CMMC compliance consultant for small defense contractors
Eagle Ridge gets small defense contractors ready for CMMC. We find the gaps, fix them with you, and document everything against NIST 800-171 — so when a C3PAO assesses you, there are no surprises.
Which CMMC level do you need?
The level you need is set by what is in your contract — usually whether you handle Federal Contract Information (FCI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). We confirm yours in the first call.
Level 1 — Foundational
17 basic safeguards for handling FCI. Annual self-assessment.
Level 2 — Advanced
The 110 NIST 800-171 controls for protecting CUI. Third-party (C3PAO) assessment, typically every three years.
Level 3 — Expert
Adds the enhanced NIST 800-172 requirements for the most sensitive programs. Government-led assessment.
How we get you ready
- Scope & gap assessment. We define your FCI/CUI boundary and assess every control that applies to you.
- Prioritized remediation plan. A Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M) with real costs, sequenced by what matters most.
- Fix the gaps with you. We draft the policies, stand up the tooling, and document the controls — alongside your team.
- Document & score. Your System Security Plan (SSP), an evidence inventory, and your SPRS score.
- Readiness review & monitoring. You walk in prepared, with a continuous-monitoring plan to help you stay ready afterward.
What you walk away with
- A gap assessment against every control that applies to you
- A prioritized remediation plan with real costs (your POA&M)
- A findings report you can act on
- Your System Security Plan (SSP)
- An evidence inventory mapped to the controls
- Your SPRS score
- A continuous-monitoring plan to stay ready
Built for small teams
You do not need a security department to win government contracts. We do the heavy lifting — drafting policies, standing up tooling, and documenting controls — sized for a company your size, not an enterprise.
Frameworks we support
CMMC and the NIST standards behind it — 800-171 and 800-53 — are our core competency. We also support readiness for SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, and FedRAMP when your contracts or enterprise customers require them.
CMMC readiness — frequently asked questions
- What does a CMMC compliance consultant do?
- A CMMC compliance consultant gets you ready for your assessment — finding the gaps against NIST 800-171, helping you fix them, and producing the documentation an assessor expects (a System Security Plan, a POA&M, an evidence inventory, and your SPRS score). Readiness and the assessment are separate roles: a C3PAO cannot both prepare you and assess you, so we are the upstream readiness partner, not the assessor.
- What is the difference between CMMC Level 1 and Level 2?
- Level 1 covers 17 basic safeguards for Federal Contract Information (FCI) and is an annual self-assessment. Level 2 covers the 110 NIST 800-171 controls for Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and usually requires a third-party (C3PAO) assessment every three years. Which one you need is set by what is in your contract — we confirm it in the first call.
- Is CMMC the same as NIST 800-171?
- They are tightly linked. CMMC Level 2 is built directly on the 110 controls in NIST SP 800-171. CMMC adds the assessment and certification process on top. If you already work toward 800-171 for DFARS 252.204-7012, you have a real head start on CMMC Level 2.
- How long does CMMC readiness take?
- For most small contractors, three to nine months — depending on your scope, how much is already in place, and how fast remediation can move. We give you a realistic timeline after the gap assessment, not a guess up front.
- Can a small team really get CMMC-ready?
- Yes. You do not need a dedicated security department. We size the work to a company your size and do the heavy lifting — drafting policies, standing up tooling, and documenting controls — so a lean team can reach and hold readiness.
- Do you only do CMMC?
- CMMC and the NIST standards behind it (800-171 and 800-53) are our core. We also support readiness for SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, and FedRAMP when your contracts or enterprise customers require them.
- What does CMMC readiness cost?
- It depends on your scope and starting point, so we do not quote a flat number sight unseen. After the gap assessment you get a prioritized remediation plan with real costs, so you can see what readiness takes before you commit to the work.
Not sure which level you need or where you stand?
Book a free readiness call