by Scott Jack
Content Contributor, E-N Computers
Over 10 years of experience in healthcare IT and tech support.
Updated April 22, 2026
If you’re a defense contractor preparing for CMMC certification, a Registered Practitioner (RP) or Registered Practitioner Organization (RPO) can help you get ready. It’s not required, but given the complexity of CMMC, most organizations find it’s worth it.
Working with one is an up-front cost, but it can save you significant time and money before and during the audit.
If you are a contractor or subcontractor that 1) works with the Department of Defense and 2) handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), you need to become CMMC-compliant.
CMMC requirements began rolling out in late 2024 and are being phased into contracts through 2025–2028 as part of the finalized CMMC 2.0 rule (48 CFR). Since it can take a year or more to reach compliance, start as soon as possible to avoid being disqualified from contract opportunities.
E-N Computers is a Registered Practitioner Organization, and we have two Registered Practitioners. We offer CMMC consulting services tailored to smaller businesses.
QUICK ANSWER:
What are CMMC Registered Practitioners and do I need one?
CMMC Registered Practitioners are individuals recognized by the Cyber AB, the official accreditation body authorized by the DoD to oversee the CMMC ecosystem, as being qualified to help organizations prepare for CMMC certification. If you rely on DoD contracts and plan to become CMMC certified, working with one is worth it. Preparing for and passing the audit is complex and expensive — a good RP helps you avoid the mistakes that make it more so.
The CMMC ecosystem
Cyber AB
The Cyber AB is the official accreditation body authorized by the DoD to manage the CMMC ecosystem, including training, certification, and oversight of assessors and related organizations. Its website provides an overview of roles in the CMMC ecosystem. Here are a few key roles.
Registered Practitioner
CMMC Registered Practitioners are individuals with in-depth knowledge and experience in cybersecurity. A Registered Practitioner can help your organization prepare for and achieve CMMC certification according to its needs, capabilities, and budget. There are two levels of Registered Practitioner — regular and advanced. As the Cyber AB states, “Individuals holding any level of an RP designation can provide CMMC implementation consulting services”.
There are several steps to become a Registered Practitioner:
- Complete the required application process, which includes fees, background checks, training, and agreement to The Cyber AB’s code of professional conduct
- Maintain the designation through ongoing requirements and annual renewal
After achieving the RP designation, an individual can pursue the Registered Practitioner Advanced (RPA) designation by completing additional training, demonstrating deeper technical competency, and passing the required exam. Requirements and associated fees are set by The Cyber AB and may change over time.
Registered Practitioner Organization
A Registered Practitioner Organization is a business that has one or more Registered Practitioners on staff. They can guide companies through the full compliance process. E-N Computers became a Registered Practitioner Organization in October 2023.
Certified Third-Party Assessor Organizations (C3PAOs)
C3PAOs are authorized to conduct official CMMC Level 2 assessments. These organizations must meet strict accreditation requirements, and their personnel hold different certifications depending on their role. Certified CMMC Assessors (CCA) lead and perform assessments, while Certified CMMC Professionals (CCP) support the assessment process as part of the team. Level 1 assessments are typically self-assessments, Level 2 assessments are conducted by a C3PAO using CCAs (with CCP support), and Level 3 assessments are conducted by the government rather than C3PAOs.
Working with a Registered Practitioner
How much does it cost to work with a Registered Practitioner?
At E-N Computers, CMMC consulting with a Registered Practitioner is typically offered in tiers:
- $750/month for two meetings per month
- $1,500/month for weekly engagement (most common option)
- $225/hour for ad hoc consulting
Most organizations choose the $1,500/month tier because consistent weekly engagement helps maintain momentum and avoid delays during implementation.
It also costs you some time: we expect you to set aside at least one hour every one to two weeks to work through all the details. True CMMC compliance will affect your business workflows, and this collaborative approach produces much better results and less disruption than having us make all the decisions for you.
The investment pays off. Not only can it speed up certification — it can improve how you run your business. Consultation costs are just one part of the overall investment. Below, we break down the full cost of becoming CMMC compliant.
