How To Perform A CMMC Gap Assessment (From a Registered Provider Organization)
Learn how to perform a CMMC gap assessment to identify compliance gaps and prioritize remediation.
The Department of Defense (DoD) has implemented the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) to ensure the cybersecurity practices of all contractors and subcontractors meet the needed standards and protect sensitive data.
Usually conducted at the beginning of the CMMC compliance process, a CMMC gap assessment highlights your organization’s CMMC readiness, showing which controls are in place, missing, or need remediation.
In this guide, you'll learn how to perform a CMMC gap assessment. Plus, we'll cover how your organization can prepare for a successful CMMC assessment.
What Is a CMMC Gap Assessment?
The CMMC framework is DoD mandated and sets the cybersecurity requirements for organizations in the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or Federal Contract Information (FCI).
As of 2025, defense contractors who want to work with the DoD, whether as a prime contractor or subcontractor, need to achieve CMMC compliance. This proves that your organization meets the standards required to safeguard sensitive information against cyber attacks and data breaches.
A CMMC gap assessment (or CMMC gap analysis), is conducted by an internal team or an external provider like a Registered Provider Organization (RPO) to eview of your organization’s current cybersecurity environment against CMMC requirements.
A CMMC gap assessment is not the same as the final assessment conducted by a Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO). Instead, it’s done early in the compliance process, and forms the foundation of your Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M).
Why Your Organization Needs a CMMC Gap Assessment
According to the CMMC final rule issued by the DoD in September 2025, organizations that hold or plan to hold DoD contracts that handle CUI or FCI must meet CMMC standards.
A CMMC CMMC gap assessment will help your business to:
- Identify weaknesses and uncover gaps and vulnerabilities before the formal assessment, to reduce costs, time, and extra remediation efforts.
- Prioritize remediation of crucial controls to maintain cybersecurity compliance.
- Improve the likelihood of passing the final CMMC audit on the first attempt.
- Improve cybersecurity posture and NIST 800-171 alignment.
There are three levels of CMMC: Level 1 primarily relies on self-attestation, Level 2 will need a third-party evaluation by a C3PAO, and Level 3 requires a government-led assessment. (In this guide we’ll be focusing on Level 2.)
How to Perform a CMMC Gap Assessment
Before you begin your gap assessment, you first need to determine which CMMC certification level matches your organization’s need:
- Level 1 Foundational, requiring 17 cybersecurity practices plus a yearly self-assessment.
- Level 2 Advanced, requires 1 110 NIST SP 800-171 security practices and audits from a Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO).
- Level 3 Expert, requires additional security protocols and a government-led audit.
If you handle CUI and your contract has a DFARS clause, most DoD contractors will fall into Level 2.
Now, here's a quick breakdown of the gap analysis steps:
1. Understand the Scope
CMMC scoping identifies which vendors, systems, and assets touch Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or Federal Contract Information (FCI) in order to ensure your organization meets Department of Defense (DoD) security requirements. What's in scope depends on your desired CMMC level.
2. Map Controls to CMMC Requirements
Map your current controls against the CMMC CMMC requirements for your target certification level. For Level 2, this will mean mapping your security posture against the 110 controls in NIST 800-171.
3. Document Gaps
After mapping controls to requirements, document any gaps providing context or references to missing evidence.
4. Develop a Remediation Plan
Create a roadmap to tackle identified gaps and a timeline for implementation. (More on this below.)
How To Prioritize Remediation For CMMC Certification
Once you’ve completed your CMMC gap assessment and identified gaps, prioritize remediation to further streamline your path to certification.
Good documentation like SSPs and POA&Ms are crucial as it demonstrates transparency and progress to assessors and ensures nothing is missed during the formal CMMC evaluation.
Here are three ways to prioritize remediation:
- Risk-Based Prioritization: This process assesses the risk each gap poses to security and non-compliance, which helps prioritize resources and efforts. High-priority gaps that affect critical CUI should be addressed first.
- Impact vs Effort Categorization: Maps gaps based on a simple framework, comparing impact on regulatory compliance to effort (time, resources, and cost). Low effort, high impact gaps are to be addressed immediately. High effort and high impact gaps should be planned with timelines. Low impact gaps can be scheduled after both.
- Policy vs. Technical Gaps: Policy gaps include deficiencies in procedures or employee training, which can often be resolved faster. Technical gaps include missing security tools and configurations, and may require extra time and specialized resources.
If you want help preparing for CMMC audit, you can also work with a CMMC a Registered Provider Organizations (RPO) who can help you proritize fixes and get ready for audit.
How to Maintain Compliance After The Assessment
CMMC compliance isn’t a one and done thing, once you’ve achieved certification you need to ensure your standards meet CMMC requirements on an on-going basis. Here are some ways you can do this:
- Continuous Monitoring: Use automated tools to track system activity, changes in security controls, and CUI access. Implement real-time tracking to detect anomalies and ensure controls remain effective.
- Update Documentation: Periodically review and revise policies to reflect changes in technology, operations, or regulatory guidance.
- Train Staff: Train employees on security best practices and CUI handling. Awareness programs can help reduce human error to reduce compliance failures.
- Prepare for Future Assessments: CMMC requirements may change over time. Keep an eye out on changes and adjust processes proactively to stay ready.
What to Do After a CMMC Gap Assessment
A CMMC gap assessment is a great way to identify gaps and set key priorities on your path to certification, it’s only the first step.
To succeed and stay secure long-term, prioritize remediation based on risk and effort, implement controls effectively, validate progress through mini-assessments, and maintain compliance even after achieving CMMC certification.
Workstreet provides expert guidance and AI-enabled security programs to streamline the CMMC certification process. From AI-powered SSPs to automated POA&M management, we solve 100% of Level 2 requirements, so you can get certified and stay compliant long-term with confidence.
Want to get CMMC compliant fast and win contracts? Schedule a call.
FAQs: CMMC Gap Assessment
How does CMMC align with NIST and ISO certifications?
CMMC 2.0 Level 2 builds on NIST SP 800-171 requirements and shares common cybersecurity standards with ISO. You can leverage existing NIST or ISO compliance efforts to streamline CMMC preparation to avoid duplicating efforts.
What is the difference between a CMMC gap analysis and a readiness assessment?
A CMMC gap analysis identifies specific deficiencies against CMMC requirements. A readiness assessment evaluates overall preparedness for certification. It’s conducted after a gap analysis after implementing changes.
How long does a typical CMMC gap assessment take to complete?
The duration will depend on your organization’s size, complexity, and CMMC level. Thorough assessments generally take several weeks to several months.
Who should perform our organization's CMMC gap assessment?
Gap assessments can be conducted by your internal security teams or external consultants like RPOs. Unlike internal teams, external experts often provide efficiency, accuracy, unbiased results, guidance, and alignment with official CMMC standards.
What’s the difference between a CMMC gap assessment, CMMC audit, and self-assessment?
A CMMC gap assessment is designed to figure out how your current systems match up with CMMC requirements, whereas a self-assessment is required for CMMC Level 1 certification, and a CMMC audit from a C3PAO (accredited through Cyber AB) is needed for CMMC Level 2.