Unanet Blog

Why Most Organizations Seeking Certification (OSCs) Get Stuck in These 5 NIST SP 800-171 Controls

jen.hawks@aprio.com (Jen Hawks) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 13:10:34 GMT

For organizations working toward Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 2, aligning with NIST SP 800-171 can be more demanding than expected. While the framework is built to safeguard Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) across the Defense Industrial Base (DIB), some requirements demand a level of consistency, documentation, and operational maturity that many OSCs are still developing. While most OSCs can handle the foundational controls, we’ve seen five NIST 800-171 controls that consistently slow progress and create friction during assessments.

AI-first CRM for Construction: What Unanet is Bringing to AGC 2026

Lucas Hayden — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:24:45 GMT

For nearly 30 years, Unanet has helped construction firms grow—supporting relationships, pursuits, and proposals across the business. Today, about 40% of the top ENR firms rely on Unanet. And now, we’re bringing AI to that foundation to help firms win more work and operate with greater clarity.

This year at AGC, we’re focused on one big idea:

Connecting how construction firms win work with how they deliver it—powered by AI.

The shift: from disconnected workflows to AI-first construction

Most construction firms don’t struggle with effort—they struggle with fragmentation.

Pursuits live in spreadsheets. Relationships sit in inboxes. Proposal content is scattered across folders. Project execution happens in entirely different systems.

The result?

Too many pursuits
Inconsistent qualification
Wasted proposal effort
Limited visibility into what’s actually driving growth

Unanet is taking a different approach.

We’re bringing an AI-first platform to construction that connects relationships, pursuits, and proposals with project execution—so teams can move faster, make better decisions, and win the right work.

Pursuit Intelligence for Construction

Construction business development teams face a simple challenge: too many opportunities and not enough time.

Too often, decisions are based on gut instinct, incomplete relationship data, and scattered project history. That leads to misaligned pursuits and lower win rates.

Unanet’s AI-powered CRM changes that.

Surface the right opportunities earlier with AI-driven insight
Identify the best teaming partners, contacts, and past project experience
Align pursuits with capacity, capabilities, and strategy
Turn pipeline data into real go/no-go decisions

The impact: Better focus, stronger positioning, and higher win rates—without increasing BD headcount.

The AI-powered proposal workflow

AEC firms are submitting more proposals than ever to win the same amount of work. Many have turned to AI—but most tools operate on disconnected, unstructured data.

That’s the real limitation.

AI is only as good as the data behind it.

ProposalAI + Unanet CRM solves this by bringing together structured CRM intelligence and AI-driven proposal generation into a single workflow.

Start proposals directly from CRM opportunities
Generate drafts using governed firm data—not disconnected documents
Automatically match the right experience, resumes, and content
Continuously improve proposal quality over time

Guided by Champ AI, Unanet’s natural-language AI engine, teams can access institutional knowledge instantly—across pursuits, proposals, and client relationships.

The result: A true proposal flywheel—from pipeline to submission—that gets smarter with every pursuit.

ChampAI: Natural-Language proposal assistance

In most construction firms, critical knowledge lives in people’s heads—and is hard to access when teams need it most.

ChampAI changes that by turning your firm’s historical data into accessible, actionable intelligence.

Ask questions and get instant SME-level answers across pursuits, proposals, and firm experience
Surface relevant content, lessons learned, and client insights instantly
Accelerate proposal and pursuit workflows with AI grounded in your company data
Preserve institutional knowledge as teams grow and change

The impact: Faster decisions, smarter proposals, and less time searching for information.

The result: A true proposal flywheel—from pipeline to submission—that gets smarter with every pursuit.

Connecting Pursuit to Project Execution

Winning work is only half the equation. Delivering it successfully is what drives profitability.

That’s why Unanet is investing in deeper connections across the construction ecosystem.

Xpedeon ERP: connecting the entire construction lifecycle

Through our integration with Xpedeon, construction firms can extend visibility from pursuit into financial and operational execution.

Unify project, financial, and operational data
Gain real-time insight into cost, revenue, and margin
Improve forecasting and financial control
Scale operations without adding complexity

Xpedeon will be right next to us at AGC—making it easy to explore how CRM and ERP can work together as a connected system.

Procore: two-way integration to align pursuits and projects

Construction teams rely on Procore for project execution—but too often, that data stays disconnected from the rest of the business.

Unanet’s bi-directional integration with Procore bridges that gap:

Synchronize project data automatically across systems
Connect field activity with financial and operational workflows
Eliminate duplicate data entry
Improve visibility across the full project lifecycle

The impact: Better alignment between business development, operations, finance, and the field.

What this means for construction firms

Construction firms don’t need more tools—they need better-connected systems.

Unanet is focused on helping firms:

Win the right work with better pursuit intelligence
Create stronger proposals faster with AI + structured data
Connect CRM, ERP, and project systems into a unified solution
Improve visibility from pipeline to project performance

This is what an AI-first construction platform looks like in practice.

Visit us at AGC

If you’re attending AGC, come visit us at Booth #309.

