---
title: "What should a POA&M item include for NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 control gaps?"
canonical_url: "https://www.sorena.io/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/faq/poam-items"
source_url: "https://www.sorena.io/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/faq/poam-items"
author: "Sorena AI"
description: "A POA&M item should state the control gap, risk, affected system, required remediation, owner, milestone dates, evidence needed for closure, and approval path for any residual risk or delay."
published_at: "2026-05-09"
updated_at: "2026-05-09"
keywords:
  - "NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5"
  - "What should a POA&M item include for NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 control gaps?"
  - "FAQ"
  - "evidence"
  - "implementation"
  - "NIST SP 800-53"
  - "Security controls"
  - "Control assessment"
---
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---

# What should a POA&M item include for NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 control gaps?

A POA&M item should state the control gap, risk, affected system, required remediation, owner, milestone dates, evidence needed for closure, and approval path for any residual risk or delay.

*FAQ* *GLOBAL* *NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5*

## NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 What should a POA&M item include for NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 control gaps?

Use this SP 800-53 answer to make a source-linked decision, assign an owner, and keep evidence reviewable.

Use a POA&M item to turn a control gap into a clear action record: describe the deficiency, name the impacted system, assign ownership, and set the next review point so the work can be tracked to closure.

## What details belong in a POA&M item for NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 control gaps?

Use a POA&M item to turn a control gap into a clear action record: describe the deficiency, name the impacted system, assign ownership, and set the next review point so the work can be tracked to closure.

Keep the entry practical and reviewable so teams can see what needs to change, who is responsible, and what evidence will show the gap has been resolved.

- Separate control selection from assessment evidence.
- Document tailoring, parameters, and inheritance explicitly.
- Use examine, interview, and test methods where assurance depth requires them.

Sources for this answer:

- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 Controls](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-53r5?ref=sorena.io) - Primary NIST source for the integrated security and privacy control catalog.
- [NIST SP 800-53A Rev. 5 Assessment Procedures](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-53Ar5?ref=sorena.io) - Primary NIST source for control assessment objectives, methods, depth, and coverage.
- [NIST SP 800-37 Rev. 2 Risk Management Framework](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-37r2?ref=sorena.io) - NIST RMF source for plan of action and milestones remediation records.

## What practical checklist should teams use for POA&M items under NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5?

Use this NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 checklist to turn POA&M items into implementation work that can survive review: define the decision, attach source evidence, assign ownership, document gaps, and set a reassessment trigger.

- Write the decision and scope in one sentence.
- Attach the source-linked evidence that proves the current state.
- Name the accountable owner and backup reviewer.
- Record unresolved gaps, accepted risk, and dependencies.
- Set a date or event trigger for reassessment.

Sources for this answer:

- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 Controls](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-53r5?ref=sorena.io) - Primary NIST source for the integrated security and privacy control catalog.
- [NIST SP 800-53A Rev. 5 Assessment Procedures](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-53Ar5?ref=sorena.io) - Primary NIST source for control assessment objectives, methods, depth, and coverage.
- [NIST SP 800-37 Rev. 2 Risk Management Framework](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-37r2?ref=sorena.io) - NIST RMF source for plan of action and milestones remediation records.

## Primary sources

- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 Controls](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-53r5?ref=sorena.io) - Primary NIST source for the integrated security and privacy control catalog.
  - Quote: "catalog of security and privacy controls"
- [NIST SP 800-53A Rev. 5 Assessment Procedures](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-53Ar5?ref=sorena.io) - Primary NIST source for control assessment objectives, methods, depth, and coverage.
  - Quote: "methodology and set of procedures"
- [NIST SP 800-37 Rev. 2 Risk Management Framework](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-37r2?ref=sorena.io) - NIST RMF source for plan of action and milestones remediation records.
  - Quote: "plan of action and milestones"

