For defense contractors, a CMMC Gap Assessment is the critical first step toward achieving or maintaining compliance with the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) standards. This pre-audit evaluation compares your organization's current cybersecurity practices against the requirements for your specific CMMC level. It’s a proactive measure that identifies vulnerabilities and provides a clear roadmap for remediation before an official CMMC audit.
Why a CMMC Gap Assessment is essential
Under CMMC 2.0, Department of Defense (DoD) contractors and their subcontractors must meet specific cybersecurity standards to handle Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Without certification, your business risks being ineligible for new and renewing contracts. A CMMC Gap Assessment helps you:
Achieve audit readiness: Identify and resolve non-compliant practices, documentation, and technical gaps so you can pass the formal CMMC assessment.
Prioritize remediation efforts: The assessment helps focus your resources on the most critical gaps that pose the highest risk to your data and security posture.
Create a strategic advantage: By getting ahead of the CMMC mandate, you can improve your overall security and position your business for continued success in the Defense Industrial Base (DIB).
Prepare for documentation: It lays the groundwork for critical compliance documents like your System Security Plan (SSP) and Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M).
The CMMC Gap Assessment process
Our structured process is designed to give you a clear, actionable path to compliance.
Define your CMMC scope. We work with you to understand your target CMMC level (1, 2, or 3) and identify the systems, assets, and data (FCI and CUI) that fall under the CMMC requirements.
Analyze your current security posture. We perform a detailed analysis of your existing policies, procedures, technical controls, and IT infrastructure against the CMMC framework, which is based on NIST SP 800-171 for Level 2 and NIST SP 800-172 for Level 3.
Identify and document the gaps. We pinpoint specific areas where your security practices fall short of the required CMMC standards. This includes not just technical deficiencies but also gaps in documentation and processes.
Prioritize remediation. We help you organize the identified gaps by risk level and effort. This allows you to focus on high-impact, high-priority issues first to streamline your path to certification.
Create a remediation roadmap. We develop a comprehensive Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) that includes specific steps, assigned responsibilities, and clear timelines to close each identified gap.
Beyond the assessment: achieving and maintaining compliance
A CMMC Gap Assessment is more than just a snapshot; it's the foundation for a culture of ongoing security. We provide the guidance and expertise needed to:
Implement security enhancements based on your remediation roadmap, from updating policies to implementing new technology.
Ensure continuous monitoring and regular reviews to keep your practices aligned with evolving CMMC requirements.
Prepare your team for the formal CMMC assessment, including documentation reviews and interviews.
A CMMC Gap Assessment gives you the visibility and action plan you need to secure your contracts and protect national security data.