Defense suppliers already operate with strong discipline and well-defined controls. What is changing under CMMC is the expectation to prove, quickly and consistently, who and what was present in controlled areas. And exactly when. This is the physical protection layer defined under NIST SP 800-171, now standing alongside your cybersecurity program and prime contract flow-downs.
This shift turns physical presence into auditable evidence. That is where RTLS becomes critical. By automatically capturing real-time movement, zone entry, and dwell data for people and assets, RTLS replaces manual logs and fragmented records with objective, time-stamped proof. It creates a continuous, reliable trail that demonstrates compliance without slowing down operations. In a CMMC environment where verification matters as much as control, RTLS helps ensure your physical security posture is not just enforced, but defensible during audits.
What to Expect in the Rollout
CMMC is rolling into contracts in phases, and most defense suppliers are focusing on the NIST 800-171 controls behind CMMC Level 2. Much of the conversation centers on cybersecurity- MFA, encryption, vulnerability management, but section 3.10 Physical Protection is equally important and often under-documented.
How Section 3.10 Physical Protection Works Hand-in-Hand with Your Cybersecurity
CMMC (via NIST 800-171) expects you to protect both information systems and the spaces where sensitive work happens. Physical controls in Section 3.10 don’t sit off to the side– they close gaps that sit alongside cyber security controls, and they feed better data to the same governance, risk, and incident processes.
What Physical Protection Means in Practice
CMMC alignment draws heavily from NIST 800-171 Section 3.10. In practice, customers and auditors will ask for proof around:
- Access control by zone: Who entered a sensitive area, when, and for how long
- Visitor & contractor oversight: Escorts, paths, and dwell time
- Asset & WIP traceability: Where high-value items traveled between controlled spaces
- Incident reconstruction: A clear timeline without stitching badge logs and CCTV by hand
RTLS: The Backbone That Makes Compliance Effortless
To meet CMMC physical protection requirements, organizations must move beyond policy statements and manual sign-in logs toward verifiable, time-based proof. RTLS provides the operational layer that transforms movement and access into structured evidence without adding friction to daily workflows. It delivers continuous visibility, trusted records, and instant reporting that align with how auditors and prime contractors evaluate compliance. The result is a system that does not just support physical security controls, it makes them measurable, defensible, and easy to demonstrate.
1) Live & historical zone presence
See who is where (operators, visitors, contractors) with timestamps, export a clean report when primes ask targeted questions.
2) Automatic escort & visitor trails
Replace clipboards with automatic, time-synced paths through controlled areas, so escort policy becomes evidence, not paperwork.
3) Traceability for assets, carriers, fixtures, and tools
Track high-value or export-controlled items as they move; link IDs to orders/batches to answer “what was present where” in seconds.
4) One-click, audit-ready exports
Standardized outputs aligned to customer questionnaires and Section 3.10 expectations; ready for self-assessments, prime reviews, and spot checks.
Litum RTLS for Section 3.10 Physical Protection Compliance
- Hybrid technology, built for dynamic environments: Compatible with both UWB and BLE, we can mix them based on the job: UWB for sub-meter, room/zone-level proof in secure labs or cells; BLE for broad asset/WIP coverage at lower cost. Hybrid deployments are common.
- One backbone, many outcomes: Staff/visitor oversight, asset & WIP traceability, mustering, PIT/crane geofencing on the same infrastructure.
- Enterprise-grade integrations: Clean connectors and APIs into ERP/MES/CMMS, access control, comms, and SIEM, so physical evidence flows where it’s needed.
- Operational ROI: Heat maps, spaghetti diagrams, utilization reports, search-time cuts, and time-synced incident timelines: compliance and efficiency from the same data.
- Security & privacy forward: Role-based data access, retention controls, and audit trails that align with customer and regulatory expectations.
The Bottom Line
If your team already runs a tight operation, RTLS is the last-meter visibility that turns everyday activity into defensible evidence; and pays back in time, cost, and confidence while you align to CMMC. Don’t wait for the clause to arrive; plan, scope, and pilot now, so you’re ready when it does.
