NIST 800-171A Rev 3 Assessment Services
NIST SP 800-171A provides the definitive assessment procedures for evaluating compliance with NIST 800-171 security requirements. Petronella Technology Group, Inc. conducts thorough assessments using 800-171A methodology, determining whether your security controls are implemented correctly, operating as intended, and producing the desired outcome for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information.
Evidence-Based Methodology
Structured assessment procedures using examine, interview, and test methods defined in 800-171A to produce objective, repeatable findings that withstand scrutiny from auditors and contracting officers.
CMMC Assessment Alignment
Our assessment procedures mirror the evaluation methodology used by C3PAOs in CMMC Level 2 assessments, giving you an accurate preview of how your organization will perform during formal certification.
Actionable Remediation Plans
Every finding includes specific remediation guidance with implementation steps, technology recommendations, and effort estimates, transforming assessment results into an executable improvement plan.
Continuous Assessment Program
Ongoing assessment services that maintain compliance between formal evaluations, catching control degradation early and ensuring your security posture remains strong year-round.
The Role of NIST 800-171A in Federal Contractor Compliance
NIST Special Publication 800-171A, "Assessing Security Requirements for Controlled Unclassified Information," provides the official assessment procedures that determine whether an organization has properly implemented the 110 security requirements defined in NIST SP 800-171. While 800-171 tells you what to implement, 800-171A tells you how to verify that implementation is correct, operational, and effective. This distinction is critical because many organizations believe they are compliant when their controls contain implementation gaps that a structured assessment would immediately reveal.
The assessment methodology in 800-171A uses three distinct methods: examine, interview, and test. Examine methods review documentation, policies, system configurations, logs, and other artifacts. Interview methods gather information from personnel responsible for implementing, operating, and managing security controls. Test methods exercise controls to verify they function as intended under realistic conditions. A thorough assessment uses all three methods for each requirement, cross-referencing evidence to build a comprehensive picture of actual compliance status.
Petronella Technology Group, Inc. has conducted hundreds of NIST 800-171A assessments for defense contractors across the Research Triangle and throughout North Carolina. Our assessors bring both technical depth and assessment methodology expertise, understanding not just whether a firewall rule exists but whether that rule effectively implements the access control requirement it is supposed to satisfy. We have seen organizations with expensive security tools that were misconfigured, comprehensive policies that staff did not follow, and incident response plans that had never been tested. Our assessments uncover these gaps before a CMMC assessor or contracting officer does.
Revision 3 of 800-171A aligns with the updated requirement structure in NIST 800-171 Rev 3, introducing new assessment objects, refined determination statements, and updated guidance that reflects the evolving threat landscape. Our team has been working with Rev 3 assessment procedures since their publication, understanding the nuanced changes in assessment depth and the expanded scope of evidence required. Whether your organization is subject to Rev 2 or Rev 3, our assessments provide the rigor and documentation quality that satisfies all stakeholders.
Beyond individual assessments, Petronella Technology Group, Inc. helps organizations establish continuous assessment programs that monitor compliance status between formal evaluations. Security controls degrade over time as configurations drift, personnel change, and new systems are added. A point-in-time assessment that shows compliance today cannot guarantee compliance six months later. Our continuous assessment approach combines automated monitoring with periodic human evaluation to maintain assurance that your CUI protections remain effective.
NIST 800-171A Assessment Services
Comprehensive assessment services using NIST 800-171A methodology to evaluate, validate, and continuously monitor your CUI security controls.
Comprehensive NIST 800-171A Assessment
Our flagship assessment service applies the full 800-171A methodology to every security requirement. Assessors examine documentation, interview responsible personnel, and test control effectiveness using structured procedures aligned with CMMC evaluation practices. Each assessment objective receives a determination of Satisfied or Other Than Satisfied with supporting evidence.
Assessment Scope: All 110 security requirements across 14 control families evaluated using over 320 assessment objectives. We examine system security plans, policies, configurations, and logs. We interview IT administrators, security personnel, management, and end users. We test controls through configuration verification, scenario-based exercises, and technical validation.
Deliverables: Complete assessment report with determination for each objective, evidence summaries, finding details with risk ratings, SPRS score calculation, remediation recommendations prioritized by impact and effort, and executive summary for leadership briefings.
CMMC Level 2 Readiness Assessment
Specifically designed to replicate the C3PAO assessment experience, our readiness assessment uses the same evaluation methodology, scoring criteria, and evidence standards that CMMC assessors apply. We identify every issue that would cause a finding during formal certification, giving you the opportunity to remediate before the assessment that counts.
Mock Assessment Process: We follow the CMMC assessment guide including pre-assessment planning, opening meeting, evidence collection, assessor discussions, preliminary findings, and final report. Your team experiences the assessment process exactly as it will unfold during formal certification, reducing anxiety and improving preparedness.
