An engineering defense contractor went from a below-zero SPRS score to a perfect 110 — and won contracts before they were certified. Here’s how we got them there.
They started with CAD systems, controlled data, and, when we took over, a server room full of one-off setups. Instead of treating compliance as a project to finish and check off, it was built into how the company ran its IT. We completed about one major project a year: a phone system, a server and computer refresh, multi-factor authentication, and a MMicrosoft GCC High migration
Running their IT and compliance under one team saved them about $1,500 a month versus hiring separate vendors — and when a contract demanded a higher score, no handoff slowed things down. They scheduled their third-party assessment on their own timeline, with a perfect score already in hand.
Growing a remote design team
A second challenge was growth. The company had grown their design team without upgrading their IT setup. Their mostly remote team started having issues with collaboration. Their VPN was slow. Documents were getting corrupted. A lead designer’s new laptop failed.
“The root cause of all those things was that the team really needed to have a server-based CAD management system for coordinating design work instead of shuffling files from engineer to engineer,” said Ian MacRae, president of E-N Computers.
The complete resolution took a couple of years and involved upgrading network gear and increasing fiber and network speeds at the physical office. The new gear and VPN setup now meets CMMC requirements for remote access.
Today, engineers can check drawings in and out and maintain document version control over a fast, reliable, and secure network.
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