What Is a CMMC Auditor?
If you're a small manufacturer in the DoW supply chain and you've heard "the CMMC auditor is coming," you're probably prepping for a Level 2 assessment. "CMMC auditor" isn't an official job title. It’s what contractors call the independent experts who evaluate your cybersecurity setup when third-party certification is required.
Who They Really Are
The people doing the work are Certified CMMC Assessors (CCAs), often led by a Lead CCA (LCCA). They work for or with a Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO). An independent company accredited by the Cyber-AB (the DoW-authorized body) to perform official Level 2 certifications.
C3PAOs are the organizations (like accredited firms listed on cyberab.org).
CCAs/LCCAs are the qualified individuals on their teams who review evidence, interview your staff, and determine if you meet the 110 NIST SP 800-171 controls (and 320 assessment objectives).
They can't consult for you and assess you at the same time because strict conflict-of-interest rules apply.
What They Do During an Assessment
For Level 2 certification (the one most small suppliers face for CUI):
Review your System Security Plan, POA&Ms, policies, logs, diagrams, and artifacts proving controls are implemented and working.
Conduct virtual or on-site interviews with your team (IT, ops, leadership).
Score compliance. You will need a score high enough to get "Final" status (or "Conditional" with 180 days to fix gaps).
Submit results to DoW systems (eMASS, SPRS); certification lasts 3 years with annual affirmations.
It's thorough, evidence-based, and independent. They do not allow self-scoring here.
How This Fits 2026 Reality
Right now (January 2026), we're in Phase 1: Many Level 2 contracts still accept self-assessments (you score yourself and affirm annually). No external "auditor" needed yet for those.
Phase 2 starts November 10, 2026: For prioritized CUI contracts, third-party C3PAO assessment becomes mandatory. That's when the "auditors" show up for real. Backlogs are real so book early or face delays.
Bottom Line for Small Shops
If you handle CUI, assume you'll need a C3PAO-led assessment soon. These aren't friendly consultants; they're objective verifiers ensuring DoW data stays protected. Start gathering evidence, conducting gap assessments, check documentation, check logs now because rushing later costs more.