Gap Closure Support: For each finding, we provide specific remediation steps with estimated timelines. We can either guide your team through remediation or implement fixes directly, ensuring you are ready for C3PAO engagement on your timeline.
Targeted Control Family Assessment
For organizations that need focused evaluation of specific areas rather than a full assessment, we offer targeted assessments covering individual or related control families. This service is ideal for validating remediation efforts, assessing newly implemented controls, or evaluating specific risk areas identified by internal reviews.
Common Targeted Assessments: Access Control (AC) family assessment verifying least-privilege and separation of duties implementations. Audit and Accountability (AU) assessment confirming log collection, protection, and review processes. System and Communications Protection (SC) assessment validating encryption, network segmentation, and boundary protections.
Rapid Turnaround: Targeted assessments can be completed in 1-2 weeks versus 4-6 weeks for full assessments, providing fast feedback on specific compliance concerns.
SPRS Score Validation & Optimization
Many organizations submit SPRS scores based on optimistic self-assessments that would not withstand independent review. Our SPRS validation service provides an objective evaluation of your actual score using 800-171A methodology, identifying discrepancies between self-reported and actual compliance status before a government reviewer does.
Score Optimization: We analyze the point-weighted values of unmet requirements and create a prioritized remediation sequence that maximizes SPRS score improvement per remediation effort. This approach helps organizations allocate limited budgets to achieve the highest possible score within their constraints.
Submission Support: We assist with preparing accurate SPRS submissions to the DoD, including proper documentation of assessment methodology, scoring calculations, and Plans of Action and Milestones for requirements not yet fully satisfied.
Evidence Package Development
CMMC assessors evaluate compliance based on evidence. The quality and organization of your evidence package directly impacts assessment outcomes. We develop comprehensive evidence packages that demonstrate compliance for each assessment objective with clear, well-organized artifacts that assessors can review efficiently.
Evidence Categories: Policy documents, system configurations, screenshot evidence, log samples, training records, incident response documentation, vulnerability scan results, access control matrices, network diagrams, data flow documentation, and personnel interview preparation guides. Each artifact is mapped to specific assessment objectives and organized for rapid assessor access.
Evidence Management: We establish ongoing evidence collection processes and repositories that maintain current artifacts, reducing the scramble when assessment time arrives. Automated collection for technical evidence ensures documentation stays current as your environment changes.
Continuous Assessment & Monitoring Program
Point-in-time assessments provide a snapshot, but compliance requires continuous assurance. Our continuous assessment program combines automated monitoring with scheduled evaluations to maintain ongoing visibility into your compliance status and catch control degradation before it becomes a finding during formal assessment.
Automated Monitoring: Continuous configuration compliance scanning, automated evidence collection, policy compliance verification, user access reviews, and vulnerability status tracking. Dashboards provide real-time visibility into compliance status across all 14 control families with automated alerting for deviations.
Periodic Human Assessment: Quarterly targeted assessments rotating through control families, annual comprehensive reviews, and event-triggered assessments following significant changes. Human assessors evaluate areas that automated tools cannot fully address, including procedural compliance, awareness effectiveness, and incident response readiness.
Our NIST 800-171A Assessment Process
A structured assessment methodology that mirrors CMMC evaluation procedures, providing accurate compliance determination with actionable findings.
Planning & Scoping
We begin with assessment planning that defines scope, identifies assessment objects, schedules interviews, and establishes evidence collection procedures. We review your System Security Plan to understand the stated compliance posture and CUI environment boundary, identifying the systems, personnel, and processes that fall within assessment scope. This planning ensures efficient use of assessment time and comprehensive coverage.
Evidence Collection & Examination
Our assessors systematically collect and examine evidence for each assessment objective. We review policies, procedures, system configurations, audit logs, training records, and technical artifacts. We interview personnel at all levels including administrators, security staff, management, and end users. We test controls through configuration verification, scenario-based exercises, and technical validation to confirm controls operate as described in the SSP.
Analysis & Determination
We analyze collected evidence against each assessment objective, making Satisfied or Other Than Satisfied determinations based on the totality of evidence. Findings are documented with specific evidence references, risk ratings, and root cause analysis. We calculate your SPRS score using the official DoD methodology and identify the highest-impact remediation opportunities.
Reporting & Remediation Planning
We deliver a comprehensive assessment report with findings, recommendations, and a prioritized remediation roadmap. We conduct a findings review meeting with your team to ensure clarity on each determination and agreement on remediation approach. For organizations proceeding to remediation, we provide implementation guidance and can conduct follow-up assessments to validate fixes before your CMMC engagement.