We’d love to show you how construction firms are:

Using AI to qualify and prioritize pursuits
Building smarter, faster proposal workflows
Connecting business development with project execution

And if you’re exploring ERP alongside CRM, stop by to meet the Xpedeon team right next door.

Let’s talk about how you can win more work—and deliver it better.

Modernize Shipley

John Smoak — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:04:31 GMT

If you run a government contracting firm, you already know the Shipley Process can work. It brings discipline to pursuits, forces hard decisions, and creates a common language across BD, capture, and proposal teams.

So why do so many organizations still feel like forecasting is a “best guess,” gate reviews are subjective, and the same mistakes repeat quarter after quarter?

CMMC and FedRAMP in Practice

melissa.morgan@unanet.com (Melissa Morgan) — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:21:49 GMT

Government contractors are entering a new era of cybersecurity accountability.

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 is no longer theoretical. Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) expectations are tightening. And GSA has quietly raised its own cybersecurity bar, issuing new CUI protection requirements built on a more demanding control baseline than CMMC itself.

In our recent LinkedIn Live discussion, leaders from Unanet sat down with cybersecurity specialists from CMMC advisory and assessment firms BDO USA, CohnReznick, and Aprio to talk about what CMMC and FedRAMP readiness look like in real life. The conversation moved beyond theory and dug into authorization boundaries, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, subcontractor risk, and how to sustain compliance over time.

If you are a government contractor (GovCon) navigating CMMC 2.0 and related mandates, here are the key takeaways and what they mean for your business today.

Why EVM Matters Before EVMS Is Required

Kim Koster — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 12:28:18 GMT

Earned Value Management (EVM) and an Earned Value Management System (EVMS) are related, but they are not the same thing. EVM is how you manage projects day to day. EVMS is how you demonstrate to a customer that those practices are applied consistently and can stand up to external review, including oversight by organizations like DCMA. Mature organizations understand this difference early. They focus first on using EVM to improve execution, predictability, and control. When EVMS requirements show up, readiness is the result of operating well, not a last-minute compliance effort.

At its core, EVM integrates the three elements that determine project outcomes: scope, schedule, and cost. When these elements are aligned, leaders can objectively answer essential questions: Is the planned work being accomplished? Is it costing what was expected? Are current trends pointing toward success or risk?

EVM replaces subjective status reporting with objective performance measurements. Progress is tied to defined work, schedules reflect how work is performed, and cost performance is visible early. This allows project managers and executives to act while corrective options still exist, rather than reacting after results are already locked in.

AI Acceptance – Government and GovCons

matt.simonson@unanet.com (Matt Simonson) — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 20:45:26 GMT

For government contractors, maintaining compliance is non-negotiable—and with the rise of new technology comes risk. AI may be everywhere, but it still sparks hesitation. Is it allowed? Is it risky? Can it actually help win new business?

Those concerns are understandable. But the best way to evaluate AI’s role in GovCon isn’t speculation—it’s by looking at what the government itself is doing.

Based on how last year unfolded, it’s clear that AI is no longer a fringe experiment or asci-fi buzzword. Its benefits are real, adoption is accelerating, and the U.S. government is not sitting on the sidelines. In fact, it’s leaning in.

Let’s look at the signals—policies, agreements, and adoption—that show how serious the government is about AI, and what those signals mean for small and mid-sized government contractors.

Introducing Champ for ERP, Powered by Wyatt

Lucas Hayden — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 16:00:07 GMT

For more than 15 years, I’ve worked alongside architecture and engineering firms as they’ve implemented, optimized, and worked inside ERP systems. I’ve seen first‑hand how powerful these platforms are- and just as clearly, how hard it can be for teams to actually use them.

Most A&E firms don’t struggle because they lack data. They struggle because that data is hard to access, interpret, and act on - especially in the moments when decisions and actionable intelligence matter most. Project managers are busy delivering work. Finance teams become reporting bottlenecks. Executives wait for answers that arrive just a little too late.

That gap between having ERP data and using it effectively is where value is lost.

Today, that changes.

OASIS+, SF 1408, and Accounting System Readiness

Kim Koster — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:09:01 GMT

What CFOs Need to Get Right

OASIS+ isn’t just another contract vehicle. It signals a shift in how agencies evaluate contractor maturity. They’re no longer just buying technical capability. They’re buying confidence in execution, governance, and financial discipline.

For CFOs, this matters. OASIS+ brings accounting systems, rate structures, and financial controls into the spotlight. These are no longer back-office concerns. They are part of how your company is evaluated and trusted. That’s where the SF1408 and accounting system reviews become strategic, not just compliance exercises.

The Value Gap: Why A&E Firms Still Struggle to Turn Data Into Decisions

Lucas Hayden — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 18:51:16 GMT

In architecture and engineering firms, the delays that slow business decisions are rarely dramatic. They’re ordinary. Familiar. Almost accepted.

“We’re waiting on bill reviews.”

“We’re waiting on project status.”

“We’re waiting on finance to pull the numbers.”

None of these sound like existential problems. And yet, taken together, they point to something deeper: a persistent gap between the data A&E firms have and the decisions they need to make.