Why use a Registered Practitioner
Three things set RPs apart from a general IT provider:
- Commitment to the CMMC ecosystem
Registered Practitioners actively invest in ongoing training and education specific to CMMC requirements, so they remain current as rules evolve. - Ethics and accountability under Cyber AB oversight
RPs must follow a formal code of professional conduct governed by the Cyber AB. Failure to comply can result in loss of designation, which creates a higher level of accountability. - Specialized compliance expertise
RPs understand both the technical cybersecurity controls and the certification interpretation of those controls. This helps organizations avoid expensive scoping mistakes, misinterpretations, and unnecessary rework.
Can a Registered Practitioner or organization help maintain compliance?
Yes. CMMC compliance efforts are ongoing due to factors like adjustments to cybersecurity best practices like NIST 800-171, changes in contract requirements, and changes in your business.
Am I required to work with a Registered Practitioner?
No, you don’t have to work with a Registered Practitioner. But if you do, you’ll be working with a consultant the Cyber AB has vetted for the knowledge, skills, and experience to guide you through the process.
Can an individual be my Registered Practitioner and my assessor?
No. An individual can hold multiple designations, but they cannot assess your company if they previously assisted you with an implementation consultation.
What does it cost to become CMMC compliant?
So what will this actually cost?
The honest answer is, it depends on where you’re starting, but there are realistic ranges you can plan around.
For most organizations pursuing Level 2 compliance (handling Controlled Unclassified Information), costs typically fall into three categories:
- Consultation (Planning and Guidance)
This is where you figure out where you stand. You’ll work with your RP to assess your current setup, identify gaps, and define your scope correctly — which has a big effect on everything that comes after.
A typical investment is $750–$1,500 per month depending on engagement level. Most organizations choose $1,500/month for weekly progress and faster results.
This phase is where many companies either set themselves up for success—or create expensive problems later.
- Implementation (The Largest Variable)
This is where the real work happens, which includes:
- deploying security tools
- restructuring access controls
- documenting policies and procedures
- training your team
A typical investment here is$30,000 to $70,000+
Costs vary widely depending on how mature your current IT/security environment is , whether you need to migrate to secure platforms like Microsoft 365 GCC High or Google Workspace, and how well you define your CUI scope
Organizations that properly scope their environment early often save tens of thousands of dollars here.
- Audit (Certification Assessment)
To achieve certification, you must pass an assessment conducted by a C3PAO.
A typical investment here is $22,000 to $100,000. Around $40,000 is common for a mid-sized (20–40 employees), single-site organization. Costs increase with multiple locations,
complex environments, and large user bases.
Well-prepared organizations tend to move through audits faster and with fewer complications, which can also reduce indirect costs.
Typical Total Investment
- Category
- Consultation
- Implementation
- Audit
- Total
- Estimated Cost
- $10,000–$20,000
- $30,000–$70,000+
- $22,000–$100,000+
- $60,000–$190,000+
What drives cost up (or down)?
The biggest cost drivers aren’t just size—they’re decisions:
- Poor scoping → unnecessarily large environments
- Misinterpreting requirements → rework and delays
- Treating CMMC like “just IT” instead of a business process
On the other hand, clearly defined CUI boundaries, strong internal collaboration, and working with experienced guidance can significantly reduce both time and total cost.
How to prepare for a CMMC audit
To prepare for a CMMC audit, you need to set realistic expectations about:
- what CMMC level you need,
- how long it takes,
- your role in the process, and
- how expensive it is.
Which CMMC level do I need to reach?
The CMMC framework is aligned with NIST 800-171 and consists of three certification levels.
- Level 1 (17 controls): Sufficient for businesses handling Federal Contract Information (FCI). The audit for this level is not expected to be as documentation heavy.
- Level 2 (110 controls): Required for handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Because each control can have multiple objectives, there are over 300 objectives to meet. Level 2 can require either a self-assessment or a third-party assessment depending on whether the contract involves “prioritized” CUI. Most organizations handling CUI in DoD contracts should expect a third-party assessment.
- Level 3: Suitable for organizations at high risk. This level is usually reserved for prime contractors.
A Registered Practitioner can help you determine which level you realistically need. Together, we’ll examine 1) what kind of information you handle and 2) what systems process and store sensitive information. We’ll also look at what systems you have in place to simplify administrative tasks like user account control (e.g. single sign-on).
