Summit 7 vs C3 Integrated Solutions: Which CMMC Provider Fits Your Level 2 Path?

Start here: the 60-second decision table

Answer capsule: The best first call depends on your operating model, not the brand. Summit 7 fits buyers who want a broad Microsoft-government-cloud managed program with the option of full (100%) objective coverage; C3 Integrated Solutions fits buyers who want a fast, prescriptive managed environment with in-house security operations.

Are Summit 7 and C3 Integrated Solutions C3PAOs, RPOs, or MSPs?

Answer capsule:Both Summit 7 and C3 Integrated Solutions are Cyber AB Registered Provider Organizations (RPOs) and Microsoft government-cloud managed service providers — not C3PAOs. An RPO provides pre-assessment advisory and readiness support and does not conduct certified CMMC assessments; a C3PAO does. Treat both companies as readiness and managed-service candidates, and plan for a separate, authorized C3PAO to perform the formal Level 2 certification assessment.

This is the single most important fact on the page, and it’s the one neither company’s homepage puts in lights. The Cyber AB defines distinct roles. An RPO advises and prepares. A C3PAO assesses and certifies. RPOs do not conduct certified CMMC assessments. And a C3PAO is expected to manage conflicts of interest: it generally cannot certify an environment it has consulted on, implemented, or sold products and services into.

Summit 7 states plainly on its own RPO page that it is a Cyber AB Registered Provider Organization and that it does not offer C3PAO services. C3 Integrated Solutions likewise describes itself as a CMMC RPO and Microsoft AOS-G partner, and notes a track record of supportingC3PAOs — which means it has helped assessors, not that C3 is itself an authorized assessor.

For the underlying roles, see our explainer on CMMC provider categories and RPO vs. C3PAO.

Summit 7 vs C3 Integrated Solutions: who they are and what they actually do

Answer capsule:Summit 7 (Huntsville, AL; founded 2008) is a large, established, Microsoft-government-cloud–focused managed compliance provider for the defense industrial base, with a heavy free-education footprint. C3 Integrated Solutions (Arlington, VA) is a prescriptive managed CMMC provider whose capabilities were deepened through two mergers — with CMMC specialist Steel Root (2022) and cybersecurity firm Ingalls Information Security (2023) — giving it in-house security operations under one roof.

Summit 7 at a glance

Summit 7 has been doing this work since 2008 (company-stated) and positions itself as “the #1 Microsoft AOS-G Partner for the Microsoft Government Cloud” (company-stated). The company reports more than 300 employees and, as of May 2026, says it has helped more than 100 clients earn their CMMC Level 2 assessment certification (company-stated). It was ranked #14 on MSSP Alert’s “Top 250 MSSPs for 2025.” Summit 7 serves DoD contractors and higher-education research institutions. Its managed offerings are organized into three tiers:

• Guardian — managed IT services (MSP).
• Vigilance — managed security services (MSSP).
• Commander — managed governance, risk, and compliance (GRC).

Summit 7 also runs one of the deepest free educational libraries in the space — guides, a podcast, an active YouTube channel, and a “CUI Hotline” — which is genuinely useful if you want to self-educate while you decide. Its CEO is Scott Edwards; its Chief Security Evangelist, Jacob Horne, and VP of cybersecurity compliance, Joy Beland, are recognizable on-record voices in DIB compliance.

C3 Integrated Solutions at a glance

C3 Integrated Solutions, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, describes itself as one of the original Microsoft AOS-G partners authorized to sell GCC High, and as a CMMC RPO (company-stated). What makes C3 distinctive is the capability assembled through two mergers:

• November 16, 2022 — C3 merged with Steel Root, a respected CMMC-focused cybersecurity firm, bringing Steel Root’s compliance methodology and leadership (including CTO Ryan Heidorn) into C3.
• November 14, 2023 — C3 merged with Ingalls Information Security, adding a security operations center (SOC), managed detection and response (MDR), and digital forensics and incident response (DFIR). Per the announcement, Ingalls founder Jason Ingalls became C3’s Chief Cybersecurity Officer.

