The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Administration’s (CISA) Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) program is due to receive a much-needed funding increase for Fiscal Year 2021, helping to address a shortfall for the program that aims to improve network security at Federal government civilian agencies.
Earlier this month, word emerged from the Federal contracting community that the CDM Program Office was running short of money and putting its four prime contractors on reduced payments until the funding situation improved.
The CDM program received about $281 million of funding for FY2020, and was looking at a shortfall of between $80 million and $100 million relative to the booming demand during the coronavirus pandemic from Federal agencies for CDM contract services.
A significant measure of funding relief is due to arrive for the program courtesy of the $2.6 trillion Federal funding and stimulus bill approved by the House and Senate on Dec. 21. That legislation still awaits President Trump’s signature.
The legislation is giving CISA a procurement, construction, and improvement budget of $353.4 million for FY2021, and listed CDM support as a reason for the additional funds.
“The agreement includes an increase of $40,000,000 above the request to support requirements for CDM capabilities to strengthen the resiliency of federal networks,” an explanation accompanying that portion of the bill says.
The increase follows a Senate budget draft from November, which called for speedier CDM implementation, and a higher budget than FY2020 to help close agency gaps in the first two phases of CDM deployment.
