Let's cut to the chase. You're a defense contractor. You need CMMC certification. And everyone's telling you that you need a Managed Service Provider to get there.
But do you really?
The short answer: No, you don't.
The longer answer? It depends on your situation. Let's break it down honestly.
What the Regulations Actually Say
Here's what most people get wrong: CMMC 2.0 does not require you to hire an MSP. Period.
The Department of Defense cares about one thing: whether you meet the requirements. They don't care how you get there. You could:
- Build everything in-house
- Hire an MSP
- Use a specialized compliance solution
- Combine approaches
The choice is yours. But here's where it gets tricky.
If you do use an MSP that handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), that MSP must also be CMMC compliant. You'll also need a Shared Responsibility Matrix (SRM) that spells out exactly who handles what.
That's not a small detail. That's a potential compliance headache.
When an MSP Makes Sense
Let's be fair. MSPs aren't bad. They serve a real purpose for certain organizations.
You might benefit from an MSP if:
- You have zero IT staff and need someone to manage your entire infrastructure
- Your business has complex, sprawling IT needs beyond CMMC
- You want hands-off management of day-to-day operations
- You're starting from scratch with no cybersecurity foundation
MSPs can conduct gap analyses, develop remediation plans, and support you through assessments. These are valuable services.
But here's the catch: you're paying for a lot more than CMMC compliance. You're paying for ongoing management, support tickets, and infrastructure oversight that may not be what you actually need.
The Real Cost of the MSP Route
Let's talk money. Because that's usually what this decision comes down to.
Traditional MSP costs for CMMC compliance often include:
- Monthly management fees (often $150-$300+ per user)
- Hardware and licensing costs (your responsibility)
- Implementation fees
- Assessment support fees
- Ongoing remediation costs
For a 20-person company, you could easily be looking at $5,000-$7,000 per month: and that's before hardware, software licenses, and the actual certification costs.
Plus, you're dependent on their timeline, their processes, and their priorities. If they're juggling 50 other clients, guess where you fall in the queue?
The Alternative Most People Don't Know About
Here's where things get interesting.
What if you could achieve 100% CMMC Level 2 compliance without the MSP overhead? What if there was a solution specifically designed for this exact problem?
That's exactly what CPE Level 2 was built for.
CPE Level 2 is a Cybersecurity Protected Enclave that delivers full CMMC 2.0 Level 2 compliance in a single, integrated solution. No piecing together vendors. No hoping your MSP understands the requirements. No surprises.
What Makes CPE Level 2 Different
Let's get specific. Because vague promises don't help anyone.
CPE Level 2 includes:
- Full coverage of every CMMC 2.0 Level 2 requirement and objective
- Integrated backup and network segmentation
- vCISO sessions for strategic guidance
- Audit support when certification time comes
- Next business day service
- No extra costs for hardware, licensing, or managed services
Starting at $1,099 monthly for up to 20 users, it's a fundamentally different value proposition than the traditional MSP model.
You're not paying for someone to figure it out. You're paying for a solution that's already figured out.
The Technical Edge
If you're technically minded, here's why CPE Level 2 outperforms typical MSP setups:
Speed and Control:
- Faster transfer speeds than cloud solutions
- Your CUI never leaves the enclave
- No outage risk from third-party cloud providers
Security Architecture:
- Integrated security management
- Strong insider threat resistance
- EMP-hardened options available
- Over 900 CPE-specific cybersecurity hardening steps
Compliance Certainty:
- Scientific methodology for compliance
- Audit-ready in approximately 4 weeks
- No POA&M tracking headaches
The Honest Comparison
Let's put this side by side:
| Factor | Traditional MSP | CPE Level 2 |
|---|---|---|
| CMMC Compliance | Varies by provider | 100% coverage |
| Monthly Cost | $5,000-$7,000+ | Starting at $1,099 |
| Hardware Included | Usually no | Yes |
| Time to Audit-Ready | 6-12+ months typical | ~4 weeks |
| CUI Location | Often cloud-based | Never leaves enclave |
| Shared Responsibility Matrix | Required | Simplified |
The numbers speak for themselves.
Who Should Still Consider an MSP?
We're being honest here. CPE Level 2 isn't for everyone.
You might still want an MSP if:
- You need full IT management beyond CMMC (help desk, general IT support, etc.)
- Your organization has complex hybrid environments that extend far beyond CUI handling
- You genuinely prefer outsourcing all technology decisions
But if your primary goal is CMMC compliance: getting certified, protecting CUI, and winning DoD contracts: then a specialized solution like CPE Level 2 is likely the smarter path.
Making Your Decision
Here are the questions to ask yourself:
-
What's my actual goal? If it's CMMC certification, you need a CMMC solution: not general IT management.
-
What's my budget reality? Calculate total MSP costs (management + hardware + licensing + support) versus an all-in solution.
-
How fast do I need to be compliant? If contracts are on the line, 4 weeks beats 6-12 months.
-
How much complexity can I handle? Shared Responsibility Matrices and multi-vendor coordination add risk. Simplicity reduces it.
-
Where should my CUI live? Cloud-based MSP solutions mean your sensitive data leaves your control. Enclave solutions keep it local.
The Bottom Line
You don't need an MSP for CMMC. The regulations don't require it. The certification process doesn't require it. And frankly, for many small to medium defense suppliers, it's overkill.
What you need is compliance. Full, verifiable, audit-ready compliance that protects CUI and positions you to win contracts.
CPE Level 2 delivers exactly that: without the MSP markup, without the complexity, and without the uncertainty.
Protecting CUI protects the American Warfighter. That's the mission. Everything else is just a means to get there.
Ready to see if CPE Level 2 is right for your organization? Let's talk.
Contact us:
- Email: CMMC@PLANETSECURITY.NET
- Phone: 702-508-2338
planetsecurity.net
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