Data Exists. Insight Arrives Late.

This is where a shift is beginning.

What firms are really bumping into isn’t a reporting problem—it’s an operating model problem. Traditional business systems were designed to record work after it happened. Modern A&E firms need systems that actively help people think, decide, and act while work is happening.

Most A&E firms are not data-poor. They have business systems full of project, financial, resource, and client information. The challenge is that this information is rarely accessible in the moment it’s needed.

Project managers are busy delivering work. Finance and project accounting teams become de facto information hubs. Executives wait for reports that reflect where the business was, not where it is right now.

As a result, many of the most important decisions in an A&E firm are made with partial or stale information. Not the big annual planning decisions—but the dozens of micro decisions that happen every day inside active projects.

Should we absorb this scope change or push back?

Do we have room to shift resources without creating downstream risk?

Is this client trending toward a cash or margin issue—or is this just noise?

Without a real-time, always-on view of project health—one that triangulates delivery, financials, resources, and client context—teams default to judgment calls. Gut decisions become the operating system.

This is where the idea of amplification matters. When systems can’t surface insights quickly or help teams act on them, people compensate with experience, intuition, and effort. The work gets done—but at the cost of consistency, scalability, and energy.

Where Things Break Down

The moment a system stops helping people move work forward, they find ways around it.

When insight is hard to access, workarounds appear. In A&E firms, that workaround is almost always the spreadsheet.

Spreadsheets show up everywhere: forecasting, staffing, backlog analysis, project tracking, cash planning. They start with good intentions, but quickly turn into shadow systems—parallel versions of the truth that pull teams out of sync.

Here’s what that looks like in practice.

A project manager pulls up “Master Staffing Plan v7_final_LC edits.xlsx” to check whether Sarah is available next month for a critical pursuit. At the same time, finance is working from v6, using it to forecast utilization and revenue. By the time the two versions get reconciled, Sarah has already been tentatively assigned to two pursuits—and a delivery team is assuming she’s locked in for a project kickoff.

No one did anything wrong. The system simply couldn’t keep everyone aligned in real time.

Instead of reading from the same sheet of music, different parts of the organization operate on different interpretations of reality.

Behind the scenes, a small group of power users—often in finance or project accounting—hold the organization together. They stitch together data from multiple places, reconcile discrepancies, and respond to a constant stream of ad hoc questions.

It puts enormous pressure on those individuals. And it slows everyone else down.

Why This Moment Is Different

Five or ten years ago, firms could sometimes afford this friction. Decision cycles were slower. Change was more predictable.

That’s no longer the case.

Today’s A&E firms are operating in an environment defined by pace: faster-moving opportunities, tighter labor markets, more complex delivery models, and greater client expectations. Strategy increasingly depends on understanding backlog, pipeline, resource capacity, and financial performance in near real time.

When insight lags, the consequences compound.

Waiting another week to invoice can turn your firm into the lender for your client.

Waiting another week to surface delivery risk can mean missing a milestone—or losing the chance to course-correct.

Waiting another week on staffing or funding clarity can turn a small delay into a months-long setback.

In a faster world, latency matters.

The Hidden Cost of Late Insight

What firms often don’t realize is how much value is lost in the margins.

Could a project have finished earlier if risk had surfaced sooner?

Could bench time have been deployed more effectively—on delivery or the next pursuit?

Could leaders have made different tradeoffs if they’d seen the full picture sooner?

The human cost is just as real. When teams constantly fight their systems—gathering, reconciling, and validating information instead of acting on it—frustration builds. Burnout follows. Trust in the system erodes.

Reframing the Problem

At its core, this is a problem with how business systems are expected to support decision-making.

The issue isn’t that A&E firms lack data—or tools. It’s that getting the right information, at the right moment, in the right context is harder than it should be. By the time insight reaches the people who need it, the reality on the ground has often already shifted.

In a modern A&E firm, business systems shouldn’t just report on what happened. They should actively participate in running the firm.

That means keeping teams aligned by default, so everyone is operating from the same, current understanding of the business. It means allowing leaders and project teams to interact naturally with their data—asking questions, exploring scenarios, and understanding what matters now without becoming system experts.

It also means moving beyond insight to actually moving work forward—surfacing issues early, enabling action, and taking on analytical work that teams rarely have time to do themselves.

Over time, those systems should get better at this—learning from how the firm operates and creating a reinforcing cycle of clarity, action, and improvement.

That operating model is starting to emerge in A&E.

One where business systems don’t just record the past, but amplify the people running the firm—working for them, not the other way around.

In the next post, I’ll explore what that future looks like—and what firms should demand as they think about the next evolution of ERP and business intelligence.

January Budgeting for GovCons

Kim Koster — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:18:07 GMT

January is when we all pretend the budget is getting “finalized.”

In GovCon, January is also when reality starts testing every assumption we just approved: awards slip, starts move, funding comes in chunks, hiring takes longer than anyone wants to admit, and utilization reacts immediately. None of that is surprising. What’s surprising is how many budgets are built as if it won’t happen.