Defense contractors are falling behind on their AV requirements, not because they lack the budget or the intent, but because the rules changed faster than their infrastructure did. New security standards, tighter federal compliance timelines, and stricter controls over what technology can even enter a secure space have turned audiovisual systems into a surprisingly complex compliance problem. Most contractors don’t realize there’s a gap until a contract review or facility audit makes it hard to ignore.
This post covers some of the core reasons defense contractors are struggling with AV in 2026, and what a realistic path forward looks like.
1. Updated SCIF Standards Are Invalidating Older Facility Designs
The foundational rules for building secure, classified spaces, known as Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities, or SCIFs, were updated in 2025 for the first time in 15 years. That update has quietly put a lot of existing AV installations out of compliance.
What Changed, and Why It Matters for AV
SCIFs are purpose-built spaces that keep classified conversations and data from leaking outside the room. That protection depends on strict building codes, such as how walls, floors, and ceilings block radio frequency (RF) signals. The 2025 update tightens those shielding expectations, which can change how AV systems are specified, installed, and approved.
Here’s the problem: AV equipment generates RF signals. Displays, cameras, audio processors, and control systems all emit low-level signals that, in a properly shielded room, are contained. When the shielding standard goes up, equipment that passed inspection years ago may now introduce gaps that fail the new threshold. In some cases, facilities may require significant rework, not just a hardware upgrade.
Contractors were expected to have a compliance plan in place by the end of 2025. Full implementation is phased over several years, depending on the agency, but facilities without a documented path forward are already exposed during accreditation reviews. The consequences range from delayed approvals to temporary loss of facility status, both of which carry serious operational and financial risk.
Accreditation Is Taking Longer Than It Used To
SCIF accreditation has often taken 12–18 months. Under the updated ICD-705 environment and rising demand, multiple industry and legal advisors warn that timelines can push toward 24–36 months for some projects, depending on sponsor requirements and review backlogs.
It’s one reason why the design stage of command and control environments has become so consequential. Decisions made early in the design process often determine whether accreditation goes smoothly or stalls.
2. Federal Cybersecurity Rules Now Reach Into AV Systems
Most contractors treat cybersecurity compliance as an IT problem. Their security teams handle it, and AV gets left out of the conversation. That gap is becoming harder to defend.
When AV Systems Handle Sensitive Data, They Fall Under Compliance Rules
The federal government’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program (CMMC) requires contractors to demonstrate that their information systems protect federal contract data and controlled information. Any contractor information system that stores, processes, or transmits that kind of data, including any integrated AV environment inside that boundary, needs to be accounted for in its compliance scope and reflected in the federal supplier database.
In plain terms, if a conference room or briefing space is used to discuss or share controlled government information, and it has networked AV equipment, that equipment may need to be part of the contractor’s security documentation. Many contractors haven’t thought about it that way, and assessors are starting to notice.
CMMC enforcement started in November 2025. In the first phase, certain contract awards require contractors to demonstrate at least a baseline level of compliance. As the program matures, more awards will require independent third-party verification rather than self-assessments alone. For contractors who haven’t formally scoped their AV infrastructure into their compliance planning, that shift creates a real risk.
Compliance Reviews Are Getting More Rigorous
Independent assessors are being brought in on more contracts, and AV infrastructure that was never formally documented in a security plan is surfacing as a gap. Video collaboration environments designed without compliance in mind from the start are difficult to remediate after the fact. The better approach, and the one assessors prefer to see, is an AV environment built with security requirements built in from day one.
3. Standard Video Conferencing Tools Aren’t Built for Classified Environments
This is where a lot of contractors get caught off guard. They roll out a familiar, widely used video conferencing platform across their facilities. It works well everywhere else, and they assume it meets their needs in cleared spaces, too. Often, it doesn’t.
The Problem With Default Cloud Architectures
Most commercial video platforms are cloud-based. They rely on internet-connected servers for logins, updates, and running the call itself. In a classified environment, that architecture introduces a boundary problem. Data about the meeting, who joined, when, and sometimes more, may be processed or stored on infrastructure outside the contractor’s controlled space.
Standard commercial SaaS deployments often introduce boundary and data-handling risks in classified or controlled programs. If the architecture can’t keep content, metadata, and management access inside the authorized environment, it becomes a compliance problem. Some vendors offer government-specific deployment models with tighter controls, but those require careful evaluation, not just a subscription upgrade.
For classified video specifically, the encryption and accreditation requirements vary by classification level, network, and approved solution set. Getting proper authorization for a classified video system typically takes well over a year from initial planning, which means contractors who haven’t started that process are already running behind.
Even the Hardware in the Room Is Regulated
It’s not just the software. Federal policy restricts which physical devices can operate inside secure spaces. Commercial webcams, off-the-shelf microphones, and consumer-grade audio equipment are generally prohibited in classified rooms without specific authorization.
That restriction applies to every AV element in the space, including:
- Cameras used for video calls or monitoring
- Microphones and speaker systems
- Display screens and signal routing hardware
- Control panels and switching equipment
Each of these requires documentation, proper configuration, and in many cases a separate review before it can go into a secure facility. Most standard AV deployments don’t account for that level of scrutiny.
4. Older AV Setups Were Never Designed to Meet Today’s Standards
A lot of defense contractors built out their AV infrastructure during a stretch when collaboration technology moved fast, and security standards moved slowly. Rooms were wired for convenience. Briefing centers were designed to look impressive. Nobody was thinking about RF emissions or data boundary requirements. That legacy is now a liability.
Passing Inspection Once Doesn’t Mean Staying Compliant
One of the trickier aspects of the 2025 SCIF standard update is that it doesn’t grandfather in existing installations. A facility that was properly accredited five years ago may no longer meet the new RF requirements. Catching up can range from equipment swaps to significant facility rework, depending on how the original construction was done.
For contractors managing multiple cleared locations, a compliance gap in even one facility can create audit findings that affect a broader contract. That’s why ongoing audio visual integration support matters, not just a clean install at the start, but continuous review to catch drift before it becomes a problem.
Large Deployments Across Multiple Sites Add More Complexity
Contractors who operate across many locations face a different kind of challenge. Standardizing AV systems while meeting site-specific security requirements takes real coordination.
The procurement process alone, navigating federal acquisition rules and security review cycles, is time-consuming. Most general AV vendors aren’t equipped to manage that level of complexity, and the gaps show up during audits.
The Right Partner Changes the Equation
We’ve been doing this work for over 30 years, inside government buildings, military installations, and cleared facilities where the stakes are high and the margin for error is small. Our team holds CMMC Level 2 alignment, works in secure environments, and brings the operational discipline that defense clients need. Our track record includes more than $210M in completed government contracts and clients across federal agencies, military branches, and major defense contractors.
Whether you need a facility brought up to current standards, a compliant video collaboration environment built from scratch, or a long-term support partner who doesn’t disappear after installation, we’re set up for exactly that kind of work.
Contact AGT today to request a custom AV consultation for your defense facility.
Jarrett Lowman is the Vice President of Sales at Applied Global Technologies (AGT), where he has spent 20 years rising from Lead Solutions Architect to sales leadership. An AVIXA Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) and Crestron Master Sales Associate, he specializes in AV integration and secure collaboration systems for federal, healthcare, and commercial clients.