That second merger matters because it changed C3 from a GCC High managed-services shop into a provider with in-house cyber-operations capability — IT, security operations, and compliance under one roof. C3’s CEO is Marc Pantoni. Its managed CMMC offerings launched as the C3 Suite on February 12, 2025 and are packaged as C3 Command, C3 Catalyst, and C3 Core (more on those below). C3 also announced two CMMC Level 2 certifications for its MSP and MSSP operations (company-stated).

The number that separates them: how much of CMMC each provider actually owns

Answer capsule:CMMC Level 2 is assessed against the 320 assessment objectives in NIST SP 800-171A. Summit 7’s packages publicly cover about 51% (Vigilance), about 80% (Guardian), and 100% (Commander). C3 Command publicly takes responsibility for about 80% of the objectives — including 100% of the IT-related objectives — leaving the remaining ~20% to you.

CMMC Level 2 maps to NIST SP 800-171 Revision 2 — 110 security requirements organized into 14 control families. To assess those 110 requirements, assessors use NIST SP 800-171A, which breaks them into 320 discrete assessment objectives— the actual “met / not met” determination statements an assessor checks. Both Summit 7 and C3 frame their coverage in terms of those 320 objectives, which is exactly what makes a clean comparison possible.

Figures are company-stated, drawn from each provider’s published materials, and should be confirmed against each provider’s current responsibility matrix. Last verified: June 13, 2026.

Two things jump out, and both are decision-grade.

1. The closest head-to-head is C3 Command (~80%) versus Summit 7 Guardian (~80%). They land in the same neighborhood: a fully managed technical environment plus most of the program, with you retaining roughly a fifth — usually the human and physical-world items (background checks, physical security) that no provider can do for you. If you’re choosing between “the main managed package” at each company, this is your true apples-to-apples pairing.

2. Only one package on either side claims to cover 100% — Summit 7’s Commander. C3’s most complete single offering, C3 Command, tops out at a stated 80%. Summit 7’s Commander tier is positioned to cover all 320 objectives as a managed-GRC engagement.

Do you still need a C3PAO if you hire Summit 7 or C3?

Answer capsule: Yes, for a Level 2 certification assessment. Both companies are RPOs, which prepare and manage your environment but do not perform certifications. A separate, authorized C3PAO conducts the Level 2 certification assessment. Budget and schedule the formal assessment as its own engagement.

Under 32 CFR Part 170— the CMMC Program rule, effective December 16, 2024— Level 2 has two assessment paths: a self-assessment (allowed for some contracts) and a C3PAO certification assessment (required for most CUI work once it’s in your contract). Which path applies is set by the contract. DFARS 252.204-7025(the “Notice of CMMC Level Requirements” solicitation provision) tells offerors the required CMMC level, which must be achieved before award for each contractor system that will process, store, or transmit FCI or CUI. DFARS 252.204-7021 (the contract clause) requires the contractor to maintain the required CMMC status and affirmations throughout performance and to flow the requirement down to applicable subcontractors. Both clauses took effect with the acquisition rule on November 10, 2025.

Your sequence: get ready (RPO/MSP) → get assessed → report your result → affirm continuing compliance in SPRS. For a self-assessment, the contractor enters the result in SPRS. For a Level 2 C3PAO certification assessment, the C3PAO submits the result into the CMMC instantiation of eMASS, which transmits to SPRS. In every case, a senior company official — the Affirming Official— affirms continuing compliance in SPRS.

One scheduling reality to internalize. Phase 1 began November 10, 2025and runs through November 9, 2026, focusing primarily on Level 1 and Level 2 self-assessments — though DoD may require a Level 2 C3PAO certification in a given solicitation. Phase 2 begins November 10, 2026, when DoD intends to include Level 2 C3PAO certification requirements in applicable solicitations as a condition of award. Level 3, assessed by the Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center (DIBCAC), phases in afterward. Readiness typically takes 12–18 months, and the pool of authorized C3PAOs is finite.

See our guide on self-assessment vs. C3PAO and finding an authorized C3PAO.

Both companies are CMMC Level 2 certified themselves — does that help your assessment?

Answer capsule:Both providers publicly state they achieved their own CMMC Level 2 certifications for their managed-services operations. Because an External Service Provider’s security practices can fall within your assessment scope when it handles your CUI or security functions, a provider that has been through a Level 2 assessment itself can reduce friction in yours. Confirm the exact scope of each provider’s certification and how it maps to the services they’d run for you.

