Level, scope, and timeline.Get matched →
C3 Integrated Solutions CMMC Review: A Source-Checked Buyer’s Profile
If you’re vetting C3 Integrated Solutions for CMMC, you’ve already heard the pitch. Here’s the part the pitch won’t lead with — and the one fact that should change how you read everything else.
Shortlist C3 ifyou run on Microsoft 365, you want one accountable partner to build, run, and maintain a CMMC Level 2 environment, and you’d rather offload the work than stitch together five vendors. Look elsewhere ifyou’re committed to Amazon Web Services (AWS) GovCloud or on-premises infrastructure, you only need a software tool, or you’re already remediated and just need an assessor.
Here’s the open loop we’ll close below: the thing that should decide this engagement isn’t price, and it isn’t the logo on the cloud. It’s a single document most buyers never ask to see before they sign. More on that shortly.
C3 Integrated Solutions CMMC review: the verdict in one minute
C3 Integrated Solutions is best evaluated as a CMMC readiness, implementation, managed IT, managed security, and Microsoft government-cloud provider for DIB contractors pursuing Level 2 — not as the independent assessor that certifies the same engagement. It is a strong shortlist candidate for Microsoft-centric contractors who want a managed path and a defined shared-responsibility model.
| Provider category | RPO + GCC High MSP/MSSP + managed compliance (readiness/implementation) |
| Is it a C3PAO (assessor)? | No — it prepares you; it cannot be your formal assessor |
| Its own CMMC Level 2 certification | Company-stated (MSP + MSSP operational scopes), announced February 2025 |
| Best fit | Microsoft-365 DIB contractors pursuing Level 2 who want a managed path |
| Weakest fit | Non-Microsoft shops, tool-only buyers, assessment-ready firms needing only a C3PAO |
| Pricing | Custom — not publicly published; mid-to-upper range for managed Level 2 |
| Corporate | Private-equity-backed (M/C Partners); merged with Steel Root (2022) and Ingalls (2023) |
| Must verify before signing | Current Cyber AB Marketplace status, the objective-level CRM, the assessed scope, who signs your affirmation |
Short on time? Jump to the six-question scope self-check to see whether C3’s services would land in your assessment, or compare C3 against source-checked CMMC provider options by telling us your level, scope, and timeline.
Is C3 Integrated Solutions a C3PAO or an RPO?
C3 Integrated Solutions publicly states it is a CMMC Registered Provider Organization (RPO) — a registered advisory and implementation provider category in the CMMC ecosystem — not a CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO), which is the only kind of company the Cyber AB authorizes to perform the formal Level 2 certification assessment. The Cyber AB draws a hard line between the two: an RPO delivers non-certified advisory and implementation services; a C3PAO performs the assessment that results in a Certificate of CMMC Status.
This is the most common — and most expensive — misunderstanding we see. Under the CMMC Program Rule (32 CFR Part 170), members of the ecosystem must avoid actual or perceived conflicts of interest, and a party that served as a consultant to prepare an organization generally cannot participate in that organization’s Level 2 certification assessment for three years. That separation is the point.
C3 has publicly partnered with Coalfire, a firm with assessment and advisory capabilities, which gives clients a path from C3’s readiness work to an assessor — with the conflict line visible. That structure is a feature, not a workaround.
RPO vs. C3PAO, in plain English:
RPO (Registered Provider Organization)
C3PAO (CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization)
Before anything else, confirm what you’re actually buying
Tell us your level, scope, and timeline →What type of CMMC provider is C3 Integrated Solutions, and what does it actually do?
C3 Integrated Solutions is a DIB-focused IT, cybersecurity, and compliance services provider headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, best understood as a CMMC readiness, implementation, managed IT, managed security, and Microsoft government-cloud partner. It is backed by private-equity firm M/C Partners and was assembled through mergers with Steel Root in 2022 (a CMMC-focused managed-services firm) and Ingalls Information Security in 2023 (incident response and security operations). C3 also holds Microsoft AOS-G partner status and is one of the original five authorized GCC High partners.
