Assessing CMMC Assessor Requirements

The process of adding and approving certified CMMC assessors takes a while. There are only three certified assessors, Cask Government Services, Kratos Technology & Training Solutions, and RedSpin. Provisional assessors are in place (103), but they cannot get as much done as certified assessors. A significant reason it takes so long to get more certified assessors is that there are stringent requirements. There are four assessor levels, with each level having more strict requirements.

Certified CMMC Professional (CCP)

The lowest assessor level is a CCP. A college degree in a technical field or other equivalent experience is required to qualify for this position. Alternatively, you can have 2+ years in cyber or other information technology fields.

Applicants are required to gain CMMC-AB approval as to their education and experience requirements. They then need to complete the DoD Mandatory CUI Training.

Finally, all applicants must complete a Certified CMMC Professional Class from a Licensed Training Provider.

Certified CMMC Assessor Level 1 (CCA-1)

To qualify to be a CCA-1, the applicant must be a U.S. Person or Green Cardholder. To participate as a team member on ML-2 assessments, U.S. citizenship is required.

The applicant must be CCP certified, and they need to complete the training and exam for the certified CMMC Assessor Level 1 credential. It is also required that applicants have or gain a favorably adjudicated Tier 1 Suitability Determination that results in no security clearance.

Alternatively, applicants may possess a National Agency Check, DHS Suitability Credential, or other DoD accepted clearance.

Certified CMMC Assessor Level 3 (CCA-3)

Applicants must be approved in the above two areas before they can start their application. They also must have a minimum of 4 years of cyber or other information technology experience.

They must then complete the training and exam for the Certified CMMC Assessor Level 3 credential. They must also gain a favorably adjudicated Tier 3 Suitability Determination that results in no security clearance.

Alternatives include possessing a National Agency Check, DHS Suitability Credential, or other DoD accepted clearance.

Certified CMMC Assessor Level 5 (CCA-5)

All CCA-5 must be approved in the previous three levels. They will then need to complete the training and exam for the Certified CMMC Assessor Level 5 credential.

Additionally, applicants must complete 15 CMMC ML-3 Assessments to be eligible for CCA-5 training. They then need to have or gain a favorably adjudicated Tier 3 Suitability Determination that results in no security clearance.

Possessing a National Agency Check, DHS Suitability credential, or other DoD accepted clearance is also acceptable.

Stringent Requirements Make Extends the Application Process

As you can see, the application and approval process for certified assessors is rigorous. The requirements to start the process are tough, and then all the checks, classes, and testing take a while. As a result, it should be no surprise to hear that only three certified assessors exist at the moment. While it might take a bit for more applicants to be approved, it means that when we have more assessors, they will be qualified and more capable of performing their duties.

By: Alex O’Reilly