Explore the different kinds of CMMC consultants and learn how to choose the right one for compliance success.
The Cyber-AB has a number of official designations that authorize businesses and individuals to help Organizations Seeking Certification (OSCs) pursue Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). “CMMC consultant” is a bit of an umbrella term, rather than an official designation.
CMMC consultants, or CMMC consulting, usually refers to one of three things:
- Registered Provider Organizations (RPOs) like Summit 7 who are authorized to offer services to OSCs
- External Service Providers (ESPs) offering managed services or managed security services
- Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) offering compliant cloud solutions
- Individually certified experts vetted by the Cyber-AB
- CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs)
- CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs)
What is an RPO?
The Cyber-AB authorizes RPOs like Summit 7 to provide pre-assessment consulting services to government contractors and other OSCs, as well as assist during assessments in the event a finding is uncovered.
As a company, Summit 7 also holds dual CMMC Level 2 Certifications as well as Azure Expert MSP and ISO 27001 certifications.
Summit 7’s CMMC Consulting Experts
Summit 7 has the most Cyber-AB certified experts in the industry. For the running count of our CCAs, CCPs, and RPs visit our trust center.
CMMC Certified Professionals (CCPs) are individually qualified to help organizations prepare for assessments and support assessment teams.
CMMC Certified Assessors (CCAs) are authorized to make official judgments on compliance with a Certified Third-Party Assessor Organization (C3PAO). Summit 7 does not offer C3PAO services, but our CCAs bring value in knowing exactly what assessors are looking for and how to meet their standards.
Summit 7 CMMC Consulting Services
Summit 7 offers 3 primary CMMC consulting packages, which cover different portions of the 320 National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800-171 assessment objectives. Here’s a quick breakdown:
Vigilance – Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) Solution
With Vigilance, Summit 7 supports about 51% of CMMC assessment objectives.
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Summit 7 Owns: 30 objectives
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Summit 7 Shares: 132 objectives
Guardian – Managed Service Provider (MSP) Solution
With Guardian, Summit 7 supports about 80% of CMMC assessment objectives.
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Summit 7 Owns: 108 objectives
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Summit 7 Shares: 147 objectives
Commander – Managed Governance, Risk, & Compliance (GRC) Solution
With Commander, Summit 7 supports 100% of CMMC assessment objectives.
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Summit 7 Owns: 127 objectives
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Summit 7 Shares: 193 objectives
How much does CMMC consulting cost?
The cost of hiring a CMMC consultant varies based on your business size, CMMC scope, and existing readiness. See the breakdown below for the average CMMC level 2 cost by Full-Time Employee (FTE) count.
Outsourcing to Summit 7 can save your business 56-70% compared to handling CMMC in house.
How to select a CMMC consultant
To feel confident in selecting a CMMC consultant, we’d suggest sending out requests for proposals (RFPs) to identify your ideal partner using Summit 7’s free RFP template.
The resource linked above will guide you through how to ask all the right questions ranging from the RPO’s own CMMC status and technical capabilities to client track record and pricing structure.
What makes Summit 7 an outstanding CMMC consultant?
Summit 7 has unparalleled expertise and educational initiatives in-industry. In addition to an incredibly talented employee base, Summit 7 has a track record of glowing customer testimonials. In May of 2026, we celebrated our first 100 CMMC Level 2 Certified clients.
Contact Summit 7 to learn what CMMC consulting services are right for your business.