That lineage matters. The Steel Root merger gave C3 a CMMC-centric managed-services backbone; the Ingalls merger added a security operations center and incident-response muscle; and the decade of GCC High work gives C3 a deep bench in the one cloud most CUI-handling contractors end up using. C3 also states it supported the Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center (DIBCAC) in the assessment of multiple C3PAO candidates. Where does that leave C3 on the provider map? Squarely a build-and-run company — not an assessor, and not a pure software vendor.
| Provider role | Does C3 fit? | Basis | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Readiness / implementation | Yes | C3 designs, implements, and manages IT/compliance/cybersecurity for the DIB (company-stated) | Evaluate C3 to build and operate the environment |
| MSP (managed IT) | Yes | Publicly offers managed IT services | Ask whether its tooling enters your CMMC scope (see the ESP section) |
| MSSP (managed security) | Yes | States a separate MSSP operational-scope certification | Ask for the assessed scope and the CRM |
| GCC High / Azure Government implementer | Yes | Original-five GCC High partner; Microsoft AOS-G partner | Strong fit for Microsoft-centric environments |
| RPO | Stated — verify | C3 states RPO status | Confirm the live Cyber AB Marketplace listing |
| C3PAO (assessor) | No | Cyber AB separates RPO advisory from C3PAO assessment | Engage a separate authorized C3PAO |
How do C3 Command, C3 Catalyst, C3 Core, and the CMMC Ready Program differ?
C3’s public CMMC offerings are C3 Command (its most prescriptive, fully-managed Level 2 program), C3 Catalyst (the managed technical environment for contractors who already have a compliance partner), C3 Core (managed IT for systems outside your CMMC boundary), and the CMMC Ready Program (a pre-assessment readiness engagement). Every claim in the middle column is company-stated unless noted.
| Offering | C3 says it’s for… | What C3 publicly claims | What you should verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| C3 Command | Contractors who want C3 to lead the Level 2 journey end-to-end | "Most prescriptive" path; clients implement all 320 Level 2 objectives "in less than half the time of C3PAO estimates"; an 80/20 shared-responsibility model with a Customer Responsibility Matrix | The objective-level CRM, included services, exclusions, total first-year and three-year cost |
| C3 Catalyst | Contractors who already have a compliance partner and need the managed technical environment | Same reference architecture and managed IT/security as Command, minus the full compliance advisory; C3 coordinates with your compliance partner on the System Security Plan | Exactly where C3's responsibility ends and your consultant's begins — get it in writing |
| CMMC Ready Program | Command or Catalyst clients approaching the formal assessment | Evidence collection per objective, documentation reviews aligned with assessor expectations, scenario-based interview practice. C3 states it is required for Command/Catalyst clients approaching assessment unless they have a separate compliance partner | Whether it's separately scoped and priced; how any mock review or dry run is presented to the eventual C3PAO to avoid a conflict issue |
| C3 Core | Systems and users outside the CMMC compliance boundary | Managed IT for the non-CUI side of the house | Whether splitting your environment this way actually reduces — or complicates — your scope |
What does C3’s “80/20” shared-responsibility model really mean for you?
C3 states that under C3 Command it takes responsibility for roughly 80% of the 320 CMMC Level 2 assessment objectives — including, by its own description, 100% of the IT-related objectives — and leaves the remaining ~20% to you, citing examples like background checks and physical security. C3 says it documents this split in a Customer Responsibility Matrix (CRM) that breaks down every one of the 320 objectives using a RACI model. On paper, that’s an attractive deal for a contractor with thin internal staff. But a percentage is a marketing number. The CRM is the decision-grade document— and it’s the one we promised you up top.
Why does the CRM matter more than the percentage? Because CMMC Level 2 isn’t graded on vibes. It maps to NIST Special Publication 800-171 Revision 2 — 110 security requirements organized into 14 control families — which a C3PAO assesses against 320 discrete assessment objectives drawn from NIST SP 800-171A (32 CFR Part 170, §170.14). Every one of those 320 objectives needs an owner and evidence. The CRM is where you find out, line by line, who’s actually on the hook. “We cover 80%” tells you nothing about which 80%, or whether the 20% you keep is the easy part or the part most likely to fail an interview.
Here’s the honest read on that 20%: it’s usually the human and organizational work — personnel screening, physical security, awareness training, governance, and the policies and procedures that have to match what your people actually do day-to-day. No managed provider can run your background checks or train your staff for you. So even with a “done-for-you” program, the objectives most dependent on yourorganization stay yours. That’s not a reason to avoid C3 — it’s a reason to read the CRM before you sign, not after.
For Level 2, when you use an External Service Provider, the rule requires that the provider’s use, its relationship to you, and its services be documented in your SSP and described in the provider’s service description and CRM (32 CFR Part 170, §170.19). A usable CRM row shows you, at minimum:
Questions to bring to the CRM conversation:
- • Can we review the objective-level CRM before contract signature?