## Topic Guides

- [How should teams handle assessment methods under NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5?](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/faq/assessment-methods.md): How should teams handle assessment methods under NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5? Clear, source-linked guidance with practical evidence checks, owner decisions, and implementation steps.
- [How should teams handle baselines under NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5?](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/faq/baselines.md): How should teams handle baselines under NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5? Clear, source-linked guidance with practical evidence checks, owner decisions, and implementation steps.
- [How should teams handle common controls under NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5?](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/faq/common-controls.md): How should teams handle common controls under NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5? Clear, source-linked guidance with practical evidence checks, owner decisions, and implementation steps.
- [How should teams handle control enhancements under NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5?](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/faq/control-enhancements.md): How should teams handle control enhancements under NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5? Clear, source-linked guidance with practical evidence checks, owner decisions, and implementation steps.
- [How should teams handle inheritance under NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5?](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/faq/inheritance.md): How should teams handle inheritance under NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5? Clear, source-linked guidance with practical evidence checks, owner decisions, and implementation steps.
- [How should teams handle parameters under NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5?](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/faq/parameters.md): How should teams handle parameters under NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5? Clear, source-linked guidance with practical evidence checks, owner decisions, and implementation steps.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 Baseline Selection Guide](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/baseline-selection.md): Practical guidance for applying NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 Baseline Selection Guide using scoped outcomes, accountable ownership, evidence expectations, and review checkpoints.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 compliance playbook](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/compliance.md): Practical NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 compliance playbook guidance with scoped outcomes, accountable ownership, and evidence expectations.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 Control Assessment Evidence Workflow](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/control-assessment-evidence-workflow.md): A practical NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 Control Assessment Evidence Workflow with steps, owners, evidence fields, decisions, and source-linked review triggers.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 Control Family Deep Dive](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/control-families.md): Practical NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 Control Family Deep Dive guidance with scoped outcomes, accountable ownership, and evidence expectations.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 Control Tailoring Method](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/control-tailoring-method.md): Practical NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 Control Tailoring Method guidance with scoped outcomes, accountable ownership, and evidence expectations.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 Evidence and Audit Readiness Guide](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/evidence-and-audit-readiness.md): Practical guidance for applying NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 Evidence and Audit Readiness Guide using scoped outcomes, accountable ownership, evidence expectations, and review checkpoints.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 FAQ: practical implementation questions](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/faq.md): Standalone NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 FAQ questions with source-linked answers, implementation checklists, and evidence guidance.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 Overlays and Common Controls Guide](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/overlays-and-common-controls.md): Practical guidance for applying NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 Overlays and Common Controls Guide using scoped outcomes, accountable ownership, evidence expectations, and review checkpoints.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 POA&M Evidence Guide](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/poam-evidence.md): Practical guidance for applying NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 POA&M Evidence Guide using scoped outcomes, accountable ownership, evidence expectations, and review checkpoints.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 POA&M Evidence Workflow](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/poam-evidence-workflow.md): A practical NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 POA&M Evidence Workflow with steps, owners, evidence fields, decisions, and source-linked review triggers.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 SP 800-53A Assessment Procedures Guide](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/assessment-procedures-800-53a.md): NIST SP 800-53A gives assessors a methodology and set of procedures for checking whether security and privacy controls are implemented correctly, operating as intended, and producing the desired outcome.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 vs CIS Controls Decision Guide](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/800-53-vs-cis-controls.md): Practical guidance for applying NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 vs CIS Controls Decision Guide using scoped outcomes, accountable ownership, evidence expectations, and review checkpoints.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 vs CIS Controls: practical side-by-side comparison](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/nist-800-53-vs-cis-controls.md): Compare NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 and CIS Controls with side-by-side scope, owner, trigger, evidence, cadence, assurance, and decision-rule rows.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 vs ISO/IEC 27001: practical side-by-side comparison](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/nist-800-53-vs-iso-27001.md): Compare NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 and ISO/IEC 27001 with side-by-side scope, owner, trigger, evidence, cadence, assurance, and decision-rule rows.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 vs NIST CSF 2.0: practical side-by-side comparison](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/nist-800-53-vs-nist-csf.md): Compare NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 and NIST CSF 2.0 with side-by-side scope, owner, trigger, evidence, cadence, assurance, and decision-rule rows.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 vs NIST CSF Decision Guide](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/800-53-vs-csf.md): Practical guidance for applying NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 vs NIST CSF Decision Guide using scoped outcomes, accountable ownership, evidence expectations, and review checkpoints.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 vs NIST SP 800-171 Decision Guide](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/800-53-vs-800-171.md): Practical guidance for applying NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 vs NIST SP 800-171 Decision Guide using scoped outcomes, accountable ownership, evidence expectations, and review checkpoints.
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 vs NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3: practical side-by-side comparison](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/nist-800-53-vs-800-171.md): Compare NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 and NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3 with side-by-side scope, owner, trigger, evidence, cadence, assurance, and decision-rule rows.
- [What evidence should teams collect for NIST SP 800-53A control assessments?](/artifacts/global/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/faq/800-53a-assessment-evidence.md): Collect evidence that matches the assessment objective and method: documents for examine, people and decisions for interview, and operating results for test. Each evidence item should be dated, scoped, and tied to the assessed control.

*Recommended next step*

*Placement: after the practical workflow*

## Put this NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 guidance into practice

Use the cited sources to turn the guidance into scoped decisions, owners, evidence requests, and review checkpoints.

- [Open Assessment Autopilot for NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5](/solutions/assessment.md): Create source-linked tasks, evidence requests, and review checkpoints for this NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 scope.
- [Review this NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 scope with Sorena](/contact.md): Check source coverage, ownership, evidence gaps, and next steps before publishing or operationalizing the work.


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