CMMC RPO (Registered Provider Organization): Why Do You Need One?

It is no secret that numerous companies are experiencing a shortage of cybersecurity experts, and even fewer have in-house personnel prepared to navigate the Pentagon’s mandate. The number of companies dealing with IT security staffing shortfalls rose from 80.9 percent in 2020 to an anticipated 85.6 percent by year’s end. By 2030, the cybersecurity talent gap could reach 85 million.

Even though the United States enjoys the lion’s share of digital security professionals, only a slim few have been recognized as a Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Registered Provider Organization (CMMC RPO). The federal government plans to promulgate a final CMMC 2.0 rule before the start of 2025. That means defense contractors and organizations working in the military supply chain must promptly meet one of CMMC’s three cyber hygiene levels.

Achieving and maintaining CMMC compliance is now mission-critical because failing to do so means losing lucrative U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) contracts. Red River, a federally recognized CMMC RPO, stands ready to help companies prepare and gain compliance before the clock strikes midnight.

What is a CMMC RPO?

With the mandate on our proverbial doorsteps, it’s essential to work with a cybersecurity firm that has invested in CMMC education and training. In any sector — cybersecurity included — a number of outfits may claim they have the expertise to shepherd your enterprise to CMMC compliance. Whether they are well-meaning, overconfident or simply do not understand the gravity of the situation, only a government-accredited firm has the experts and resources to help businesses meet more than 100 controls required by CMMC 2.0.

That being said, the CMMC Accreditation Body (CMMC-AB) awards select firms designations such as RPO and C3PAO, among others. Attaining these credentials requires firms to meet stringent cybersecurity criteria, demonstrate expertise, have a highly trained staff and pass rigorous testing. These are the five CMMC designations a cybersecurity firm can acquire.

Certified Third-Party Assessor Organizations (C3PAO)

A C3PAO earned CMMC-AB authorization to conduct official assessments. The role of a C3PAO also includes advising military contractors about cybersecurity vulnerabilities and ways to cure them. The goal is to align a business’s digital security with federal regulations and successfully pass an impartial CMMC assessment that may be handled by the C3PAO.

Registered Provider Organizations (RPO)

Companies are quickly discovering they need additional support to transition into full CMMC compliance. A CMMC RPO works diligently with industry leaders to prepare their networks and employees to meet or exceed federal cybersecurity requirements. Unlike a C3PAO, an RPO does not conduct the final testing needed to remain in the military industrial base. A CMMC RPO serves as a trusted advisor and long-term compliance partner.

Registered Practitioners (RP)

The Registered Practitioners program dates back to the early days of the CMMC rollout. Individuals needed to pass a pair of examinations. It was something of a knee-jerk reaction to private-sector organizations clamoring for CMMC help. Not considered a standalone designation, an RP typically works within a larger CMMC team of experts.

Certified Professionals (CP)

A Certified Professional (CP) merely undergoes a five-day training course that introduces the person to core CMMC principles and applications. The instructor-led course covers topics such as Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), Personally Identifiable Information (PII), risk management, security controls and understanding threats.

Certified Assessors (CA)

Cybersecurity professionals are trained to join a CMMC assessment team. A Certified Assessor engages in enough education and training to work with outfits needing Level II cyber hygiene checks. However, a CA is not necessarily qualified to handle the painstaking efforts and expertise required to take on all CMMC levels and assessments, recommendations or regulatory compliance.

The role of a CMMC RPO involves helping military supply chain businesses identify their mandated cyber hygiene level. Then, assessments, recommendations and other proactive measures are employed to bring a company into CMMC compliance.

How Does a Firm Achieve CMMC RPO Status?

When looking for CMMC support, it’s important to remember that not all cybersecurity firms are created equal. Some outfits provide general cybersecurity and managed IT services. Others drill down on niche areas, such as CMMC 2.0. These are boxes Red River checked to earn CMMC RPO status on top of being a C3PAO.

• Proved Red River is owned by a “US person.”
• Register with Cyber-AB in order to receive authorization and use the official logo distributed by the Cyber-AB.
• Signed the RPO agreement, which includes a commitment to comply with the Cyber-AB Code of Professional Conduct.
• We passed an organizational background check.
• Employ or contract at least one Registered Practitioner (RP) to deliver “non-certified advisory services informed by basic training on the CMMC standard” at all times.
• Pay the annual registration fee.

Defense contractors have a variety of data privacy needs, and none are more important than meeting the Pentagon’s expectations. Without CMMC compliance, your organization could be quickly sidelined and barred from bidding on future contracts.

What Value Does a CMMC RPO Provide?

Defense contractors and peripheral operations must meet CMMC 2.0 standards in order to keep their lucrative DoD contracts. Proof of compliance will soon be a requirement to bid on any military defense contracts. A CMMC RPO works closely with leadership teams and key stakeholders to assess network security gaps and implement a plan to close them within the context of the mandate. These rank among the benefits businesses point to when enlisting the support of a CMMC RPO.

