CMMC Gap Analysis
Get C3PAO-level Gap Analysis before your CMMC Assessment
You’re planning for CMMC Level 2 certification, but how confident are you in your current security posture? Most defense contractors discover—often too late—that their self-assessment scores dramatically overestimate their actual compliance. databrackets’ CMMC Gap Analysis delivers the accurate baseline you need, conducted by the same Certified CMMC Assessors who perform official certifications. It’s ideal for defense contractors just beginning their CMMC journey, a subcontractor responding to prime contractor requirements, organizations who have completed self-assessment but need validation before implementation or any organization beginning their CMMC Journey.
Unlike generic compliance reviews, our gap analysis applies C3PAO-caliber rigor from day one, evaluating all 110 NIST SP 800-171 practices against the 320 underlying assessment objectives that determine certification success. We identify exactly where you stand today, prioritize your gaps by risk and remediation effort, and build a realistic roadmap that prevents costly surprises during your official assessment.
Schedule a Meeting to discuss your CMMC compliance needs including a Gap Analysis.
Why we begin with CUI Scoping
Here’s what most defense contractors get wrong: they dive into CMMC implementation before understanding what they’re actually protecting. The result? Wasted resources securing systems that don’t need it, or worse—missing CUI entirely and failing certification. Your Gap Analysis starts where it should: identifying exactly what Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) exists in your environment, where it lives, and how it moves through your operations.
We follow a structured approach, aligned with the official CMMC Scoping Guide to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. We map your complete CUI Data Lifecycle across six critical stages:
Input/Create: how CUI enters your organization
Store: where and how it’s maintained
Use: who accesses it and through which applications
Share: how it flows to vendors, subcontractors, and primes
Archive: your backup and retention processes
Disposal: secure destruction procedures
One of the most common mistakes we see is organizations launching CMMC compliance programs without proper CUI scoping—and they pay for it later. Either through unnecessarily broad compliance scope that drives up costs, or through assessment failures when C3PAOs discover unprotected CUI outside their documented boundaries.
Our certified assessors don’t guess about CUI. We use the official NARA CUI Registry, conduct cross-functional stakeholder interviews, and create detailed data flow diagrams that stand up to rigorous scrutiny. This C3PAO-caliber expertise ensures your compliance foundation is solid from day one, preventing the scope creep and assessment failures that derail contractors who skip this critical first step.
databrackets’ CMMC Gap Analysis Process
Phase 1: CUI Scoping & Data Flow Analysis Identify CUI touchpoints, document information flow, and define assessment boundaries using CMMC Scoping Guide methodology.
Phase 2: Infrastructure & Asset Inventory Map IT assets across the five CMMC categories, document network architecture, and identify in-scope systems.
Phase 3: Control Assessment Evaluate implementation against all 110 NIST SP 800-171 practices and 320 underlying assessment objectives.
Phase 4: Gap Analysis & Roadmap Calculate accurate SPRS score, prioritize findings by risk and effort, and deliver actionable POA&M with implementation timeline.
Schedule a Meeting to discuss your CMMC compliance needs including a Gap Analysis.
How Long Does a CMMC Gap Analysis Take?
Most CMMC Gap Analyses take 4-6 weeks approximately for small to medium organizations. Larger or more complex environments typically require 12-20 weeks, depending on:
Staff availability for interviews and documentation review
Number of CAGE Code entities requiring assessment
IT environment complexity (on-premises, cloud, or hybrid infrastructure)
Degree of vertical integration among shared IT and corporate resources
Current documentation maturity and control implementation status
How Much Does a CMMC Gap Analysis Cost?
Your investment in a CMMC Gap Analysis depends on several variables:
Organization size and industry vertical
IT system nature and complexity (on-premises, cloud, or hybrid)
Number of CAGE Code entities and required SSPs
Current compliance baseline and documentation readiness
Geographic distribution and facility count
Why choose databrackets to conduct your CMMC Gap Analysis?
We specialize in transforming CMMC compliance from a daunting obstacle into a strategic business enabler! databrackets is an authorized C3PAO with 15+ years of cybersecurity and compliance expertise. We are also a 3PAO for FedRAMP and accredited as a Certifying Body for ISO 27001.
