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CMMC Assessment

CMMC Seals 2
 
The Department of Defense (DoD) requires contractors that handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) to comply with the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program at Level 2. For contractors that manage only Federal Contract Information (FCI), compliance with CMMC Level 1 is needed. If your organization needs CMMC Level 2, the DoD also requires that your assessment be conducted by a CMMC Third Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) authorized by The Cyber AB.

CMMC Level 2 assessments incorporate NIST SP 800-171 Revision 2 to confirm all security requirements are implemented effectively across your organization’s system and processes.

Beyond helping you secure DoD contracts and protect federal business relationships, CMMC compliance improves your organization’s cybersecurity posture. It enhances your ability to protect valuable data and reduce risk while also showcasing your commitment to excellence, building trust among clients, partners, and stakeholders. 

 
So, if you’re ready for a CMMC Level 2 assessment, the first step is to find a reliable and experienced C3PAO — and that’s where we come in.

Get a CMMC Consultation

Authorized C3PAO Services

Business Transformation Institute (BTI) has been in business since 2005 and is a C3PAO authorized by The Cyber AB. As a CMMC third party assessment organization, our experienced Certified CMMC Assessors (CCAs) and Lead CCAs are qualified to conduct Level 2 assessments and bring extensive knowledge and technical skills to the process. Our team members are authorized to work at the highest levels of government information sensitivity, so you can be sure they understand your customer’s mission and the critical cybersecurity controls at an expert level.

Prepare for the CMMC certification proactively and put your business in the competitive defense contracting market. 

The CMMC Certification Process

During an assessment, our qualified team of assessors will evaluate your organization’s cybersecurity practices against CMMC Level 2 requirements. As a company who offers authorized C3PAO services, we’re required to follow a phased approach, which may include the following stages depending on your compliance needs:

We’ll work with you to determine a time frame and location for the assessment. We’ll also verify your scope and readiness for the assessment before moving forward. If desired, we will conduct a formal “Mock Assessment” with you prior to proceeding with an on-the-record assessment.

Level 1 Assessment Guide

Level 2 Assessment Guide

Level 3 Assessment Guide

We’ll determine the most cost-effective and beneficial assessment method for your organization. Depending on our chosen methods, our assessment might include examining or testing your organization’s security safeguarding activities. Following the assessment, we’ll determine whether your organization has or hasn’t met Level 2 requirements. 

After sharing the final assessment results with you, we’ll upload them to the CMMC Enterprise Mission Assurance Support Services (eMass) database and issue a certificate stating your CMMC status.

If your organization does not pass the assessment and therefore develops a Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms), we can conduct a second assessment to close out POA&Ms.

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Reasons to Partner With BTI for CMMC Certification

 

A CMMC assessment is not a one-size-fits-all experience. Your assessor has the discretion to choose the best assessment methods for your organization, so it’s essential to partner with an experienced C3PAO to ensure the process is efficient and cost-effective.

The certified experts at BTI will go above and beyond your expectations. Here’s why:

  • We have a long history with CMMC, and one of our team members was one of the first CMMC assessors authorized by The Cyber AB.
  • We’ve written important components of CMMC assessment methods, training materials, and the framework itself.
  • We have real-world experience implementing technical security controls and various process improvement methodologies.
  • We are authorized at the highest levels to program sensitivity and can support members of the Intelligence Community’s contractor base requiring the highest level of security. Although CUI is not classified, CUI associated with Intelligence Community contracts may be more sensitive than most.
  • We conduct Level 2 assessments for organizations of all sizes, from 10 to 80,000 people.

Meet Our Experts

FAQs About CMMC Assessment

Find answers to some of the top questions about CMMC assessment. If we didn’t cover yours here, contact us to learn more.

What Is a CMMC Assessment?

A CMMC assessment is required by the DoD for contractors handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and wanting to comply with the CMMC program at Level 2. The assessment needs to be conducted by a CMMC Third Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) authorized by The Cyber AB.

Is the CMMC Certification for You?

Achieve the CMMC certification if: 

  • Your contract requires a CMMC compliance certification.
  • You are looking to secure federal contracts in the future.
  • You want to build a robust cybersecurity framework.
  • You want to build trust with partners and clients. 

How Many Levels of CMMC Certification Are There?

The CMMC program has three levels that correspond to different tiers of expertise: 

  • Level 1 (Foundational): The first level is the primary step of CMMC compliance that lays the groundwork for the key cybersecurity practices within the organization.  
  • Level 2 (Advanced): At this stage, organizations need to build an advanced cybersecurity posture to enhance their ability to protect crucial data. 
  • Level 3 (Expert): As the highest tier of the certification program, this level solidifies an organization’s expertise in protecting the most sensitive government information. 

How Much Does It Cost to Get CMMC Certified?

The cost of complying with the CMMC certification process is dependent on several factors, including:

  • CMMC level
  • Organization size
  • Existing cybersecurity posture
  • Scope of CUI

What Is the Process for CMMC Certification?

When Implementing a CMMC program, you need to follow a tried-and-true process for a streamlined and successful path:

  • Preparation: Determine the appropriate CMMC level and evaluate your scope and assessment readiness.
  • Assessment: Identify the most suitable assessment method based on your organization’s needs.
  • Final assessment results: Evaluate the assessment results and issue a certificate that corresponds to your CMMC status.
  • Closing out: Develop Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms) in case of assessment failure and conduct the second assessment. 

