If your organization handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), you're required to meet the 110 security requirements defined under NIST SP 800-171 and validated through the CMMC framework. First Column IT's CMMC Level 2 consulting services are for defense contractors who need structured implementation, defensible documentation, and confident preparation for either self-assessment or C3PAO certification.
Level 2 is not a paperwork exercise; it's an operational standard that must withstand formal review.
Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certificate (CMMC) Level 2 aligns directly with NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 and includes:
Unlike CMMC Level 1[1] , Level 2 demands mature implementation, complete documentation, and evidence that controls are functioning consistently over time.
For many contractors in the Defense Industrial Base, Level 2 is the most consequential certification tier.
Organizations often underestimate the depth of Level 2 until they begin scoping.
The complexity is not just the number of controls; it's how those controls intersect with identity management, logging, incident response, access control, encryption, vendor management, and documentation governance. Assessment teams evaluate both technical execution and procedural maturity.
DFARS 252.204-7021 enforces ongoing compliance, and inaccurate affirmations can introduce contractual and legal risk.
Effective CMMC Level 2 consulting includes:
First Column IT is a CMMC Level 2 Certified organization, having undergone a successful C3PAO audit with a 110/110 score. Our firsthand experience with the CMMC audit process ensures that our clients benefit from proven, practical compliance strategies.
That experience informs how we design environments, build documentation, structure scoping decisions, and prepare organizations for third-party review. We understand how assessors interpret control language because we've undergone the same evaluation.
Our methodology is deliberate, structured, and audit-aligned.
We identify all assets, users, and systems involved with CUI, including cloud environments such as Microsoft 365 GCC/High, to ensure audits focus only on necessary areas while maintaining security coverage.
We conduct a comprehensive, control-by-control gap analysis, highlighting technical, policy, and process deficiencies. You receive a prioritized action plan aligned with your contract's timelines.
For organizations with limited CUI exposure, we can create controlled enclave environments that isolate in-scope systems and reduce audit complexity. For larger enterprises, we architect fully integrated, compliant ecosystems aligned to operational workflows.
Every architectural decision is made with audit defensibility in mind.
First Column IT creates a complete System Security Plan (SSP), policies, responsibility matrix, and evidence frameworks that accurately reflect your operational environment and meet assessor requirements.
Where gaps exist, we create structured Plans of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms) and guide remediation to ensure allowable and defensible corrective action under CMMC guidance.
Before you engage a third-party assessor, we conduct structured pre-assessment validation:
Organizations enter formal assessments prepared, not reactive.
As a CMMC Level 2 managed service provider, First Column IT delivers ongoing compliance support—including continuous monitoring, log management, configuration reviews, and assistance with annual SPRS scoring—to keep your organization audit-ready and secure throughout the contract lifecycle.
Costs vary based on scope size, environment complexity, and remediation needs.
Typical ranges:
CMMC Level 2 Self-Assessment Consulting Costs:
$20,000 – $40,000+
C3PAO Third-Party Assessment Costs:
$90,000 – $200,000+
CMMC Level 2 is where cybersecurity maturity becomes an operational discipline. Contractors handling CUI must demonstrate both technical execution and governance consistency.
Our CMMC Level 2 consulting services provide structured guidance from scoping through certification and ongoing compliance management.
CMMC Level 2 requires implementation of all 110 security requirements from NIST SP 800-171, along with documented policies, procedures, and evidence demonstrating operational effectiveness. Organizations must also complete either an annual self-assessment or undergo certification by a C3PAO, depending on contractual requirements. Controls must be fully implemented — not just planned — prior to affirmation or assessment.
It depends on your contract. Some Level 2 contracts permit annual self-assessment with SPRS affirmation, while others require an additional formal third-party certification every three years. Contractors handling higher-risk or mission-critical CUI are more likely to require C3PAO assessment. Reviewing contract language early is critical to determining your compliance path.
The timeline varies based on your current NIST 800-171 maturity, architecture decisions, and remediation scope. Organizations with existing structured cybersecurity programs may achieve readiness in several months, while those requiring significant control implementation or enclave creation may take longer. Starting early allows for methodical remediation rather than rushed correction before contract deadlines.
ADVANCE YOUR BUSINESS
Although compliance is there to protect you and your clients, it can be catastrophic should you ever fail to be compliant with your regulatory body. Our team of compliance experts is fluent in the latest requirements in CMMC, NIST, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, FINRA, GDPR, DFAR, SOX, and more.
Without your data, how would you operate your business? We protect your data with non-disruptive backups to multiple locations and ensure that you and your team have a plan in place should a disaster take your business offline for any reason.
We go beyond the basics of firewall, anti-virus and intrusion prevention services (IPS) to ensure you have multiple layers of zero trust ongoing protection beyond what most of our competitors provide. Because if your security offers only a single point of protection, you’re more vulnerable to breaches – and that just doesn’t work for us.
The password - as an adequate security measure - is long dead. In 2022, about 30,000 websites are hacked each day and 64% of companies worldwide have suffered at least one form of a cyber-attack. Two Factor (2FA) deployed for all entry points including workstations, terminal servers, Office 365, and VPN is critical to protecting your valuable data!