- • Which of the 320 objectives are C3-responsible, which are shared, and which are ours alone?
- • Which objectives depend on evidence from C3’s tools, and which depend on our people, facilities, HR, or executives?
- • Which C3 systems will process our CUI? Which will process our Security Protection Data?
- • How will the CRM be reflected or referenced in our SSP, and who updates it when the environment changes?
A C3 sales call shouldn’t be a demo — it should be a responsibility-mapping session
Tell us your level, scope, and CUI footprint →Does C3’s own CMMC Level 2 certification actually help your assessment?
It can help — but never automatically, and not the way most marketing implies. C3 states it was among the first service providers to earn its own CMMC Level 2 certification for its MSP and MSSP operational scopes (announced February 2025). Under the CMMC Program Rule, a provider that has its own Level 2 certification can reduce the work its services add to your assessment— the rule expressly allows an External Service Provider to “voluntarily undergo a CMMC certification assessment to reduce the ESP’s effort required during the OSA’s assessment” (32 CFR Part 170, §170.19). What it does not do: it does not certify your environment, it does not remove the provider from your scope, and it does not force your C3PAO to accept the certification for every service.
The Final Rule changed something important: ESPs are not requiredto hold their own CMMC certification. But the rule kept the ESP’s in-scope services inside yourassessment. So the real question isn’t “must my MSP be certified?” It’s “do I want to carry my MSP’s risk through my own audit, or not?”
| Your provider’s role and what it touches | How the rule treats it (32 CFR Part 170, §170.19) | What the provider’s own CMMC certification does |
|---|---|---|
| CSP that processes, stores, or transmits your CUI | Must meet the FedRAMP requirements referenced in DFARS 252.204-7012 (FedRAMP Moderate baseline or equivalency) | A separate question from CMMC — confirm the CSP's FedRAMP authorization or equivalency for your CUI |
| Non-CSP ESP (typical MSP/MSSP) that processes, stores, or transmits your CUI | The provider's services are in your assessment scope and assessed as part of your assessment | A provider Level 2 certification can reduce the ESP effort in your audit — if your C3PAO accepts it for those exact services |
| Provider handles only your SPD (logs, monitoring, SIEM, MFA), no CUI | Assessed as a Security Protection Asset against the requirements relevant to those services | Same: a provider certification can reduce that effort, subject to your C3PAO |
| Provider never touches your CUI or SPD | Not in your assessment scope | Not applicable |
A 6-question ESP scope self-check (do this before any sales call):
Want the underlying mechanics? See our CMMC Level 2 requirements guide.
This is the part a generic answer can’t run for you
Get matched with source-checked GCC High readiness providers →How much does C3 Integrated Solutions cost?
C3 does not publish fixed pricing for Command, Catalyst, or the CMMC Ready Program — engagements are scoped to your CUI footprint, user count, environment, and how much you self-manage — so anyone quoting an exact C3 number is guessing. For context, reaching CMMC Level 2 runs in the low-to-high six figures across the industry in the first cycle, and a fully-managed GCC High path like C3’s sits in the mid-to-upper part of that range, with recurring annual costs on top. The figures below are industry context, not C3’s pricing and not a regulatory figure — use them to sanity-check any quote you receive.
| Cost element | Typical industry range (context only) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 self-assessment | ~$5,000–$15,000 | FCI only; 15 basic safeguarding requirements |
| Level 2 self-assessment path | ~$37,000–$49,000+ | Only if your contract allows self-assessment |
| Level 2 C3PAO assessment fee (alone) | ~$30,000–$80,000+ | Varies by size, scope, region |
| Full Level 2 first cycle (tech + docs + assessment) | ~$75,000–$150,000 for many SMBs; up to $300,000+ | Starting maturity is the swing factor |
| GCC High migration (one-time) | ~$10,000–$40,000 | Inherits multiple controls |
| Annual maintenance | ~$5,000–$30,000+ (often 20–30% of year-one) | Managed models are recurring by design |
| Triennial recertification | ~$40,000–$230,000 | Required every three years |
| Level 3 | Level 2 plus advanced controls; can exceed $300,000 | DIBCAC-led; adds selected NIST SP 800-172 requirements |
What drives yourC3 number? CUI user count, whether you’re migrating to GCC High, the size of your assessment boundary, endpoint count, how much managed IT/security you buy monthly, whether the CMMC Ready Program is included, and how much documentation gap you’re starting with. We dig into the full picture in our CMMC cost guide.