When you outsource IT or security to a managed provider, that provider becomes an External Service Provider (ESP) in CMMC terms. If the ESP stores, processes, or transmits your CUI, or provides security protections your compliance depends on, those services can be drawn into your assessment scope and documented in your System Security Plan (SSP) and responsibility matrix. An ESP that has itself been assessed to Level 2 — and can hand your assessor a clean shared-responsibility matrix — can make your own assessment smoother.

• Summit 7 announced dual CMMC Level 2 certificationsin February 2025 — one for its corporate environment, one for its Guardian and Vigilance managed-services offerings and their Shared Responsibility Matrix (company-stated).
• C3 Integrated Solutions announced CMMC Level 2 certification for its MSP and MSSP operations in early 2025 (company-stated).

Which is better for Microsoft 365 GCC High or Azure Government?

Answer capsule:Both Summit 7 and C3 Integrated Solutions are Microsoft AOS-G partners authorized to sell and manage Microsoft 365 GCC High, and both work in Azure Government. The deciding factor is not who can sell you the license — it’s who will configure, document, monitor, and defend your CUI environment in a way that matches your assessment scope.

Microsoft publishes its government partner lists, and both Summit 7 and C3 appear among the AOS-G partners for GCC and GCC High; both also appear on Microsoft’s Azure Government reseller list. Treat those listings as a procurement-channel check— confirmation that each is a legitimate path to buy and stand up the platform — not as proof of managed-service quality.

So the GCC High question isn’t “Summit or C3?” It’s: for my exact CUI workflow, which of the 320 objectives will the provider own, share, or merely support, and where will that show up in my SSP and shared-responsibility matrix? Ask both. The clearer, more specific answer is your better fit. See our GCC High for CMMC guide and best GCC High providers.

The honest catch: both may be more provider than some buyers need

Answer capsule:Summit 7 and C3 Integrated Solutions are premium, Microsoft-GCC-High–centric managed providers built for contractors who genuinely handle CUI and want a defense-specialized partner to run the environment. For a very small FCI-only (Level 1) contractor, or one committed to a non-Microsoft stack, that is more capability and cost than the requirement calls for.

Here it is: both of these companies are built for the deep end of the pool.If you’re a five-person shop that only touches Federal Contract Information (FCI) and needs a Level 1annual self-assessment against 15 basic safeguarding requirements (drawn from FAR 52.204-21), hiring either company is like buying a tractor-trailer to deliver a pizza. The same is true if you’ve standardized on Google Workspace or a third-party CUI enclave and have no intention of migrating to GCC High.

And one more honest note: neither publishes pricing. You can’t comparison-shop from a webpage; you have to talk to sales. (Summit 7 at least publishes all-in budget anchors, which we’ll get to.)

How much do Summit 7 and C3 Integrated Solutions cost?

Answer capsule:Neither Summit 7 nor C3 Integrated Solutions publishes fixed pricing. Market and vendor cost guides commonly place a total Level 2 readiness-to-certification effort in the range of roughly $75,000–$300,000+ over 12–18 months. Summit 7’s own cost guide states an all-in average of about $265,000 for a 25-employee company and about $504,000 for a 250-employee company (company-stated). Comparable all-in public figures from C3 were not available.

The most expensive mistake we see is comparing one provider’s full managed quote against another provider’s narrower quote and thinking you’ve compared “Summit 7 vs C3.” You haven’t — you’ve compared two different scopes. Here’s the cost reality, then a way to make any two quotes comparable.

What the market suggests (estimate ranges, not regulatory figures)

Market-estimate ranges for budgeting purposes only — not regulatory costs and not a quote. Your actual cost depends on scope, maturity, and environment.

What Summit 7 publishes (company-stated)

Summit 7’s cost guide states that, using Guardian, Vigilance, and Commander, “the average Summit 7 client with 25 employees will spend $265K on CMMC Level 2 Certification between hardware, software, labor, cloud migrations, etc.,” and “the average 250-employee company will spend $504K all-in.” Summit 7 also states that outsourcing to them saves “roughly 55–70%” versus doing it entirely in-house (company-stated). Treat these as honest budget anchors, not a quote for your environment — but credit Summit 7 for putting real numbers on the page.

