Can I bid on DoD contracts without CMMC Certification? Contract Eligibility Rules

You may be wondering, ‘can i bid without CMMC Certification?’ The inconvenient truth is no, you cannot bid successfully on DoD contracts without CMMC certification if the solicitation requires it. Contracting officers verify certification status through SPRS before making award decisions, and proposals lacking required certification are rejected immediately—regardless of technical merit, pricing competitiveness, or past performance. This represents a fundamental change from previous self-assessment models where contractors could pursue contracts while working toward compliance.

Current reality: only 200 companies have completed C3PAO assessments versus 80,000 requiring Level 2 certification. Without certification at proposal submission, your bid will not receive consideration. There are no grace periods, conditional awards, or exceptions based on promises of future certification.