Quote normalization — compare scope, not just price:
Already holding a C3 quote?
See scoped quotes from matched provider categories →Who is C3 Integrated Solutions best for — and who should look elsewhere?
C3 is the strongest fit for Microsoft-365 defense contractors pursuing Level 2 who want one partner to build and run the environment — especially small and mid-size firms without deep internal security staff. It’s a weaker first call for companies committed to a non-Microsoft stack, buyers who only want a software tool, FCI-only firms that need just Level 1, or contractors who are already remediated and only need a C3PAO.
| If you are… | C3 fit | Why / where to go instead |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft-365 DIB shop, want fully-managed Level 2, thin IT staff | Strong | C3 Command is built for exactly this |
| Mid-size, have internal IT, already have a compliance consultant | Good | C3 Catalyst — keeps your consultant, adds the managed environment |
| Microsoft/Azure-oriented already | Strong | C3's GCC High pedigree is a real edge |
| Tightly scoped CUI, budget is the top constraint | Weak on price | Consider a CUI enclave to shrink scope and cost |
| You want tooling, not a managed shop | Mismatch | A GRC/evidence platform |
| Committed to AWS GovCloud or on-premises | Verify first | A non-Microsoft-anchored readiness MSP may fit better |
| FCI-only / Level 1 only | Likely overkill | Level 1 is a lighter, lower-cost path |
| Already remediated, just need the exam | Mismatch — not a C3PAO | Engage an authorized C3PAO |
Read that the right way: for C3’s core buyer, that “heaviness” is C3 absorbing the part of CMMC that wrecks small teams — integrating IT, security, and compliance into one accountable program instead of a duct-taped stack of a consultant, an MSP, a separate security vendor, and a pile of evidence spreadsheets that don’t agree with each other. If your constraint is internal bandwidth, “heavier provider” reads as “less work for me.”
If C3 isn’t your lane, don’t white-knuckle it
Get matched with source-checked provider options →How does C3 compare with Summit 7, CyberSheath, and other CMMC providers?
Compare C3 by provider category first, not by brand popularity. A C3-style managed-compliance MSP solves a different problem than a C3PAO, a CUI enclave, or a governance-risk-and-compliance (GRC) platform — so the useful question isn’t “who’s best,” it’s “which category fits my environment, my staffing, and my deadline.”
| Category | Best when you… | Solves | Doesn’t solve | Examples to source-check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managed compliance / MSP / MSSP | Want build + run in one relationship | Environment, managed IT/security, evidence support | The formal assessment | C3 Integrated Solutions, Summit 7, CyberSheath, CorpInfoTech, OSIbeyond, ProStratus |
| CUI enclave / secure collaboration | Want to shrink your CUI footprint | A bounded place for CUI email and files | Enterprise-wide controls outside the enclave | PreVeil, plus GCC High enclave implementers |
| GRC / evidence software | Have staff, need workflow | SSP/POA&M/evidence tracking, control mapping | Implementation and managed IT | FutureFeed, Tesseract by Ardalyst, Totem, Hyperproof, Drata, Vanta |
| RPO / virtual CISO / readiness consultant | Need advisory and documentation | Gap assessment, SSP, policies, POA&M | A full managed environment or the assessment | Various RPO and vCISO firms |
| C3PAO (assessor) | Are assessment-ready | The formal Level 2 certification assessment | Implementation for the same engagement | Fortreum, Redspin, Coalfire Federal, Schellman, A-LIGN |
Two comparison notes: First, C3 and Summit 7are the two names most often weighed against each other because both are Microsoft Government Cloud / GCC High specialists serving the DIB — compare them on assessed scope, CRM clarity, and support model, not on which has the slicker website. Second, “Is C3 the same as Steel Root?” Yes — Steel Root merged into C3 in 2022, and that platform is part of C3’s managed offering today.
The expensive mistake is the wrong category — not the wrong brand
Get matched with source-checked CMMC provider options →What happens after you hire C3 — the CMMC Level 2 path, end to end
A Level 2 engagement runs from CUI scoping and a System Security Plan, through environment build and remediation, to a C3PAO assessment that ends in either Final or Conditional status — and then into ongoing maintenance. C3 itself cites an industry norm of 12–18 months to build the technical environment and program for Level 2. The regulatory checkpoints along the way are fixed by the rule, not by any provider.
