6 Questions for Finding Your Ideal CMMC Compliance Partner
CMMC compliance is not a one-and-done job, but rather an ongoing process. Working with the right partner for your cybersecurity needs can make all the difference, as even minor updates to your processes or requirements can affect your compliance status. When it’s time to look for a third-party partner to handle your CMMC needs, do you know what to look for? Here are six questions you should be asking.
Do you know what to look for when it comes to IT support, billing, and contracts? Find out with our checklist to IT support and fees.
What Is CMMC Compliance?
The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) assessment standard is aligned to the Department of Defense (DoD)’s information security requirements for Defense Industrial Base partners. The assessment helps contractor and subcontractor organizations ensure they are meeting security requirements to protect sensitive information and data. Working with the wrong partner can result in a misguided approach to compliance, so it is essential to find the right third-party compliance partner for your CMMC journey.
6 Questions To Ask Your Compliance Partner
If you are considering working with a compliance partner for CMMC, asking these six questions can help you determine if they are the right fit for your organization.
1. What Solutions Do You Offer?
When it comes to CMMC and cybersecurity, a one-size-fits-all approach really will not fit the bill. Every organization is different, and with that comes different implementation requirements. Your potential partner should be able to explain how they offer customizable and tailored solutions to fit their clients’ varying needs.
2. What Is Your History and Experience With CMMC Compliance?
A third-party partner cannot learn CMMC compliance requirements and NIST 800-171 implementation overnight. Partners who jump right into these controls often lack the experience to know what the CMMC auditor will be looking for and can cause a business to fall short during audits.
When vetting partners, companies should look to referrals, case studies, testimonials, and other resources, such as the CMMC Marketplace, that back up the partner’s claims. For example, the organization could claim that they are CMMC certified and have already passed an audit. But did you know that, as of February 2024, there are no true CMMC certification assessments available? At this point, “trust but verify” becomes “verify and verify.”
Opting to work with a third-party partner that has been involved with CMMC from inception, with Registered Practitioners and Certified CMMC Professionals (CAICO certification) on staff (such as Network Coverage) will help ensure you are receiving guidance and can demonstrate compliance in a way that a third-party auditor will understand.
3. How Can You Assist Us With CUI and FCI?
Data is confusing, and identifying the special types of information you have been entrusted with can quickly become overwhelming. Your partner in CMMC this should be able to assist you with scoping controlled unclassified information (CUI) and federal contract information (FCI), proper tagging, and classification. The partner should be able to help you design a perimeter, detailing their plan for better organization and securing your data today while also explaining their strategy for tracking the flow of your CUI and FCI data in the future.
4. How Can You Help Us Maintain Compliance?
As stated previously, compliance is not a one-and-done deal. Strategies need to be implemented to ensure you are compliant today, tomorrow, and next year. Many organizations struggle with staff training, staff awareness, data security, and more. It is very easy for employees to lose interest in compliance, as change is rarely easy. A strong CMMC compliance partner understands that and will have a game plan to keep your team following the new strategies and helping them to avoid mistakes — like throwing CUI away in the trash or leaving sensitive data out on a desk overnight.
Do you believe your current partner does not work for your compliance needs? We offer a free, no risk IT security assessment to get you back on track.
5. How Do You Tackle the Management of Subcontractors?
If your organization works with subcontractors, they need to be considered when it comes to your own compliance strategy. You will want to ask how exactly the partner will play a role in managing subcontractors to ensure CMMC compliance at every step of your work. After all, at the end of the day, you are responsible for your subcontractors’ work, and failures on their part to protect CUI could result in data security impact on your operations and even loss of contracts.
6. What Tactics Does Your Team Have in Place to Stay Committed to the CMMC Ecosystem?
The world of CMMC and compliance is ever changing, and partners need to be committed in the long term to ensure your organization is secure. You should inquire about the partner’s approach to participation in community events, ongoing education, training, and more. By partnering with a certified partner in the CMMC space, you can rest assured you will meet the ever-changing compliance requirements, and you will use the latest tools and resources to better support your efficiency and security.
The right partner for CMMC compliance should help you alleviate the compliance burden while giving you the necessary resources to adapt to the evolving cybersecurity landscape. They will have a proven track record of assisting their clients in navigating the complex world of compliance while improving their overall approach to cybersecurity. For a strong security posture going forward, getting this step correct is a necessity.
Is it time to work with an MSP to implement your cybersecurity and compliance controls? Contact us today to get started.