Great question! Let’s break it down with a quick cost comparison. The average salary for an in-house IT Director, CIO, or CTO ranges from $150,000 to $400,000 annually, plus benefits like health insurance, bonuses, and retirement contributions, adding up to at least $200,000 to $500,000/year. Compare that to CMMC.WORK, where even our most comprehensive plan, Voyager, starts at just $7,200/month—that’s $86,400/year with no extra costs or benefits. You get high-level, strategic compliance support for a fraction of the cost, with unlimited hours and no additional overhead.

In short, we give you expert guidance without the heavy financial investment of a full-time hire, saving you hundreds of thousands annually.

The cost of non-compliance can be incredibly high, especially when it comes to government contracts. If you’re found to be non-compliant with CMMC requirements, you could lose existing contracts, miss out on new opportunities, and face penalties. In extreme cases, companies have lost millions in contract revenue.

Let’s look at a basic example:

• Say your company handles $2 million annually in DoD contracts.

• If you fail to achieve CMMC compliance, you could lose those contracts entirely, costing you $2 million per year in revenue.

• Compare that with the cost of CMMC.WORK’s Voyager Plan at $86,400/year (or less with long-term discounts), which ensures you’re fully prepared for audits and compliance requirements.

For a small fraction of the potential loss ($86,400 vs. $2 million), you get comprehensive support, strategic guidance, and the assurance that you’re taking the right steps to protect your business. The ROI on this investment is substantial—you’re not just paying for compliance, you’re protecting your revenue.

At CMMC.WORK, we help your organization prepare for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). Our role is to provide expert guidance, support, and strategic advice to ensure your internal IT team (or Managed Service Provider) is ready to meet compliance requirements. We don’t perform the remediation work—instead, we partner with you, offering insight and advice so that your team can make the necessary changes to achieve compliance.

We know that presenting the value of a compliance investment to leadership or the board can be challenging, but we’ve got you covered. Here’s how you can make the case:

1. Cost vs. Risk:

   • CMMC compliance is not optional if your organization wants to maintain or bid on DoD contracts. Non-compliance can lead to the loss of contracts, resulting in a significant revenue drop. For example, losing a $1 million contract due to non-compliance far outweighs the cost of even our most comprehensive plan, Voyager, which is only $86,400/year.

   • Emphasize the long-term ROI: The cost of non-compliance (lost contracts, fines, and penalties) far outweighs the investment in preparing for CMMC with expert guidance.

2. CMMC.WORK Saves Money:

   • Hiring a full-time IT Director, CIO, or CTO to handle compliance in-house costs $150,000 to $400,000/year, plus benefits and overhead. With CMMC.WORK, you get high-level compliance support for a fraction of that cost, while maintaining your internal or MSP IT team.

   • Unlimited support: Unlike hourly consultants, CMMC.WORK gives you unlimited access to our expertise, so you can avoid surprise billable hours and still get the guidance you need.

3. Strategic Business Alignment:

   • Compliance isn’t just about ticking boxes—it’s about building cybersecurity resilience that protects your business from threats while aligning with long-term business goals.

   • Our plans include quarterly executive-level strategy sessions (in the Voyager Plan) to ensure that compliance and security are embedded in your overall strategy, which is critical for business continuity and growth.

4. Stay Competitive:

   • Achieving CMMC compliance puts your organization ahead of competitors who may be slower to act, giving you a competitive edge in bidding for contracts. Early adoption shows leadership that you’re forward-thinking and proactive.

   • Preparedness: You’ll avoid the chaos of last-minute compliance scrambles when requirements become mandatory.

5. Support and Flexibility:

   • CMMC.WORK offers flexible pricing plans, so you’re not locked into a big upfront cost. You can start with a smaller plan and scale up as needed, offering budget flexibility to the board or leadership.

   • We offer month-to-month options for those wanting to dip their toes in first (with the Harbor Plan), or you can secure longer-term support with discounted rates on our comprehensive plans.

Key Takeaway: Present this as an investment in both revenue protection and long-term cybersecurity strategy, not just an expense. You’re ensuring the business stays compliant, avoids penalties, and remains eligible for lucrative government contracts—while getting the expertise of a full-time team at a fraction of the cost.

What sets us apart is our belief that compliance is a journey, not a destination. We’re here to guide you through the twists and turns, offering tailored plans and ongoing support based on your needs. Unlike others, we don’t leave you with a checklist and walk away. Our continuous, hands-on approach ensures that you’re not just preparing for an audit but embedding security into your long-term business strategy. Plus, we offer unlimited hours—you won’t be stuck counting billable time!

