Government contractors, especially those working with the Department of Defense (DoD), face many difficult challenges.Â
To start with, they must navigate a complex web of compliance regulations whose purpose is to ensure cybersecurity readiness, such as Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) and NIST 800-171.
Keeping all internal and external cybersecurity threats at bay is a huge undertaking in and of itself, but government contractors have other obstacles to overcome as well, including budget constraints.
To overcome all these and other challenges, government contractors need reliable, secure, and scalable technology to support their day-to-day operations and help them fulfill their contracts.
Managed service providers (MSPs) can provide and manage technology systems for government contractors to take the worries associated with them off their plate, helping them focus on what they do best.
Let’s take a closer look at several specific reasons why government contractors enjoy working with MSPs.
1. Regulatory Compliance Made Easier
The national security landscape is changing at a rapid pace, shaped by a relentless onslaught of cybersecurity threats coming from state and non-state actors alike.
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To address these threats, the government is putting pressure on contractors to improve their cybersecurity controls by requiring them to comply with regulations like CMMC. For smaller contractors with limited or no IT staff, reaching the required cybersecurity maturity level can be difficult, to say the least.
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An MSP that’s deeply familiar with the relevant regulations can help contractors assess their current cybersecurity posture and create a plan of action and milestones (POAM) to clearly identify what needs to be accomplished to improve it.
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The MSP can then suggest appropriate cybersecurity controls and policies while providing the expertise and experience necessary to implement them.
2. Flexibility to Meet Changing Requirements
To reliably win government contracts, contractors need the flexibility to meet a wide range of different requirements. That’s tough to do when relying on a legacy IT infrastructure that can’t be dynamically scaled up or down to handle tight deadlines and time-sensitive work.
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A capable MSP can help contractors upgrade their legacy IT infrastructures to take full advantage of the numerous benefits offered by cloud computing, including improved security and compliance, increased workforce mobility and collaboration, better disaster recovery, cost savings, and virtually endless scalability.
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The same MSP can then proactively monitor both cloud-based and on-premises systems to keep them secure, reliable, and up to date. What’s more, the MSP can proactively perform technology planning and road mapping to help contractors maintain a competitive advantage on an ongoing basis.
3. Reduced Total IT Costs
When contracting for the government, it’s paramount to prevent money from getting wasted in order to avoid exceeding the agreed-upon budget. The traditional break-fix IT model makes this difficult because it creates plenty of room for unexpected expenses to pop up at the worst time.
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MSPs, on the other hand, eliminate unexpected expenses by charging their customers a flat fee, typically per user or device and per month. Because MSPs leverage the economies of scale, they can deliver cutting-edge solutions and professional technical support at prices even small contractors can afford.
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Additional cost savings can be unlocked by working with an MSP to consolidate vendors and centralize their management. By lowering the number of external companies government contractors work with, they can additionally reduce the risk of suffering a third-party data breach.
Partner With an MSP That Understands Your Needs
Keeping your information technology infrastructure while maintaining compliance with cybersecurity regulations when working on a government contract can be difficult when you lack the necessary experience and expertise.
Teal offers sophisticated IT services to small business government contractors just like you. We help them maintain ongoing compliance and give them the flexibility to meet changing requirements. This is all accomplished while reducing their total IT costs.
Our extensive experience with regulations like Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) and NIST 800-171 allows us to anticipate our customers’ needs, and our world-class team of IT professionals are proactive and ultra-responsive – quickly addressing any technology-related issues.
To learn more information about how our managed IT & compliance services help secure your organization, contact us today.