1. Our Multi-Framework Expertise
What makes databrackets particularly valuable is our extensive experience across complementary frameworks, including NIST SP 800-171, NIST SP 800-53, SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
This breadth of knowledge enables our assessment teams to understand how CMMC controls integrate with your existing compliance efforts and identify synergies that strengthen your overall security posture.
2. Experienced CMMC Professionals
Our consultants include certified CMMC assessors who understand exactly what C3PAOs look for during certification assessments, and they bring C3PAO-level scrutiny to the process to help you start on a solid foot.
3. End-to-End Compliance Support
We don’t just identify gaps and walk away. databrackets provides comprehensive support from initial assessment through ongoing compliance maintenance. Beyond Gap Analysis, our services include SSP development, policy documentation, etc. We help you build CMMC compliance into a strategic advantage—demonstrating security maturity that wins contracts and builds trust with primes and the DoD.
Our CMMC Compliance Services include:
Strategic Planning: Gap analysis, CUI scoping, network documentation, CUI Flow diagrams, risk assessment and vendor compliance evaluations
Implementation & Documentation Support: System Security Plan (SSP)development & customization, policies and procedures, FIPS validation documentation & shared control matrices, and evidence collection strategies and management. For organizations with compliance gaps, we help create structured remediation plans with realistic timelines. We offer Incident Response Plan development; testing, marking and CUI labeling strategy including guidance on inventory, templates, and automation solutions.
Enterprise CMMC Programs for Multi-CAGE Organizations: Large defense contractors with multiple CAGE codes and subsidiaries need coordinated compliance strategies. We develop enterprise-wide programs that leverage shared controls and reduce redundancy.
CUI Lifecycle Management: We map your CUI data lifecycle to minimize scope and implement appropriate protections at each stage. Understanding where CUI enters, flows through, and exits your organization is fundamental to efficient compliance.
Subcontractor Flow-Down Management: Navigate CMMC flow-down requirements with confidence. We help you assess subcontractor compliance status and verify you’re your partners meet obligations before you share CUI.
Technology Selection & Implementation Guidance: We share vendor-neutral recommendations for cloud security, endpoint protection, and other CMMC-required technologies. We help you to focus on solutions that satisfy requirements while enhancing operational efficiency.
Certification Preparation: CMMC documentation optimization & organization, personnel training, and C3PAO selection & coordination.
Ongoing Compliance: Continuous monitoring, annual affirmation support, preparation for your triennial assessment, change management & configuration control guidance, and CUI awareness training.
Schedule a Meeting to discuss your CMMC compliance needs including a Gap Analysis and get a customized quote.
C3PAO Independence rule: All certification professionals (C3PAOs, CCAs, Lead CCAs and CCPs) are absolutely prohibited from providing compliance consulting, implementation guidance, or remediation services to organizations they assess for certification. This ensures objective evaluation and prevents conflicts of interest. However, they can offer consulting and implementation to organizations that they do not assess for CMMC certification.
Explore our comprehensive blogs on CMMC
What’s included in our Gap Analysis?
Comprehensive CUI Identification & Scoping
Your Gap Analysis begins with in-depth discovery sessions where we work with stakeholders across your organization—not just IT—to identify every place CUI touches your operations. We map your CUI Data Lifecycle described above. This complete lifecycle view, aligned with the CMMC Scoping Guide, prevents the incomplete scoping that causes both unnecessary costs and assessment failures.
IT Asset Inventory & Classification
We document your IT environment according to the five asset categories required by CMMC: CUI assets, security protection assets, contractor-owned/operated assets, specialized assets, and out-of-scope assets. This inventory becomes the foundation for your System Security Plan and ensures assessors understand exactly what’s in scope for certification.
Assessment Against 320 Objectives—Not Just 110 Practices
Most organizations evaluate themselves against NIST SP 800-171’s 110 security practices. But each practice breaks down into specific assessment objectives—320 in total—that C3PAOs actually test during certification. We evaluate your implementation against all 320 objectives, giving you the same level of scrutiny you’ll face during your official assessment. This depth is what separates a C3PAO-caliber gap analysis from a basic compliance checklist.
