Let's talk money. If you're a defense contractor staring down CMMC 2.0 Level 2 compliance, you've probably gotten quotes that made your stomach drop. $150,000. $200,000. Sometimes more. And that's just to get compliant, not including the 12-18 months of headaches, meetings, and constant back-and-forth with consultants.

Here's the thing: it doesn't have to be that way.

The Traditional CMMC Price Tag (Spoiler: It's Ugly)

Traditional CMMC remediation follows a predictable, and expensive, pattern. You hire a consultant, they audit your current setup, identify gaps, recommend solutions, and then you're on the hook for implementing everything they suggested.

Here's how the costs typically break down:

  • Assessment and gap analysis: $30,000–$75,000
  • Implementation and remediation: $20,000–$150,000+
  • Documentation and System Security Plan development: $12,000–$60,000
  • Hardware and software purchases: Variable (often $20,000–$50,000)
  • Ongoing consultant fees: $10,000–$30,000 annually

Total? Easily $100,000–$200,000+ over the first three years. And that assumes everything goes smoothly (which it rarely does).

CMMC consulting costs comparison showing expensive traditional approach versus affordable fixed pricing

Where Does All That Money Go?

The expensive consultant model operates on billable hours. Every meeting, every email, every revision to your System Security Plan (SSP), it all adds up. You're paying for:

  • Discovery and assessment phases that can stretch for months
  • Custom recommendations that require you to source and purchase separate solutions
  • Implementation support charged by the hour
  • Documentation creation billed at consultant rates
  • Multiple rounds of revisions because CMMC 2.0 Level 2 covers 110 requirements and 320 objectives, and missing even one means starting over

Plus, you're still responsible for actually implementing everything. The consultant tells you what to do, but you have to find vendors, negotiate contracts, coordinate installations, and hope everything works together. It's a nightmare of coordination and cost overruns.

The CPE Level 2 Alternative: Complete Compliance for $1,299/Month

Here's what changes the game: CPE Level 2 isn't a consulting service. It's a complete, turnkey solution.

Instead of paying consultants to tell you what to buy, you get everything you need in one package:

  • Hardware: Enterprise-grade servers and network equipment
  • Software: All compliance-required applications and security tools
  • Managed Security Services (MSP/MSSP): Continuous monitoring and management
  • Security patching and updates: Automated and monitored
  • Network segmentation: Properly isolated CUI environment
  • Backup and disaster recovery: Built-in and tested
  • Virtual CISO (vCISO): Expert guidance when you need it
  • Audit support: Documentation and prep for C3PAO assessments

And here's the kicker: it's implemented and operational in 4 weeks. Not 18 months. Four weeks.

Planet Security's Cybersecurity Protected Enclave Level 2

What $1,299/Month Actually Includes

CPE Level 2 covers 100% of CMMC 2.0 Level 2 requirements. All 110 requirements. All 320 objectives. Nothing left to chance or follow-up purchases.

For up to 20 users, you get:

  • Pre-configured compliance infrastructure designed specifically for CMMC 2.0 Level 2
  • 24/7 security monitoring by certified cybersecurity professionals
  • Yoo-Jin AI integration for compliance automation and threat detection, using AI-obfuscated data (not Big Tech's prying eyes)
  • Regular security assessments and reporting so you always know your compliance status
  • System Security Plan (SSP) templates tailored to your CPE deployment
  • Technical support whenever you need it
  • Continuous updates to maintain compliance as requirements evolve

And if you choose the 8-week implementation path instead of the 4-week accelerated option, you save an additional $100/month, making it $1,199/month.

The Time Factor: 4 Weeks vs. 18+ Months

Time is money, but in CMMC compliance, time is also contracts. If you can't prove compliance, you can't bid on DoD contracts. Every month you're not compliant is potentially millions in lost opportunities.

Traditional consultant-led CMMC remediation timeline:

  • Months 1-3: Assessment and gap analysis
  • Months 4-6: Vendor selection and procurement
  • Months 7-12: Implementation and configuration
  • Months 13-18: Testing, documentation, and revision cycles
  • Month 18+: Final C3PAO assessment prep

CPE Level 2 deployment timeline:

  • Week 1: Client onboarding and CMMC training
  • Week 2: Operational security rollout
  • Week 3: CPE server installation and configuration
  • Week 4: Verification and go-live

That's it. Four weeks from start to audit-ready. You can be bidding on contracts while your competitors are still arguing with consultants about firewall vendors.

CMMC implementation timeline comparison: 18-month traditional consulting vs 4-week CPE Level 2 deployment

The Math Actually Makes Sense

Let's do a real cost comparison over three years (the typical CMMC certification period):

Traditional Consultant Approach:

  • Initial remediation: $150,000
  • Ongoing compliance management: $20,000/year × 3 = $60,000
  • Total: $210,000

CPE Level 2 Approach:

  • Monthly cost: $1,299/month × 36 months = $46,764
  • No upfront costs
  • Total: $46,764

You save $163,236 over three years. That's not a rounding error. That's real money you can invest in growing your business, hiring staff, or actually winning contracts.

What About Hidden Costs?

Fair question. With consultants, there are always hidden costs. Scope creep. "Oh, we didn't realize you needed that: here's another $15,000." Emergency support calls billed at premium rates.

With CPE Level 2, the price is the price. $1,299/month for up to 20 users. Everything's included. No surprise bills. No "we'll need to bring in a specialist for that" conversations.

Who This Works For

CPE Level 2 is designed specifically for small to medium defense contractors who need CMMC 2.0 Level 2 compliance but don't have $200,000 lying around or 18 months to wait.

If you're:

  • A subcontractor handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)
  • Bidding on DoD contracts requiring CMMC Level 2
  • Currently non-compliant and facing deadline pressure
  • Tired of consultant quotes that make you question your career choices

This is your solution.

The Bottom Line

Here's what it comes down to: Do you want to spend $200,000 over 18 months cobbling together a compliance solution, or $1,299/month for a turnkey system that's operational in 4 weeks?

CPE Level 2 isn't cutting corners. It's not "budget compliance" that barely passes muster. It's a purpose-built, enterprise-grade solution that covers every single one of the 110 CMMC requirements and 320 objectives. It's what you'd build if you had unlimited budget and knew exactly what you were doing: except we've already built it, and we're offering it at a price that actually makes sense.

The era of $200,000 CMMC consulting engagements is over. Welcome to compliance that works for real businesses with real budgets and real deadlines.

Ready to get started? Visit Planet Security's CPE Level 2 page or call us at 702-508-2338. Four weeks from now, you could be fully compliant and back to winning contracts.

Planet Security Inc. | Professional Cybersecurity and IT Compliance Services
CMMC@PLANETSECURITY.NET | 702-508-2338

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