---
title: "NIST 800-171 3.12.2 (CA.L2-3.12.2): Plans of Action"
description: "NIST SP 800-171 3.12.2 Plans of Action: 3 SPRS points, not allowed on a CMMC POA&M. The text, what assessors check and the evidence."
url: https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/security-assessment/3.12.2
sealed: 2026-11-11
amended: 2026-11-11
register: nist-800-171/security-assessment/3.12.2
records: 7
digest: sha3:60da996b223594c86f6fe96a29382dcf661b400172d7872b512309306681f639
---

# NIST 800-171 3.12.2 (CA.L2-3.12.2): Plans of Action

NIST 800-171 / Security Assessment / 3.12.2

"Develop and implement plans of action designed to correct deficiencies and reduce or eliminate vulnerabilities in organizational systems." ([NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2, requirement 3.12.2](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-171r2))

CMMC Level 2 practice CA.L2-3.12.2.

## What 3.12.2 means in practice

Every deficiency or vulnerability that is not fixed right away goes into a plan of action stating what will be done, by whom and by when, and the plan is carried out. Under the DoD Assessment Methodology a plan of action does not make a requirement that was never implemented count as met, and any unmet requirement without a plan of action makes 3.12.2 itself not met.

## SPRS points and the CMMC POA&M

- **CMMC Level 2 practice**: CA.L2-3.12.2
- **SPRS points**: 3 points. When it is not met, the DoD Assessment Methodology subtracts 3 from the score of 110.
- **CMMC POA&M**: Not allowed. It is worth 3 points, and 32 CFR 170.21(a)(2)(ii) admits only requirements worth 1 point, with one exception: 3.13.11 when encryption is used but not FIPS validated.
- **Scoring note**: Mark Not met if any requirement you have not implemented has no plan of action.

Sources: [NIST SP 800-171 DoD Assessment Methodology, version 1.2.1 (June 24, 2020), Annex A](https://www.acq.osd.mil/asda/dpc/cp/cyber/docs/safeguarding/NIST-SP-800-171-Assessment-Methodology-Version-1.2.1-6.24.2020.pdf); [32 CFR 170.21, Plan of Action and Milestones requirements](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-32/section-170.21).

## What an assessor checks for 3.12.2

NIST SP 800-171A gives 3 determination statements for 3.12.2, each found satisfied or other than satisfied. Determine if:

- 3.12.2[a] deficiencies and vulnerabilities to be addressed by the plan of action are identified.
- 3.12.2[b] a plan of action is developed to correct identified deficiencies and reduce or eliminate identified vulnerabilities.
- 3.12.2[c] the plan of action is implemented to correct identified deficiencies and reduce or eliminate identified vulnerabilities.

[NIST SP 800-171A (June 2018), assessment objectives for 3.12.2](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-171A)

## Evidence that shows 3.12.2 is met

- The current plan of action listing each deficiency, the corrective action, the owner and the due date.
- Status updates showing items completed or rescheduled.
- A cross-check showing every unmet requirement has a plan of action item.

## How PolicyCortex gathers the evidence

No PolicyCortex collector reads the evidence for 3.12.2. Your team provides the evidence listed above.

## Related pages

- **Calculator**: [SPRS score calculator: mark 3.12.2 and the other 109 requirements and see the score.](https://policycortex.com/sprs-score-calculator#family-CA)
- **Sample package**: [Sample package: an SSP, a POA&M and an evidence chain the product generated from demonstration data.](https://policycortex.com/sample-package)
- **Family**: [All 4 Security Assessment requirements (3.12).](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/security-assessment)
- **Previous**: [3.12.1: Control Assessment](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/security-assessment/3.12.1)
- **Next**: [3.12.3: Ongoing Monitoring](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/security-assessment/3.12.3)
- **All requirements**: [All 110 NIST SP 800-171 requirements, by family.](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171)

Meet the requirement once. Keep the evidence current. [Request Access](https://app.policycortex.com/auth?mode=request-access) · [Book a call](https://policycortex.com/book)

## Register colophon

| Seq | Label | SHA3-256 | Prev |
|---|---|---|---|
| REC 0000 | REQUIREMENT | da014deb3bea | 63a1eaf100f8 |
| REC 0001 | MEANING | 87e375633566 | da014deb3bea |
| REC 0002 | POINTS AND POA&M | 4eab17ca0971 | 87e375633566 |
| REC 0003 | ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES | 13288d39617e | 4eab17ca0971 |
| REC 0004 | EVIDENCE | 8c89506e90f2 | 13288d39617e |
| REC 0005 | COLLECTORS | d853e8490cd0 | 8c89506e90f2 |
| REC 0006 | RELATED | 60da996b2235 | d853e8490cd0 |

Head sha3:60da996b223594c86f6fe96a29382dcf661b400172d7872b512309306681f639. Each digest is SHA3-256 over the previous digest, the register key, the record label, and the record copy; a second party can recompute it from this document.