Accurate SPRS Score Calculation
We calculate your true SPRS score using DoD methodology and guide you through the submission process. Even if you’re starting without complete documentation, our deliverable helps you satisfy the DoD’s basic reporting requirements so you can demonstrate compliance progress to primes and contracting officers while you complete remediation.
Prioritized Remediation Roadmap
Our Gap Analysis delivers more than a list of deficiencies. You receive a prioritized POA&M that balances risk impact against implementation effort, helping you make smart decisions about where to invest first. This roadmap shows you the fastest path to improving your SPRS score and getting certification-ready.
Schedule a Meeting to discuss your CMMC compliance needs including a Gap Analysis.
How is a Gap Analysis different from a Mock Assessment?
Aspect | CMMC Gap Analysis | CMMC Mock Assessment |
Services | Offered under CMMC Compliance Services as a CMMC Consultant | Offered under CMMC Certification Services as a C3PAO |
Conducted By | CMMC Consultant or Registered Practitioner Organization (RPO) | Authorized C3PAO (Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization) |
When in Your Journey | Early stages of your CMMC compliance journey | Near the end—just before your actual certification assessment |
Purpose | Initial diagnostic review of your current state against CMMC requirements | Final validation that you’re ready for official C3PAO certification |
Scope | Identifies gaps between existing practices and CMMC requirements | Evaluates complete evidence packages, implementation, and technical controls |
Methodology | High-level overview across all domains with prioritized findings | Rigorous simulation using official CAP (CMMC Assessment Process) methodology |
Deliverable | Remediation roadmap with prioritized action items | Pass/fail determination with specific Met/Not Met findings for all 110 practices |
Remediation Support | Includes remediation guidance and implementation support | Does NOT include remediation guidance (C3PAO independence requirement) |
Testing Depth | Assessment-level review without full technical validation | Comprehensive testing of technical controls and configurations |
Next Steps | Begin implementation and remediation work | Work with your RPO/Consultant to address unmet practices, then schedule certification |
Which service do you need?
If you’re just beginning your CMMC implementation, start with a Gap Analysis by CMMC Consultant or RPO. If you’ve completed implementation of all 110 controls and believe you’re certification-ready, a Mock Assessment from a C3PAO like databrackets validates that you are ready for your official assessment.
Schedule a Meeting to discuss the ideal CMMC services for your organization.
C3PAO Independence rule: All certification professionals (C3PAOs, CCAs, Lead CCAs and CCPs) are absolutely prohibited from providing compliance consulting, implementation guidance, or remediation services to organizations they assess for certification. This ensures objective evaluation and prevents conflicts of interest. However, they can offer consulting and implementation to organizations that they do not assess for CMMC certification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a CMMC roadmap to help organizations navigate the process?
Once you decide to pursue a DoD contract, you need to go undertake your CMMC Journey in a systematic manner. Your CMMC Roadmap will begin with identifying which level you need to comply with, the controls required for that level and whether you need to be certified or submit a self attestation for your specific contract. You can learn about CMMC Documentation, Creating your SSP, Working with CMMC Compliance and Certification Professionals, Preparing for your Certification, Selecting the right C3PAO and much more by reviewing our free resources.
Should we focus on CMMC Compliance or Certification? Which service is right for us?
You need to select either Compliance or Certification services while working with an organization.
If You’re Early in Your Journey: Focus on compliance preparation first. Engage a CMMC Consultant like databrackets for gap analysis and implementation support. Build your security program methodically. Don’t rush to assessment before you’re ready—failure wastes time and money.
If You’re Nearing Readiness: Schedule a mock assessment to assess if you are truly ready for certification. Address any identified unmet practices. Organize your evidence library. Brief your team on assessment expectations. Then engage a C3PAO like databrackets to schedule your formal assessment. We offer mock assessments and identification of unmet practices during this trial run. You can work on these areas with your CMMC consultant or RPO before your actual assessment.
If You’re Ready Now: Contact databrackets to discuss C3PAO assessment services. With limited C3PAO availability and high demand, scheduling early ensures you secure assessment slots that align with your contract timelines.
If You’re Uncertain: Schedule a Meeting with our team. We can help you understand where you are in the journey, what preparation remains, and what timeline makes sense for your situation. This initial discussion is complimentary and creates no obligation.
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