Why Choose Petronella Technology Group, Inc. for NIST 800-171A Assessments
Assessment Methodology Experts
Our assessors are trained in NIST 800-171A assessment methodology and understand the nuances of examine, interview, and test procedures. We apply these methods with the rigor and consistency that mirrors C3PAO evaluation practices.
Technical Assessors
Through our partner network, our engagements have access to CISSP, CISM, and Security+ certified professionals who understand the technical controls being assessed. We can distinguish between a properly configured SIEM and one that collects logs without meaningful analysis or alerting.
Rev 2 and Rev 3 Coverage
We assess against both NIST 800-171 Revision 2 and Revision 3 requirements, understanding the differences in assessment objectives, evidence expectations, and control implementations between versions.
Remediation Capability
Unlike assessment-only firms, Petronella Technology Group, Inc. can implement the fixes our assessments identify. This continuity eliminates the gap between finding problems and solving them, accelerating your path to full compliance.
Local Triangle Presence
Based in Raleigh with on-site assessment capability throughout the Research Triangle region. We conduct interviews, observe physical controls, and examine systems in person rather than relying entirely on remote evidence review.
Proven Assessment Record
Hundreds of NIST 800-171A assessments completed since 2017. Our clients consistently report that our pre-assessment findings accurately predicted their CMMC results, with no surprises during formal certification. BBB A+ rated since 2003.
NIST 800-171A Assessment FAQ
What is the difference between a self-assessment and a 800-171A assessment?
Self-assessments are conducted by your own personnel and submitted via SPRS. While required, they often produce optimistic results because internal assessors may lack objectivity or assessment expertise. A professional 800-171A assessment by Petronella Technology Group, Inc. uses the structured methodology with independent assessors who apply examine, interview, and test methods objectively. Our findings reflect what a C3PAO would find during CMMC certification.
How long does a full 800-171A assessment take?
A comprehensive assessment typically requires 3-6 weeks from planning through final report delivery. On-site assessment activities usually span 3-5 days depending on organizational complexity and number of systems in scope. Organizations with well-organized evidence and responsive staff can complete assessments on the shorter end of this range. Preparation significantly impacts timeline efficiency.
What evidence do we need to prepare before the assessment?
Essential evidence includes your current System Security Plan, all security policies and procedures, network diagrams and data flow documentation, system configuration documentation, recent vulnerability scan results, audit log samples, training records, incident response plans, and access control lists. We provide a detailed evidence request list during the planning phase so your team can organize materials in advance.
Is a 800-171A assessment the same as a CMMC assessment?
Not exactly, but they are closely related. CMMC Level 2 assessments evaluate the same NIST 800-171 requirements using procedures derived from 800-171A. However, only assessments conducted by Certified Third-Party Assessment Organizations (C3PAOs) count for CMMC certification. Our 800-171A assessments prepare you for CMMC by using aligned methodology, but cannot substitute for the formal C3PAO assessment required for certification.
How often should we conduct 800-171A assessments?
We recommend comprehensive assessments annually at minimum, with targeted assessments quarterly for high-risk control families. Organizations approaching CMMC certification should conduct a readiness assessment 4-6 months before their planned C3PAO engagement, allowing time for remediation. After significant infrastructure changes, mergers, or new system deployments, additional assessments ensure new components meet requirements.
What happens when an assessment identifies non-compliant controls?
Each finding includes a detailed description of the gap, evidence supporting the determination, risk rating, and specific remediation recommendations. We develop a prioritized remediation plan that can be executed immediately. For organizations needing implementation support, our engineering team can remediate findings directly. We then conduct follow-up assessments to validate remediation before updating your SPRS score and SSP.
Can the assessment be conducted remotely?
Many assessment activities can be conducted remotely, including documentation review, configuration examination via screen sharing, and personnel interviews via video conference. However, certain elements are best assessed on-site, particularly physical security controls, media protection practices, and facility access controls. We recommend a hybrid approach with remote evidence collection followed by focused on-site activities for controls requiring physical observation.
How much does a NIST 800-171A assessment cost?
Assessment costs depend on organizational size, system complexity, and number of locations. Comprehensive assessments for small contractors with a single location typically range $15,000-$35,000. Mid-size organizations with multiple systems may invest $35,000-$75,000. Large enterprises with complex environments can exceed $100,000. Targeted control family assessments start at $5,000-$10,000. These costs are a fraction of the contract revenue they protect.
Know Your True Compliance Status Before Assessors Do
The worst time to discover compliance gaps is during a CMMC assessment or contracting officer review. Petronella Technology Group, Inc.'s NIST 800-171A assessments give you an honest, evidence-based picture of your compliance posture with clear guidance on how to close every gap. Schedule your assessment today and face your next evaluation with confidence.
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