What C3 publishes

C3 emphasizes speed (its Command product claims to implement all 320 objectives “in less than half the time of C3PAO estimates,” company-stated) and the 80/20 model, but we did not find a comparable all-in public price. That’s not a knock — it’s just a reason you can’t compare the two from their websites alone. You’ll need a quote.

The one-page quote normalizer

Before you let any number drive your decision, force both providers into the same buckets:

Run both quotes through that grid and the comparison stops being a guess. For a deeper breakdown, see our CMMC Level 2 cost guide.

Who should choose Summit 7 first?

Answer capsule: Summit 7 is the stronger first call for contractors who want a broad Microsoft-government-cloud managed compliance program, value the option of a package (Commander) positioned to cover 100% of the assessment objectives, or want a large, established team and the deepest free-education library while they decide.

Pick Summit 7 first if you see yourself here:

• You handle CUI across Microsoft 365 and want a broad, government-cloud–centered managed program.
• You want the option of pushing toward 100% objective coverage (Commander), not just 80%.
• You want a provider with public budget anchors so you can forecast before you ever take a call.
• You’re a research university or higher-education institution in the DIB — a segment Summit 7 explicitly serves alongside contractors.
• You value self-service learning; Summit 7’s free library is the deepest in the category.

See also: Summit 7 alternatives.

Who should choose C3 Integrated Solutions first?

Answer capsule: C3 Integrated Solutions is the stronger first call for contractors who want a fast, prescriptive managed CMMC environment built around the C3 Command 80/20 model, who value in-house security operations under one roof (SOC, MDR, and DFIR via the 2023 Ingalls merger), or who already have a compliance partner and need only the secure technical environment (C3 Catalyst).

Pick C3 first if you see yourself here:

• You want a prescriptive, fast path with a clearly defined 80/20 split between provider and client (C3 Command).
• You want IT, security operations (SOC/MDR/DFIR), and compliance under one roof — C3’s Ingalls merger brought that in-house.
• You already have an RPO, vCISO, or compliance consultant and want to keep them, outsourcing only the managed technical environment (C3 Catalyst).
• You’re a small contractor who lacks internal IT/security staff and wants a provider to lead, not just advise.

When the answer is “neither”: the alternatives to check first

Answer capsule: The right alternative to Summit 7 or C3 is not always another managed service provider. Depending on your CUI boundary, maturity, and assessment stage, the better first step may be a CUI enclave, a smaller RPO, a GRC/evidence platform, or an authorized C3PAO.

Be honest with yourself about which of these you actually are:

• Readiness / implementation / managed compliance — you need remediation, an SSP and POA&M, scoping, or a managed program. This is the RPO/MSP/MSSP lane, where Summit 7 and C3 both compete.
• CUI enclave / secure collaboration— you have a narrow CUI workflow or a small number of CUI users and want to shrink scope before dragging your whole business into GCC High. An enclave approach may cost far less. See our CUI enclave options guide.
• GRC / evidence software— you already have IT and security implemented and need evidence management, control mapping, and continuous-compliance workflow. See our CMMC software guide.
• Formal assessment— you’ve finished readiness and need certification. Go straight to an authorized C3PAO via the Cyber AB Marketplace, and keep readiness and assessment cleanly separated.

A decision framework: which provider should you contact first?

Answer capsule: Use a fit assessment rather than a brand preference. The right first call depends on your required CMMC level and assessment type, the spread of CUI across your environment, your current Microsoft tenant, your in-house IT and compliance capacity, your timeline to Phase 2, and whether you need close to 100% objective coverage or a defined 80/20 split.

