WRITER: Alejandro Najera-Acosta, a_najera@nmsu.edu
SOURCE: Carlos Murguia, cmurguia@nmsu.edu
NM FAST is hosting a free workshop designed to help New Mexico-based technology startups and small businesses understand the federal compliance requirements and safeguarding standards required for working with Department of Defense contractors. The workshop, "Basic Safeguarding Requirements for Defense Contractors," will be held on Tuesday, July 21, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Q Station, 3225 Central Ave. NE, Albuquerque, with a virtual option available via Zoom for participants joining from anywhere in the state.
Led by Elythia McAnarney, a contracts manager with specialized expertise in CFCM and CPCM compliance, the session will cover foundational Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) requirements, including FAR 52.204-21, DFARS 252.204-7012, and NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2. The workshop is designed for founders and business leaders exploring federal procurement pathways who need to understand the first steps toward compliance and the practical business implications of doing work with the U.S. Department of Defense. Zoom connection details will be provided to registered participants.
"New Mexico has a strong base of deep-tech founders and researchers translating innovation from universities, national labs, and startup communities across Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Los Alamos, and rural communities into companies that can compete for federal R&D dollars," said Carlos Murguia, director of the Technology and Innovation Gateway at Arrowhead Center. "As more of these companies mature and explore federal procurement pathways, understanding defense contractor compliance is essential. This workshop gives founders a clear entry point into those requirements."
The workshop is part of NM FAST's commitment to supporting founders at every stage of federal funding and commercialization, from SBIR and STTR proposal development through Phase II transition and beyond. While the focus is on defense sector compliance, the session is open to any New Mexico small business or startup interested in understanding federal procurement requirements.
NM FAST is administered by Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University and operates statewide, serving founders in Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Los Alamos, and rural communities across New Mexico. Over more than a decade of programming, NM FAST has supported more than 470 New Mexico startups and helped companies secure nearly $28 million in federal SBIR awards. Targeted outreach is directed to rural, women, veteran, and minority entrepreneurs.
The workshop is sponsored by the New Mexico Economic Development Department's Technology and Innovation Office through the New Mexico Entrepreneurship Programmatic Support Grant, which supports continued statewide programming for SBIR/STTR-eligible companies in the four priority sectors: advanced computing, bioscience, advanced energy, and aerospace. Registration is open and required. Interested participants can register at https://luma.com/crqyhzdn.