Frequently Asked Questions

You need CMMC if you handle Federal Contract Information (FCI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) for the Department of Defense.

This includes:

• Defense contractors and manufacturers with DoD contracts
• Aerospace and defense suppliers
• Subcontractors at any tier in the defense supply chain

Important: Even if you're several tiers down as a subcontractor, prime contractors are now requiring CMMC certification to work with them.

Not sure if your contracts involve FCI or CUI? We can help you determine your requirements.

No. CMMC requires ongoing maintenance:

Formal assessments:

• Level 1: Annual self-assessment
• Level 2: Third-party assessment every three years

Beyond assessments, maintaining compliance means:

• Continuously updating documentation
• Managing personnel changes
• Adapting to evolving requirements

This is why we focus on building sustainable practices and internal capability—not just helping you pass a single assessment.

Technically yes, but most organizations find it overwhelming.

The reality:

• Level 2 involves 110+ controls to implement
• Complex documentation requirements
• Constantly evolving regulatory landscape
• DIY attempts often result in failed assessments and wasted time

The challenge for mid-sized organizations (50-500 employees):
You typically lack dedicated compliance teams and the bandwidth to master CMMC while running your business.

Our approach: We build your internal capability while providing expert guidance—so you're not dependent on us forever, but you don't face this alone.

Level 1 covers 15 basic practices for protecting Federal Contract Information:

• Self-assessed annually
• Foundational cybersecurity hygiene
• No third-party assessment required

Level 2 involves 110 controls aligned with NIST 800-171:

• Protects Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)
• Typically requires third-party assessment
• More comprehensive security requirements

The right level depends on the type of information you handle in your contracts. If you're working with CUI, you'll need Level 2.

Yes. If you're part of the defense supply chain and handle FCI or CUI, certification requirements flow down to you.

What's happening now:

• Prime contractors are already asking subs about their compliance status
• Getting ahead of this protects your existing relationships
• Positions you for new opportunities

Bottom line: Even if you're several tiers down, you'll eventually need certification to maintain DoD work.

Your timeline depends on several things:

Current state:

• Your current security maturity level
• How much documentation you already have in place

Implementation approach:

• Whether you use a managed enclave or build your own environment
• Your team's capacity to implement changes

Typical timelines:

• Organizations with some security measures: 6-12 months
• Starting from scratch: 12-18+ months

During our initial conversations, we help you understand what's realistic for your situation.

C3PAO (Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization):

• Conducts your official CMMC certification assessment
• Can only tell you "met" or "not met" during assessment
• Cannot tell you how to fix anything

RPO (Registered Provider Organization) like Prescott:

• Helps you get ready for certification
• Can guide you through remediation
• Shows you how to close your gaps

The key difference: During an assessment, a C3PAO can't help you fix problems. An RPO can guide you before the assessment, so you're actually ready.

Prescott and Big 4 firms serve different types of organizations with different needs.

Big 4 firms excel at:

• Enterprise-scale compliance programs (1,000+ employees)
• Organizations needing standardized, repeatable methodologies
• Companies requiring Big 4 credentials for stakeholder confidence
• Multi-site, multi-national compliance coordination

Prescott specializes in:

• Mid-sized organizations (50-500 employees)
• Embedded partnership with hands-on, personalized support
• Regional Michigan/Midwest focus with direct accessibility
• Education-driven approach that builds internal capability
• Cost-effective pricing aligned with mid-market realities

Neither is "better"—it depends on your needs:
If you're a large enterprise needing standardized processes across multiple locations, Big 4 firms have the infrastructure. If you're a mid-sized Michigan manufacturer needing a partner who integrates into your team and transfers knowledge, that's our specialty.

Bottom line: We work with organizations that value regional expertise, personalized engagement, and capability building over brand recognition.

Yes. Multi-framework compliance is one of our core specializations.

We commonly work with organizations managing:

• CMMC + HIPAA (defense contractors handling healthcare data)
• CMMC + ISO 27001/002 (manufacturers pursuing both DoD contracts and ISO certification)
• All three frameworks simultaneously (complex regulatory environments)

Why multi-framework expertise matters:
Many mid-sized organizations face overlapping compliance requirements. Working with separate consultants for each framework creates duplicated effort, conflicting guidance, higher costs, and fragmented compliance programs.