Walk these five questions, in order:

1. What does your contract require?Level 1, Level 2 self-assessment, Level 2 C3PAO certification, or Level 3 (DIBCAC-assessed)? If it’s Level 1 or self-assessment only, a full managed program may be overkill. If it’s Level 2 C3PAO, both companies are in play.
2. How far does CUI spread? One bounded workflow points toward an enclave first. CUI woven through Microsoft 365, endpoints, and daily operations points toward a managed program.
3. What’s your current stack? Already in GCC High, or migrating, favors both. Committed to non-Microsoft favors neither (validate architecture first).
4. How much do you want to own?Want the most off your plate, possibly 100%? Summit 7’s Commander is positioned for that. Want a fast, defined 80/20 split with in-house security operations? C3 Command.
5. What’s your timeline? With Phase 2 beginning November 10, 2026, and readiness typically taking 12–18 months, “we’ll deal with it later” is no longer a strategy.

Worked examples

• A 5-person shop, 2 CUI users, all in commercial Microsoft 365: compare a CUI enclave and a lighter RPO first; Summit/C3 only after scope justifies a full program.
• A 40-person contractor, CUI across Microsoft 365, thin internal IT: both belong on your shortlist; compare C3 Command (80/20) against Summit 7 Guardian (~80%) using the responsibility matrices and normalized quotes.
• A contractor that already has a compliance consultant but needs the technical environment: compare C3 Catalyst against a Summit managed path; decide based on who keeps ownership of documentation and evidence.
• A contractor done with readiness, assessment-ready: neither — engage an authorized C3PAO.

What we verified — and what you should verify before signing

Answer capsule:This comparison separates primary regulatory facts, independently checkable facts, and provider-stated claims. Regulatory facts are sourced to the Federal Register, NIST, Acquisition.gov, and the Cyber AB; provider claims are labeled as company-stated and should be confirmed against current certificates, the live Cyber AB Marketplace, and each provider’s current responsibility matrix.

What we verified from primary or authoritative sources:

• The CMMC Program rule (32 CFR Part 170, effective December 16, 2024) and the acquisition rule (DFARS 252.204-7021 and 252.204-7025, effective November 10, 2025), with Phase 1 running November 10, 2025 to November 9, 2026 and Phase 2 beginning November 10, 2026.
• The standard CMMC Level 2 maps to NIST SP 800-171 Revision 2 (110 requirements, 14 families), assessed via NIST SP 800-171A (320 assessment objectives) — not Revision 3.
• The Cyber AB role distinction: RPOs advise; C3PAOs assess, and a C3PAO is expected to manage conflicts of interest.
• The dates of C3’s two mergers: Steel Root, November 16, 2022, and Ingalls Information Security, November 14, 2023.

What we treated as provider-stated (and you should confirm):

• Summit 7’s coverage figures (Vigilance ~51%, Guardian ~80%, Commander 100%), its dual CMMC Level 2 certifications, its “100+ certified clients” and Microsoft AOS-G “#1” claims, and its published cost anchors ($265K / $504K).
• C3’s 80/20 coverage (Command), the Command/Catalyst/Core structure, its CMMC Level 2 MSP/MSSP certification, and its AOS-G/RPO positioning.

What you must verify before you sign:

• Each company’s current Cyber AB Marketplace status on your decision date.
• Each company’s current CMMC Level 2 certificate and assessed scope, and whether your services sit inside it.
• The current responsibility matrix (C3’s Customer Responsibility Matrix / Summit 7’s Shared Responsibility Matrix), read line by line.
• A normalized, written quote in the buckets above.

See our editorial standards, methodology, and corrections policy.

Frequently asked questions

Is Summit 7 a C3PAO?

No. Summit 7 states it is a Cyber AB Registered Provider Organization (RPO) and that it does not offer C3PAO services. It prepares and manages CMMC environments but cannot perform your certification assessment; an authorized C3PAO does that. Confirm its current status in the Cyber AB Marketplace.

Is C3 Integrated Solutions a C3PAO?

No. C3 Integrated Solutions describes itself as a CMMC Registered Provider Organization and Microsoft AOS-G partner. It has supported C3PAOs but is not itself an authorized assessor. Verify its current Cyber AB Marketplace status before relying on any role.

Can my readiness provider also be my CMMC assessor?

No. Cyber AB rules keep the roles separate: a firm that implements or consults on your environment cannot also conduct your certification assessment, and a C3PAO must manage conflicts of interest. Plan for a separate, authorized C3PAO for the formal Level 2 assessment.

Does GCC High make you CMMC compliant?

