# ND-ISAC Publishes CMMC Assessor Guide

On March 14, 2024, ND-ISAC announced a C3PAO shopping guide and scoring spreadsheet to help small and medium-sized Defense Industrial Base businesses evaluate assessors for the Department of Defense’s CMMC program. Developed with SMB input and feedback from C3PAO assessors, the materials offer practical support for choosing an assessor; the announcement does not identify a contract opportunity, assessment pricing, or procurement timeline.

- Defense contractors can use the guide and spreadsheet to structure assessor comparisons and support their CMMC planning and budgeting decisions.
- For procurement professionals supporting the DIB, the resource signals demand for credible, independent help navigating assessor selection, but it is not itself a solicitation or government award.
- The announcement provides no assessment prices or timeline, so organizations should not infer a defined buying schedule or cost from the guide.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Cybersecurity, Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** October 16, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)

### Key Quotes
> SMBs have to sort through a blizzard of commercials about CMMC and impending assessments. The ND-ISAC assessor shopping guide has the credibility of being provided by peer SMB leaders who distilled their hard won knowledge with the sole motivation that others may better succeed on their experience.
> — Allison Giddens

> Whether it’s ND-ISAC or another choice, SMBs should find a ‘battle buddy’ so to speak to help them fight through their cybersecurity challenges.
> — Steve Shirley (ND-ISAC Executive Director)

### Sources
- [Experiences with 3PAOs](https://www.reddit.com/r/CMMC/comments/1x7l6ts/experiences_with_3paos) - reddit-cmmc