Beryllium has been chosen by the U.S. Army to take part in the Next‑Gen Commercial Operations in Defended Enclaves (NCODE) pilot, a $49 million effort aimed at bolstering cybersecurity for the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). The company will offer its managed enclave solution, Cuick Trac, to help defense contractors meet NIST SP 800‑171 and prepare for CMMC compliance.
What Was Announced
- The Army selected Beryllium as one of a small group of Verified External Service Providers (VESPs) for the NCODE pilot.
- Participants will compete for task orders to assist eligible defense contractors in implementing NIST SP 800‑171 controls and advancing toward CMMC certification.
- Beryllium will deliver its Cuick Trac platform, described as a FedRAMP Moderate Equivalent managed enclave that isolates Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) without disrupting existing operations.
Where It Fits
NCODE is part of a broader shift toward enclave‑based security models within the DIB. Rather than requiring full system migrations, enclave solutions like Cuick Trac provide a dedicated compliance boundary that can be overlaid on an organization’s current environment. This approach aligns with the Army’s goal of giving supply‑chain firms practical, scalable tools to satisfy increasingly complex cybersecurity mandates.
Operational Relevance
For defense contractors, Cuick Trac offers:
- Isolation of CUI within a FedRAMP‑aligned enclave, reducing exposure risk.
- Managed services that offload day‑to‑day compliance maintenance to Beryllium, allowing internal teams to focus on core mission work.
- Minimal disruption, as the enclave can be layered onto existing IT stacks rather than requiring wholesale migration.
These capabilities can shorten the timeline to CMMC Level 2 readiness and lower the operational overhead typically associated with NIST SP 800‑171 implementation.
What To Watch
- Task order awards: Which VESPs secure contracts and how their solutions differ could influence best‑practice standards across the DIB.
- Scalability outcomes: Early results from the pilot will indicate whether enclave‑based models can be expanded to larger, more complex contractors.
- Regulatory alignment: Ongoing guidance from the Department of Defense on enclave usage may affect future compliance roadmaps.
Key Takeaways
- Beryllium was selected for the $49 million NCODE pilot to provide its Cuick Trac managed enclave platform.
- Cuick Trac is FedRAMP Moderate Equivalent and aims to isolate CUI while preserving existing business processes.
- The pilot reflects a shift toward enclave‑based cybersecurity as a practical path for DIB firms to meet NIST SP 800‑171 and CMMC requirements.
TechInsyte's Take
Beryllium’s inclusion in NCODE signals growing confidence in managed enclave solutions as a viable alternative to full‑scale system overhauls. For CIOs and security leaders in the defense supply chain, the pilot offers a concrete example of how to achieve compliance with limited disruption—a key concern when supporting critical national security missions. Decision‑makers should monitor which VESPs win task orders and how enclave performance scales, as these factors will shape future procurement strategies and could set new benchmarks for DIB cybersecurity.
Source: Businesswire