Our approach:
We find efficiencies across frameworks—many controls overlap between CMMC, HIPAA, and ISO. We help you build one integrated compliance program that satisfies multiple requirements, rather than treating each as a separate project.

Common scenario: A Michigan defense contractor with 200 employees handling both DoD contracts (requiring CMMC) and healthcare projects (requiring HIPAA). We develop a unified program that meets both standards efficiently.

No. Our goal is to build your internal capability, not create ongoing dependency.

How we transfer knowledge:

• We mentor and educate your personnel to understand compliance deeply (not just follow checklists)
• We document processes so your team can replicate them independently
• We teach the "how" and "why" behind requirements, not just implement for you
• We motivate your team to value and maintain secure operations

What engagement typically looks like:
Initial certification requires intensive support—gap analysis, remediation, documentation, policy development. As your team learns and builds capability, our involvement decreases. Many clients transition from daily support to quarterly governance reviews.

After initial certification:
Some clients choose ongoing compliance governance (monitoring, updates, continuous improvement)—but it's by choice, not necessity. You'll have the knowledge and processes to maintain compliance on your own.

This reflects our "silent partner" philosophy: We succeed when you can sustain compliance independently. Your long-term capability matters more than our recurring revenue.

We specialize in mid-sized organizations: 50-500 employees, with a sweet spot of 100-300 employees in Michigan and the Midwest.

Why we focus on this size:

• Large enough to have complex operations requiring systemic change
• Small enough to benefit from personalized, embedded partnership
• Typically lack dedicated compliance teams or officers
• Can't afford Big 4 rates or full-time compliance specialists
• Need hands-on support, not just documentation and advice

What mid-sized companies typically face:

• IT team of 1-5 people (strong on operations, less experienced in compliance)
• Or fractional/outsourced IT resources
• Limited compliance budget and expertise
• Need to balance security with operational efficiency
• Want to build internal capability, not outsource forever

Our embedded partnership model works best at this scale because:

• We can meaningfully integrate into your organization (not just quarterly check-ins)
• You get personalized attention (we limit each consultant to few clients)
• Regional accessibility matters for hands-on partnership
• We understand mid-market constraints and realities

If you're 50-500 employees facing CMMC, HIPAA, or ISO requirements without dedicated internal compliance resources—we're designed specifically for you.

We're a Registered Provider Organization with the CMMC Accreditation Body, but our team goes well beyond the minimum RPO requirements.

Our credentials:

• Certified CMMC Professionals (CCPs)
• Certified CMMC Assessors (CCAs) on staff
• Assessor-level experience applied to your preparation
• Not just consulting credentials

What this means for you: We can evaluate your readiness the same way an assessor would—but we can also tell you exactly how to fix what's not working.

Yes. Our mock assessments are designed to mirror what you'll experience with a C3PAO.

Why this matters:

• We have a certified assessor on staff
• We evaluate your readiness the same way an assessor would
• Unlike a C3PAO, we don't stop at "met" or "not met"

The difference: We walk you through what needs to change and how to fix it. This way, when you go through the real assessment, you know you're ready.

Our mock assessments mirror the official C3PAO experience:

We evaluate:

• Your environment and infrastructure
• Documentation and policies
• Practices against CMMC requirements

You receive:

• Clear assessment of where you stand
• Identification of gaps and weaknesses
• Specific guidance on what needs to change
• Step-by-step remediation recommendations

The key benefit: We don't stop at "met" or "not met." We show you exactly how to fix what's not working.

Yes. Many clients come to us after working through requirements on their own or with an MSP.

Common scenarios:

• Started DIY and hit roadblocks you can't solve
• Working with an MSP on technical controls but need compliance guidance
• Want validation before scheduling formal assessment

Our approach:

• Often start with a consulting engagement to answer questions and identify gaps
• Move into a mock assessment when you're closer to ready
• Fill in the missing pieces without starting from scratch

Bottom line: It's never too late to bring in experienced guidance. We meet you where you are.