• Minimize Risk: Working with a CMMC RPO adds expertise rarely found, even in the cybersecurity sector. The individual or team that performs a risk assessment identifies ways even garden variety hackers can penetrate a network. Your cybersecurity posture will be greatly improved, and risks will be reduced by working with a CMMC RPO.
• Scalability: The best cybersecurity firms offer clients scalable rates that can increase or decrease in concert with growing needs. Working with a CMMC-accredited firm gives businesses access to an RPO within a budgetary framework. The CMMC RPO can help navigate the pre-assessment process and stay on board to help maintain compliance going forward on an as-needed basis.
• Access to Expertise: Third-party firms invest in the education and training of their managed IT and cybersecurity team members. That means the CMMC RPO is sent to cybersecurity conferences, earns certifications and remains immersed in emerging threats. Few corporations have the resources to hire, train and educate cybersecurity experts at this level. You benefit from all the knowledge accumulated by a CMMC RPO without paying an exorbitant salary.

Working with a CMMC RPO and a supporting firm greatly reduces the burden placed on defense contractors and supply chain organizations. The lead person can collaborate with in-house IT and security professionals, bringing the latest innovations and cybersecurity thought leadership to the table. It’s important to act quickly because the CMMC 2.0 final rule is expected to be published before New Year’s Day. The entire CMMC compliance process can take six months or longer, depending on the state of a company’s security framework, workforce education and training, as well as Level I, II or III alignments.

What Services Does a CMMC RPO Offer?

The services a CMMC RPO delivers appear similar to general cybersecurity packages. That’s largely because the goal of any digital security policy is to insulate confidential and sensitive information data from threat actors. Heightened cybersecurity plans usually put measures in place to deter, detect and expel hackers. In many ways, the Pentagon’s CMMC 2.0 obligation takes those core principles to an extraordinary level. To accomplish the seemingly Herculean task of achieving compliance, a CMMC RPO provides the following services.

• Advisory Services: An RPO is tasked with guiding an enterprise through the complex regulatory process. The expert communicates the controls, best practices and other elements a business network and employees need to follow. It also involves determining which cyber hygiene level an organization must observe to remain in the military industrial base.
• Pre-Assessment Services: Before developing an actionable CMMC plan, an operation’s network, remote workforce and practices must be thoroughly reviewed and vetted. A CMMC RPO takes on the arduous task of assessing these and other aspects of a company’s use of CUI and other digital assets. Sometimes called a “risk assessment,” the cybersecurity expert takes a deep dive into the way digital assets are stored, transmitted, secured and backed up. Company leaders often learn about troubling vulnerabilities when the RPO concludes the pre-assessment process.
• CMMC Planning: The RPO, sometimes with the support of C3PAO experts, helps craft a plan to cure vulnerabilities and close cybersecurity gaps. These efforts are taken with a keen eye on CMMC compliance. Keep in mind that the Pentagon’s data security policy ranks among the most stringent on the landscape today.
• CMMC Implementation: The cybersecurity plan accounts for the NIST 800-171 and 800-172 controls and strategies that underscore the CMMC protocol. The RPO and, perhaps, other security experts go to work hardening the network’s attack surface, implementing tools such as multi-factor authentication and the Pentagon’s desire for contractors to adopt CMMC zero trust.
• Awareness Training: The number of data breaches traced back to human error has been in retreat due to improved cybersecurity awareness training. Innocent mistakes such as clicking on a malicious link or downloading a malware-laced file have dropped from the 99 percentile to 74 percent in 2023, according to a Verizon report. A CMMC RPO possesses the knowledge, training and access to threat intelligence to educate, train and make staff members aware of emerging attack methods. Cybersecurity awareness training is also embedded in the CMMC 2.0 policy.

The CMMC RPO can be intimately involved in wide-reaching compliance facets, such as administrative controls, least privilege login credentials, securing remote access and vetting handheld devices, as well as IoT threats. In essence, your CMMC RPO point person handles broad strokes and fine details to keep your company in the good graces of the federal government.

Do You Need a CMMC RPO for DoD Contracts?

Do you specifically need a CMMC RPO to get a DoD contract? Not exactly. Your company must meet or exceed Level I, II or III cyber hygiene standards for continued participation and future bids. Working with a CMMC-accredited firm and RPO professional puts you on a straight and narrow path.

The process will greatly enhance your digital security, reduce risk, improve productivity and provide tangible backup and recovery assets. The purpose of connecting with an RPO is to create a security foundation that is ready to be thoroughly tested and pass CMMC muster.

The importance of having a qualified RPO laying the groundwork cannot be understated. It’s also in the best interest of defense contractors and supporting companies to consider the depth of a third-party firm’s expertise and accreditation. In a perfect world, onboarding a CMMC RPO from an operation with C3PAO credibility can greatly streamline the process. Given we are only months away from experiencing the full weight of the mandate, time is of the essence.

Red River Delivers CMMC RPO and C3PAO Services

At Red River, we understand that CMMC compliance can prove challenging. As a firm with CMMC RPO specialists and C3PAO accreditation, our experts are uniquely positioned to help you navigate this difficult transition. Contact us today by calling or filling out our online form. Let’s get the process started!