Choosing the right C3PAO is one of the most important decisions you’ll make on your path to CMMC Level 2.

And the good news? You do have options, so choose carefully and confidently.

Here’s what to look for:

✅ 1. Authorization & Experience

Start with the Cyber AB Marketplace to ensure the organization is authorized. This is the only official cite to locate C3PAOs.

Then look deeper:

• How long have they been working in compliance and the DIB?
  Do they understand environments like yours: Microsoft 365, GCC High, enclaves, hybrid, or on-prem?
• Do they experience assessing your industry?
• Do they have experience as both implementers and assessors?

Insider tip:

With more than 25 years of serving Defense contractors and as an authorized C3PAO, we’ve helped hundreds of organizations navigate NIST SP 800-171 and now CMMC with clarity and confidence.

✅ 2. Assessment Approach & Professionalism

All C3PAOs follow the same standard—but the experience can feel very different.

A strong C3PAO is:
• Objective, consistent, and fair
• Clear and proactive in communication
• Respectful of your time
• Organized and transparent about process and expectations

You want assessors who make the journey predictable, not stressful.

Insider tip:

MNS Group’s C3PAO team prioritizes professionalism, clear expectations, and an anxiety-free experience, so your assessment feels structured, not adversarial.

✅ 3. Mock Assessment Offering

Not all C3PAOs offer mock assessment services. Those who do can eliminate assessment surprises. MNS Group Mock Assessments do NOT include any consulting- they mimic the real thing, so when the time comes, you know what to expect, who to have in attendance, and what documentation to have ready. You can schedule your mock assessment to take place a couple of months prior to your certifying assessment to for time to fit any unmet controls.

Benefits include:
• Early detection of any “Not Mets” at the objective level
• Keeps you in control of the timeline toward certification.
• Reduces the risk of certifying assessment ending without CMMC Level 3 status

Insider tip:

Check that the C3PAO uses the SAME assessment team to do the Mock and Certifying assessment!

✅ 4. Availability & Scheduling

Assessment calendars fill quickly- often months in advance.

Ask about:
• Next available assessment window
• Required prep time
• Mock Assessment scheduling

Insider tip:

Choosing early ensures you secure your preferred assessment window. Consider holiday and vacation schedules since various team members and any external service organizations may need to be in attendance during Phase 2.

✅ 5. Cultural Fit & Communication Style

Assessments require trust, transparency, and collaboration.
Choose a C3PAO whose communication style and approach match your organizational culture.

Insider tip:

We follow a “professional, predictable, partnership” model—clear expectations, steady communication, and a respectful, collaborative tone from start to finish.

Choosing a C3PAO is more than a compliance step—it’s choosing the team that will validate the cybersecurity foundation of your business.

Pick the one that gives you confidence, clarity, and a path forward.