CMMC Annual Affirmation SPRS does not end when your assessment is done.
For many contractors, the next risk is quieter and easier to miss.
Your annual affirmation in SPRS is now part of what keeps your CMMC status alive. If it is missing, outdated, or scoped wrong, your certification may still exist on paper but your award eligibility can slip away in real life.
This is where many otherwise prepared contractors stumble.
Why the annual affirmation matters now
Under the CMMC final rule, the Department of Defense is not only checking whether you earned a CMMC status. It is also checking whether you are actively affirming that you continue to meet the requirements.
That affirmation lives in SPRS.
It confirms, each year, that:
- Your controls are still in place
- Your scope has not quietly drifted
- Your environment still matches what was assessed
If that affirmation is not current at the time of award, the government may not be able to legally move forward, even if your assessment is still within the three-year window.
What the affirming official is actually saying
The annual affirmation is not a casual checkbox.
The affirming official is stating that:
- The systems listed in SPRS are accurate
- The CMMC level posted matches how those systems are used
- The organization is continuing to meet the required practices
That statement is made under penalty of false claims. It needs to be taken seriously.
This is why last year’s affirmation, or one tied to an old scope, is not enough.
Where contractors get tripped up
Most issues are not technical. They are administrative and timing related.
Common gaps we see:
- The affirmation is more than one year old
- The affirmation covers the wrong CAGE code or environment
- Systems were added or changed after the assessment
- No one internally is clearly assigned as the affirming official
- Teams assume the assessment alone is what matters
These gaps often surface late, during proposal reviews or right before award.
That is the worst time to discover them.
How to check your SPRS status the right way
Before you bid on a CMMC-tagged opportunity, pause and confirm:
- Is a CMMC status posted in SPRS for each in-scope system
- Is the level correct for how the system will be used on this contract
- Is the annual affirmation current, within the last 12 months
- Does the affirmation clearly match the scope of the work
If any one of those answers is unclear, your eligibility is at risk.
Why this matters even more in early 2026
The annual affirmation can lapse quietly.
After the New Year, teams are catching up, priorities shift fast, and compliance items can get buried under “back to work” noise.
At the same time:
- Contracting teams are tightening checks as new CMMC requirements start showing up in real awards
- Primes are asking subs for proof earlier, before they lock teams and pricing
- SPRS entries and affirmations are being treated as an eligibility gate, not a nice-to-have
If your affirmation is missing, outdated, or tied to the wrong scope, it can slow down an award decision or push your bid out before evaluation even starts.
A simple monthly habit that prevents problems
Instead of treating SPRS as a once-a-year task, build a small routine:
- Assign a clear affirming official owner
- Calendar a quarterly SPRS review
- Re-check affirmation status after:
- Major system changes
- Boundary updates
- Vendor or hosting shifts
This keeps your CMMC story consistent across SPRS, your SSP, and your proposals.
How Centrend helps contractors stay aligned
Centrend works with defense contractors to make sure CMMC status, affirmations, and scope all tell the same story, especially heading into busy award cycles.
We help teams:
- Review SPRS entries and affirmation timing
- Confirm scope alignment before bids
- Assign clear ownership for ongoing updates
- Catch small gaps before they become award blockers
If you want a quick outside view, Centrend can walk your team through a short CMMC Annual Affirmation Review and flag anything that needs attention before your next opportunity.
Final question to ask your team
If a contracting officer checked your SPRS record today, would your CMMC status and annual affirmation clearly support an award?
If you are not sure, now is the right time to look.