We leverage our deep relationships across the CMMC ecosystem to connect you with C3PAOs we know and trust. We recommend organizations that offer reasonable pricing, objective and unbiased assessors, and availability to meet your schedule. Our goal is to help you avoid long wait times and high costs while matching you with the right C3PAO for your size, scope, and timeline.

Once you have a C3PAO, we align all parties by coordinating and finalize scope, pricing, schedules, and engagement terms between you and the C3PAO. This creates transparency, prevents surprises, and ensures your assessment is structured, efficient, and built around your schedule.

To validate readiness and uncover gaps early, we strongly recommend a penalty-free mock assessment performed by the same CCAs who wil perform your Level 2 assessment. This allows you to experience the real assessment process without risk, strengthen your evidence, and significantly increase your chances of passing the official assessment as you understand the mindset and perspectives of the CCAs.

1st Defense works in close partnership with our C3PAO partners to deliver a smooth, coordinated, and professional assessment experience, while the C3PAO provides oversight, quality assurance, and official certification to ensure your assessment meets all regulatory and accreditation standards. Our Lead CCAs and CCAs are assigned to perform the CMMC Level 2 assessment, delivering objective and consistent evaluations aligned to the CMMC Assessment Guide.