMMC and NIST 800-171 compliance.