Scope your CUI
Build the SSP
Implement and remediate
Get assessment-ready (C3's CMMC Ready Program)
The C3PAO assessment
Final or Conditional status
Affirm and maintain
Edge cases that send contractors back to the search bar:
What proof should C3 give you before a proposal?
Treat the first serious conversation as a verification session, not a sales call — and ask for artifacts, not adjectives. Before you sign any CMMC managed engagement, get documentation that proves the provider’s role, scope, and responsibilities in writing.
Ask C3 (or any managed provider) for:
14 questions to run the meeting:
| Question | |
|---|---|
| Status and role | What is your current Cyber AB Marketplace category, and can you share the listing? |
| Which role are you proposing — RPO/advisory, MSP, MSSP, GCC High implementation, or assessment support? | |
| Do any of your staff hold CCP, CCA, or Registered Practitioner (RP) credentials? | |
| Who performs our formal Level 2 assessment, and how is their independence preserved? | |
| Your provider's own certification | Which MSP/MSSP operational scopes were assessed, on what date, and by which C3PAO? |
| Which of the services we'd buy are inside that assessed scope — and which are outside it? | |
| Scope, architecture, and the CRM | What CMMC boundary are you proposing — enclave or enterprise — and why? |
| Where will our CUI live, and which of your systems would process our CUI or Security Protection Data? | |
| Can we review the objective-level CRM before we sign? | |
| Which of the 320 objectives are yours, shared, and ours alone? | |
| Readiness, cost, and exit | Is your pre-assessment program (the CMMC Ready Program) required for us, and is it separately priced? |
| What's included before and during the C3PAO assessment — and what isn't? | |
| What is our total first-year and three-year cost, and which services are recurring? | |
| What are the offboarding terms, and how is our evidence returned if we leave? | |
| Risk | Why it matters | What resolves it |
|---|---|---|
| Mistaking RPO status for assessment authority | You assume one firm can prep and certify | Cyber AB Marketplace check + a separate C3PAO |
| Signing before reviewing the CRM | You don't know what you still own | Objective-level CRM up front |
| Provider systems quietly entering your scope | ESP/CSP services must be documented | SSP + service description + CRM |
| Provider's assessed scope ≠ your use | Its certification may not cover your services | Scope, date, and C3PAO confirmation |
| Microsoft-only architecture mismatch | You may need AWS GovCloud, on-premises, or hybrid | Architecture review before the proposal |
| Wrong POA&M assumptions | Not everything can be deferred; 180 days is tight | POA&M eligibility review against §170.21 |
| Price-only comparison | Recurring costs hide under a low sticker | The quote-normalization fields above |
You don’t have to take a sales call to start de-risking this
Get matched with source-checked provider options →Frequently asked questions
Is C3 Integrated Solutions a C3PAO?
Is C3 Integrated Solutions CMMC certified?
Does C3's certification mean my company will pass CMMC?
Does my MSP need to be CMMC certified?
Is C3 Integrated Solutions affiliated with the Cyber AB or the DoD?
Is C3 the same company as Steel Root?
What is C3 Command versus C3 Catalyst?
Does CMMC require GCC High?
Can the same company prepare us and assess us?
What's the single most important document to request from C3?
The bottom line
C3 Integrated Solutions is a credible, Microsoft-centric, managed-compliance partner for DIB contractors who want to offload the weight of CMMC Level 2 — backed by company-stated GCC High and Azure Government experience, a company-stated Level 2 MSP/MSSP certification, and a defined shared-responsibility model. It is not your assessor, it is not the cheapest path, and its strongest claims are still claims until you verify them against the current Cyber AB Marketplace, the objective-level CRM, and the assessed scope. Read the rule, ask for the matrix, separate readiness from assessment, and you’ll make this decision with your eyes open.
Want to look at C3 directly? Visit c3isit.com. (We don’t earn anything from that link.)
Need help deciding what type of CMMC provider you need?
Get matched →Sources we read
Related guides
- CMMC Level 2 Requirements: Full NIST 800-171 Control Breakdown
- Authorized C3PAO Directory: Find an Assessor
- CMMC Readiness Checklist (Free, Control-Mapped)
- CMMC Provider Categories: RPO vs. C3PAO vs. MSP vs. Enclave
- CMMC Level 2 Self-Assessment vs. C3PAO: Which Path Is Yours?
- What Is CUI? Plain-English Guide for Defense Contractors
- SPRS Score Guide: What It Is and How to Post It