How long does it take to become CMMC compliant?
Becoming CMMC compliant can easily take 12 to 18 months, depending on your starting point and the level you need to reach. During this period, you need to:
- assess your current security posture,
- perform a gap analysis to determine what you are missing to reach your desired CMMC level,
- implement all necessary controls and processes,
- complete an audit by a C3PAO, and
- receive certification by successfully passing an audit.
How involved will I be?
We mentioned this in the section on cost, but it bears repeating: you will be regularly and actively involved throughout the process of working toward CMMC compliance. Full collaboration is absolutely critical to a successful implementation and audit. Consider a few reasons.
CMMC implementation will affect the way you do business. A Registered Practitioner knows cybersecurity and CMMC, but you know your business and team. The combination of your areas of expertise will produce the best result — one that you understand, support, and that works for you day-to-day.
There will be a LOT of documentation. As you can expect when working with the government, especially the Department of Defense, paperwork is the name of the game. There will be a lot of documentation to produce and review in preparation for the audit. You have information that will be integrated into that documentation. But you will also be expected to understand how all the pieces fit together.
This is an opportunity to streamline your technology and strengthen your competitive advantage. Too often, poorly designed and implemented tech inhibits business functions. The deep dive that you will do while preparing for certification will reveal inefficiencies and weaknesses in your tools and processes. You can ignore them and do the bare minimum to reach compliance, or you can take advantage of the situation and optimize with the guidance of an expert consultant.
Frequently Asked Questions
In general, what should I expect during the audit?
The assessor will examine and validate your documentation. They may interview your staff to verify the technical and procedural safeguards you have in place.
What happens if we do not pass the audit the first time?
If an organization does not fully pass a CMMC Level 2 assessment, it may still be eligible for conditional certification depending on scoring outcomes.
Organizations that achieve approximately 80% (88 out of 110 points) and fail only limited, lower-impact requirements may qualify for a remediation period of up to 180 days to close those gaps.
In these cases:
- A reassessment may be required
- Additional fees may be waived depending on the nature of the deficiencies
- Only certain types of control failures are eligible for remediation under this model
However, larger or higher-impact control failures (such as multi-point deficiencies) typically require a full reassessment and may not qualify for conditional approval.
What happens if we do not maintain CMMC compliance?
Failure to comply with CMMC requirements can lead to serious consequences, including losing existing DoD contracts, becoming ineligible for future contracts, legal penalties, and reputational damage. Non-compliance can also be considered a breach of contract.
Where can I find a list of Registered Practitioners?
Visit The Cyber AB Marketplace for an updated list of Registered Practitioners (RP/RPA), Registered Practitioner Organizations (RPO), Certified Third Party Assessor Organizations (C3PAO), and more.
We also encourage you to ask for references, case studies, and detailed explanations of the RP’s approach to make sure their experience aligns with your specific needs and expectations.
Learn more about CMMC
The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification is a unifying standard for cybersecurity implementation across the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). It encompasses three maturity levels that range from basic to advanced cybersecurity practices. By adhering to the CMMC, organizations know they are implementing the cybersecurity best practices that meet federal requirements, protecting sensitive data, and mitigating risks. You can learn more about CMMC in the following articles:
- The Ultimate Guide to CMMC
- The Ultimate Guide to DFARS and NIST 800-171 (in plain English)
- What is FCI and should I worry about it?
- What is CUI and should I worry about it?
If you’re looking for CMMC tools and training:
- We found the best GRC tool for CMMC
- What is Microsoft GCC High and do I need it?
- Best CMMC training resources
- CMMC Level 1 guide as audio book
- CMMC Level 2 guide as audio book
If you’re looking for a CMMC consultant or Registered Practitioner Organization:
- Best CMMC consultants
- Best CMMC RPOs near Washington, DC
- Best Virginia Registered Practitioner Organizations
If you’re looking for a CMMC assessor:
If you’re looking for information about CMMC that is targeted toward smaller businesses:
Complimentary review with a veteran engineer
Are you ready for CMMC?
Get a free strategic consultation to start your journey toward CMMC compliance.
