Jane Edwards 
- Exostar and A-LIGN partner to help defense contractors accelerate CMMC accreditation
- Collaboration combines supply chain visibility with CMMC assessment capabilities
- The 2026 Cyber Summit on May 21 will cover zero trust, AI in cyber defense and more
Exostar and A-LIGN have formed a strategic partnership to help defense contractors accelerate accreditation under the Department of War’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program and meet supply chain compliance requirements associated with DOW contracts.
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The companies said Tuesday the partnership combines Exostar’s supply chain visibility and collaboration platforms with A-LIGN’s capabilities as a CMMC third-party assessor organization, or C3PAO.
According to the companies, the collaboration is intended to help prime contractors and suppliers address compliance requirements as CMMC standards become part of DOW contract solicitations and renewals.
How Will Exostar & A-LIGN Help Contractors With CMMC Accreditation?
According to the companies, the collaboration seeks to help prime contractors and suppliers address compliance requirements as CMMC standards become part of DOW contract solicitations and renewals.
Under the partnership, Exostar will offer its Supplier Management and CMMC Ready Suite offerings, which are designed to provide visibility into supplier compliance status and support organizations preparing for and maintaining CMMC accreditation.
A-LIGN will provide assessment services to support contractor certification efforts. The company said its teams conduct CMMC assessments at scale to help organizations move through the accreditation process.
The companies said the partnership will help prime contractors identify supplier compliance shortcomings and support certification efforts across multi-tier supply chains.
What Did A-LIGN & Exostar Leaders Say About the Partnership?
A-LIGN CEO Scott Price said the partnership combines Exostar’s supply chain visibility capabilities with A-LIGN’s assessment expertise to help contractors strengthen compliance readiness and security efforts.
“The partnership will help contractors drive readiness, strengthen security at scale, and position themselves for success,” Price added.
Exostar CEO Richard Addi said the company has focused on CMMC-related offerings since the cybersecurity program was introduced in 2019.
“Partnering with A-LIGN complements our CMMC Ready Suite with the resources necessary to give our customers the direct, trusted accreditation assessment pathway imperative for primes and suppliers to protect and enhance their DoW revenue streams.”
In a LinkedIn post published Tuesday, Exostar Chief Revenue Officer Derrick Reig said streamlining CMMC compliance is an imperative for the defense industrial base and defense and aerospace sectors. He also described the partnership with A-LIGN as an example of the company’s “Together We Thrive” approach.
What Recent Cybersecurity Efforts Has Exostar Supported?
The partnership follows several recent cybersecurity and compliance developments involving Exostar.
In December, Exostar achieved CMMC Maturity Level 2 certification, validating its compliance with all 110 controls under the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Special Publication 800-171 Revision 2.
More recently, the company won a spot on the U.S. Army’s Next-Gen Commercial Operations in Defended Enclaves, or NCODE, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract vehicle. Introduced in 2024, the NCODE pilot program is designed to help small businesses within the defense industrial base improve cybersecurity and meet DOW’s compliance requirements.
