A CMMC Readiness Assessment is the critical first step in preparing your organization for the formal, third-party CMMC Level 2 Assessment. Since the official CMMC process is pass/fail and highly detailed, the readiness assessment is your essential dry run, a compliance check designed to identify and close gaps before they impact your final certification.
More Than a Checkbox: What the CMMC Readiness Assessment Reveals
A comprehensive CMMC Readiness Assessment is a deep, evidence-based review that mirrors the rigor of the official process. It focuses on the 110 security controls outlined in NIST SP 800-171.
Our CMMC readiness process includes three core components:
- Scope Validation: We begin by defining your Assessment Boundary, meticulously tracking the flow of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) to ensure you are only assessing the systems that need to be compliant. This step alone can save your organization time and money by limiting unnecessary scope.
- Gap Analysis & Evidence Review: Our certified professionals review your existing policies, procedures, and technical configurations. The goal is to verify that you have verifiable evidence—access logs, system reports, and documentation—to prove that your controls are not just written down, but are consistently implemented and functioning as described.
- Prioritized Remediation Roadmap: The final deliverable is a clear, actionable plan that ranks identified deficiencies by risk, allowing you to prioritize the most critical fixes (the remediation steps) needed to achieve CMMC Level 2 compliance before your official CMMC Assessment.
If you fail to demonstrate the required evidence during the formal CMMC Level 2 Assessment, your organization risks disqualification from bidding on DoD contracts for a minimum of 90 days. A thorough pre-assessment mitigates this risk entirely.
Speak to a Compliance Specialist.
The Critical Difference: Assessment vs. Remediation
Understanding the difference between Assessment and Remediation is crucial for navigating CMMC 2.0.
- The Assessment (The “Check”): This is a formal, objective review to determine your current state. The CMMC Accreditation Body requires that the formal CMMC Level 2 Assessment be performed by an impartial C3PAO—meaning the assessor cannot provide consulting or remediation advice during the official assessment.
- The Remediation (The “Fix”): This is the hands-on process of closing the identified CMMC 2.0 gaps. Remediation involves technical implementations, policy development, and updating your documentation.
The Auditwerx Advantage: Seamless Pre-Assessment & Remediation Planning
While the formal CMMC assessment must remain independent, your pre-assessment phase is where you need active Remediation Consulting. This is where our services as a Candidate C3PAO provide immense value.
Our Certified CMMC Professionals (CCPs) specialize in providing the actionable remediation plans that your IT team needs to succeed. We don’t just hand you a list of deficiencies; we provide detailed, prioritized guidance on how to close them.
By leveraging Auditwerx for your pre-assessment and remediation consulting, you benefit from a unified, efficient approach that minimizes wasted effort and drastically improves your likelihood of passing the formal CMMC Level 2 Assessment on the first attempt.
5 Essential Criteria for Choosing a CMMC Readiness Provider
Use these five criteria to vet any potential provider:
Criteria | Look For… | Auditwerx Advantage |
1. Official Credentials | Certified CMMC Professionals (CCPs) actively involved in the ecosystem. | Our team consists of Certified Assessors and CCPs who follow the exact methodologies and standards used in the formal process. |
2. DIB Experience | A proven track record specifically serving the Defense Industrial Base (DIB), understanding DFARS and CUI. | We specialize exclusively in the compliance needs of defense contractors, offering focused, relevant guidance. |
3. Scope Validation | A rigorous initial process to define the CUI boundary to avoid assessing—and spending on—unnecessary systems. | Our methodology begins with precise scope definition, helping you legally and strategically reduce the size of the environment that must achieve CMMC Level 2. |
4. Actionable Deliverables | A roadmap that clearly outlines what must be done, who is responsible, and the evidence required. | We provide a fully detailed Actionable Remediation Plan that integrates into your internal project management systems. |
5. Technical Capability | The ability to move beyond policy writing into reviewing and implementing technical controls. | Our team includes deep technical Consultants who can advise on configurations necessary to satisfy the NIST 800-171 requirements in real-world environments. |
Auditwerx: Our Conflict-Free CMMC Readiness Approach
As a Candidate C3PAO, Auditwerx possesses a unique, powerful understanding of the entire process from the assessor’s perspective.
1. True Assessment Simulation (Mock Assessment)
We conduct a rigorous CMMC Mock Assessment that replicates the process, standards, and evidence checks used by official C3PAOs. This provides you with: an accurate readiness score, interview practice, and confirmation that your policies are verifiable.
2. Conflict-Free Consultation & Remediation
The CMMC program strictly prohibits any organization from providing a readiness assessment (consulting) and the final certification assessment (impartial evaluation) to the same client.
Your Benefit: By choosing Auditwerx for your readiness and mock assessments, you eliminate all conflicts of interest. Our singular focus is getting you to a PASS state. We are fully committed to providing detailed, actionable remediation plans to prepare your organization for certification.
3. Clear Path to Final Certification
Once our mock assessment and remediation consulting confirms your readiness, we transition you smoothly to an Authorized C3PAO for your final certification assessment. We ensure your System Security Plan (SSP) and POA&M are finalized and ready for submission to guarantee a seamless, efficient hand-off to the official assessor.
Start Your CMMC Compliance Check Today
The time to achieve CMMC Level 2 readiness is now. Delaying your pre-assessment risks losing eligibility for future DoD contracts.
Don’t wait for the official assessment to discover compliance gaps. Take advantage of Auditwerx’s Candidate C3PAO insight and our conflict-free approach to CMMC readiness.
Ready to determine your CMMC readiness score? Click here to schedule your initial consultation and begin your CMMC Gap Assessment today.
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