Can You Self-Certify for CMMC?

With the implementation of CMMC 2.0, self-assessment is only a part of Levels 1 and 2 of the certification program. Organizations taking the Level 2 path need to be assessed by Certified Third-Party Assessment Organizations (C3PAOs) like BTI as a requirement of the compliance process. 

Who Performs Third-Party CMMC Assessments?

The DoD gives C3PAOs the authority to conduct the CMMC assessment. These organizations are endorsed by The Cyber AB and are equipped with extensive knowledge and experience in government information sensitivity.

Who Needs CMMC Level 3?

As the pinnacle of the CMMC program, Level 3 is tailored for organizations that need to achieve an elite level of cybersecurity readiness. The CMMC expert level is a mandatory assessment for those dealing with Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and highly sensitive DoD projects. Most of these are organizations part of critical infrastructure sectors like energy, water, and transportation. CMMC Level 3 assessments are conducted by the DIBCAC.

How Long Does a CMMC Assessment Take?

The duration of the CMMC assessment depends on the level the organization is pursuing. Level 1 typically runs for a few months, while Levels 2 and 3 may go beyond a year because of the extensive preparation and assessments. At BTI, we’ll help you determine an appropriate time frame to streamline the process.  

What Are the Common Lapses in Compliance Efforts?

Organizations sometimes fail in staying compliant because of the following:

  • Incomplete implementation of NIST SP 800-171 security requirements
  • Self-assessment gaps 
  • Lack of ongoing compliance

What Happens if an Organization Fails the CMMC Assessment? 

If an organization fails to meet the requirements for the CMMC assessment, it needs to identify and address areas that need remediation. The process can include implementing appropriate cybersecurity controls and practices before undergoing a reassessment by a C3PAO.

Is CMMC Compliance a One-time Effort, or Does It Require Ongoing Monitoring?

Just as cybersecurity threats continuously evolve, CMMC compliance requires regular monitoring and further assessments. Your compliance is not a one-time effort but a constant conformance to ensure adherence to the regulations while staying current with the cybersecurity landscape.

Why Trust BTI for CMMC Assessment?

From our data-driven approach to technical expertise, we at BTI are ready to make your CMMC assessment journey more efficient and effective. We will guide you through the certification process, from preparation through assessment, result reporting, and POA&Ms close-outs. You can count on us to create a practical path to CMMC certification, aligning security requirements with your specific needs.

With authorization by The Cyber AB to conduct CMMC Assessments, we have an edge in keeping you on track with your progress while staying compliant with the highest levels of government sensitivity. We were part of the original working group that developed the certification to protect confidential government information systems from increasing cyberattacks. Our commitment to objective, transparent assessments and integrity in reporting helps minimize non-value-added consumption of time and resources.

Choose BTI for CMMC Compliance Services

Choosing an experienced, reputable, and highly skilled C3PAO will ensure you receive a CMMC Level 2 assessment that’s official — and streamlined. Have greater peace of mind partnering with a C3PAO that has a history with CMMC, like BTI. Contact us today.

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Here’s What Our Clients Are Saying About Us

BTI succeeds in its mission when an organization is measurably better in a way that makes a real difference, is able to sustain the change for the better, knows that it is better, and is satisfied with the result.

Read All of Our Testimonials

Our small company was on the verge of rapid growth in business and personnel, enlisting the support of BTI as our CMMI Consultant provided us with a faster approach to gaining the value of CMMI implementation.  We have gained the support and ability to quickly achieve productivity, quality and efficiency gains in our engineering departments and processes.

CSI Companies

Software Quality Assurance Engineer

Business Transformation Institute, Inc. (BTI) joined in partnership with Raytheon SAS to help us bring together many diverse business units and to stabilize and improve our performance.  Throughout the years we have worked together and achieved CMMI Maturity Level 5 while bringing together geographically and process diverse units. This has allowed us to have a much higher fluidity in our staff and contract execution locations without suffering performance degradation.  Also, BTI has led the way in choreographing novel appraisal methodologies that have significantly reduced the cost of maintaining CMMI certification and ensuring that the programs do not suffer “set-back” during the gap between certification renewals.

Alan Perkowski 1 E1695234482260

Alan Perkowski

Process Maturity Technical Director from Major Aerospace Company

Having BTI’s LSS black belts onboard means that I can now safely retire.  Thank you!

Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt

Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt from National Security Agency

CNI was going to graduate from the federal government’s 8(a) program.  We had to be prepared to compete. Part of this is having good processes.  BTI helped us to do it.

Phil Ricks 1 E1695234421930

Phil Ricks

Corporate Quality Manager from Chickasaw Nation Industries

I was fortunate to work with the BTI team on deploying the CMMI Level 2 practice at Western Union. There were a number of obstacles in garnering top-down changes and support everyone that the team was able to work through and make it successful.

Implementing CMMI practices and procedures in an unstructured environment is surely difficult, but the BTI team was able to see the big picture and also make sure that the details were correctly addressed and implemented.

I highly recommend the BTI team!

John Oyhagary 1 E1695234675445

John Oyhagaray

Western Union Systems Development