No. Microsoft 365 GCC High can support a CUI and CMMC strategy and satisfy many technical controls, but compliance depends on your full scoped environment, documentation, evidence, operations, and the 320 NIST SP 800-171A assessment objectives. The platform is a tool, not a certification.

Which is cheaper, Summit 7 or C3 Integrated Solutions?

There’s no honest one-word answer without normalizing the quotes. Summit 7 publishes all-in budget anchors (about $265,000 for 25 employees, company-stated); comparable all-in public pricing from C3 was not available. Compare both on the same basis: licensing, migration, managed IT, security operations, documentation, internal labor, and the separate C3PAO assessment.

Which is better for a small defense contractor?

It depends on your CUI scope and in-house capacity, not headcount alone. A contractor with one or two cleanly bounded CUI workflows may be better served by a CUI enclave first; a contractor with CUI woven through Microsoft 365 and little internal IT may benefit most from a full managed program like C3 Command or Summit 7 Guardian/Commander.

Which fits if I already have a compliance consultant?

Compare C3 Catalyst, which is built for clients who keep their existing compliance partner and outsource only the managed technical environment. Summit 7 may still fit if you’d rather consolidate into a single managed program. The deciding question is who owns your SSP, POA&M, and evidence.

What changes at CMMC Phase 2?

Phase 1 began November 10, 2025 and runs through November 9, 2026, focusing primarily on Level 1 and Level 2 self-assessments. Phase 2 begins November 10, 2026, when DoD intends to include Level 2 C3PAO certification requirements in applicable solicitations as a condition of award, with discretion to delay to an option period in some cases. Because readiness typically takes 12 to 18 months, contractors needing a C3PAO certification should already be preparing.

What should I ask before contacting either provider?

Ask for current Cyber AB Marketplace status, the current CMMC Level 2 certificate and its scope, the responsibility matrix (which of the 320 objectives they own, share, or support), the GCC High/Azure Government architecture and CUI boundary, a quote broken into the cost buckets above, and confirmation that the formal C3PAO assessment is separate.

The bottom line

Summit 7 and C3 Integrated Solutions are both legitimate, defense-specialized, GCC High–focused CMMC managed providers and Cyber AB RPOs — and neither one certifies you. Choose Summit 7 for the larger, established Microsoft-government-cloud team, the deepest free-education ecosystem, and the option of 100% objective coverage. Choose C3 Integrated Solutions for a fast, prescriptive 80/20 managed environment with in-house security operations under one roof. Choose neitherif you’re FCI-only, non-Microsoft, or already assessment-ready. Whatever you choose, read the responsibility matrix, normalize the quote, confirm the current Cyber AB status, and keep readiness separate from your formal assessment.

You don’t have to make this six-figure decision blind.

Related resources

• CMMC provider categories explained
• Summit 7 alternatives: CMMC MSPs, enclaves & C3PAOs
• RPO vs. C3PAO: what’s the difference?
• Self-assessment vs. C3PAO certification
• Find an authorized C3PAO
• GCC High for CMMC
• Best GCC High providers for CMMC
• Microsoft 365 GCC High migration for CMMC
• CMMC Level 2 cost guide
• CMMC Level 2 readiness checklist
• CMMC Level 2 requirements: the 110 controls
• SPRS score guide
• CUI enclave options: PreVeil alternatives
• CMMC GRC software guide
• CMMC RPO consultants guide

Sources & primary references

• 32 CFR Part 170 — CMMC Program final rule (eCFR; effective Dec 16, 2024)
• DFARS 252.204-7025 — Notice of CMMC Level Requirements (Acquisition.gov)
• DFARS 252.204-7021 — Contractor Compliance with the CMMC Level Requirements (Acquisition.gov)
• NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 (NIST CSRC)
• NIST SP 800-171A — 320 assessment objectives (NIST CSRC)
• FAR 52.204-21 — Basic Safeguarding (FCI; 15 requirements) (Acquisition.gov)
• DoD CIO — CMMC program and phase timeline
• Cyber AB Marketplace and ecosystem-role definitions

All provider performance, coverage, certification, and cost figures are company-stated unless independently verified, and should be re-verified on the publish date.