While we specialize in CMMC Level 1 and 2, we also support organizations with more complex compliance needs. Whether you’re aiming for basic or more advanced cybersecurity maturity, we have plans that align with your organization’s size, IT complexity, and specific goals.

During our free consultation, we’ll discuss your current situation, your compliance goals, and any concerns you might have. We’ll also perform a preliminary environmental discovery to help you understand where you stand in terms of CMMC readiness and provide recommendations on which of our plans best fits your needs. This is a no-pressure way to get expert insight without committing upfront.

No worries! We want to make sure you’re in the right plan for your organization, and we’ll help you adjust if needed. After our initial consultation, if we discover that your needs are more complex or simpler than anticipated, we’ll recommend a different plan that’s better aligned with your goals and budget. We’re flexible and here to support your journey, not lock you into something that doesn’t fit.

Not necessarily. Our Harbor Plan is designed for month-to-month flexibility, so you’re not tied to long-term contracts if you’re just starting your compliance journey. However, if you’re looking for more in-depth, ongoing support, our Trailblazer and Voyager Plans offer 12-month commitments, with the Voyager Plan providing discounts for longer engagements.

If you don’t have an internal IT team, that’s okay! Many of our clients work with Managed Service Providers (MSPs), and we can coordinate directly with them to ensure they’re aligned with CMMC requirements. If your current MSP isn’t familiar with CMMC compliance, we can provide them with guidance, too, to make sure they’re helping you meet your goals.

Passing your CMMC audit is ultimately up to your organization, but we’re here to provide all the support and guidance you need to give you the best chance of success. CMMC.WORK will help you prepare thoroughly, identify gaps, and offer strategic advice to get you audit-ready. If you don’t pass, we’ll work with you to assess what went wrong and how to address any issues moving forward.

Yes, we do! We offer a vetted portfolio of third-party tools, including SIEM (Security Information and Event Management), Email Security, and other essential compliance solutions. These tools are available through us at discounted rates because of our partnerships with leading providers. While we provide guidance and expertise on the tools that best fit your needs, you can conveniently purchase these tools directly from us. Our goal is to ensure you have access to the best solutions while streamlining the procurement process for you.Item description

The timeline for achieving CMMC compliance can vary depending on several factors, such as the size of your organization, the complexity of your IT environment, and your current level of cybersecurity maturity. For smaller organizations with simpler environments, it can take 3 to 6 months to reach CMMC Level 1 compliance. For larger organizations or those aiming for CMMC Level 2 or 3, the process may take 6 to 12 months or longer.

It’s important to remember that compliance is a journey. At CMMC.WORK, we’ll work with your team to create a tailored roadmap and help you navigate each step at a pace that’s manageable while ensuring thorough preparation. We’re here to support you throughout the process and get you ready for your audit in the most efficient way possible.

Under the new proposed rule, your Managed Service Provider (MSP) or External Service Provider (ESP) would be required to be CMMC compliant if they handle any Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or are involved in the security of your information systems. Since these providers often have access to sensitive data or systems, their compliance will be crucial to your own certification.

However, as of now, this requirement is still under discussion at the decision-making level of CMMC requirements, and the final rule has yet to be implemented. Regardless, it’s a best practice to ensure your MSP or ESP is aligned with CMMC standards to safeguard your systems and data.

At CMMC.WORK, we help ensure that your MSP or ESP understands these evolving requirements and works with you to align their services accordingly. If they aren’t yet compliant, we can help them navigate the process, or recommend alternative solutions to ensure your compliance ecosystem is secure.

At CMMC.WORK, we track your compliance progress using a structured and transparent process. We begin with a baseline assessment to understand your current posture, followed by the creation of a customized roadmap that outlines key milestones for achieving CMMC compliance.

We use compliance tracking tools and regular check-ins to monitor progress, update documentation, and ensure you're staying on track with your plan. For Trailblazer and Voyager clients, we conduct bi-monthly or monthly reviews where we dive deep into progress updates, assess any new gaps, and adjust your strategy as needed.

Our goal is to provide you with clear visibility into your compliance journey, ensuring you’re always aware of what’s been accomplished and what’s coming next. You’ll always know where you stand on the path to certification!

While CMMC requirements are still being phased in, it’s important to start preparing now. Waiting until the last minute can lead to rushed processes, mistakes, and higher costs. Early preparation helps ensure that you’re ready when compliance becomes mandatory, and it gives you a competitive edge when bidding on contracts. Plus, compliance isn’t just about meeting a checklist—it’s about protecting your organization from cyber threats today.