CMMC Assessment Checklist
If you think you are ready for a CMMC assessment, use this resource to test where you actually are before contacting a professional.
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Smithers Earns ISO 27001 Accreditation, Expands C3PAO Capabilities
Smithers, now in its hundredth year of providing testing, consulting, and certification services, has earned formal accreditation as an ISO 27001 certification body. It is an important milestone, but more importantly, it is a practical one. Organizations do not operate in silos, and neither should the standards that govern them.
ISO 27001: A Logical Counterpart to CMMC
ISO 27001 and CMMC address different regulatory worlds, but they share a common mission: ensuring that sensitive information is handled responsibly in an environment where threats evolve faster than most organizations care to admit.
CMMC exists to protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) within the Defense Industrial Base. ISO 27001 sets out the structure and discipline required to build and maintain an Information Security Management System (ISMS).
Together, they create a more stable footing:
- ISO 27001 provides an established framework for IT governance, risk management, and ongoing improvement.
- CMMC builds on that framework with Defense-specific protections and formal assessment requirements.
For organizations aiming for CMMC Level 2, ISO 27001 is not merely adjacent—it is advantageous. It accelerates maturity, clarifies processes, and demonstrates that security is a practiced discipline rather than a compliance fire drill performed once a year.
Smithers’ dual capabilities bring an additional benefit: efficiency. Because many objectives appear in both ISO 27001 and CMMC, Smithers can assess overlapping requirements simultaneously.
The Smithers Advantage
Surveillance audits for ISO programs can also serve as third-party evidence of ongoing CMMC compliance during years requiring only self-assessments. With more than thirty years conducting third-party management system audits, Smithers helps organizations move through these combined processes with reduced disruption and clearer expectations.
ISO 27001 and ISO 9001: Similar Structure, Different Purposes
Many organizations begin their compliance journey with ISO 9001. Its familiarity makes the comparison to ISO 27001 inevitable, and the distinction is useful:|
ISO 9001 |
ISO 27001 |
|
Focuses on quality management, customer satisfaction, and consistent delivery of products and services |
Focuses on information security—confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data |
|
Reduces process variation; strengthens operational reliability |
Reduces information risk; strengthens the organization’s security posture |
|
Often driven by supply chain expectations |
Increasingly driven by regulatory requirements and cyber-risk pressures |
|
Uses process controls to ensure predictable outputs |
Uses administrative, technical, and physical controls to protect information |
Despite the differences, the structural alignment between the two is intentional. Organizations already operating an ISO 9001 management system often find the transition to ISO 27001 more straightforward than expected. The discipline of governance, risk-based thinking, and continuous improvement is already present—they are simply applied to a different category of risk.
Why This Accreditation Matters
For Smithers, ISO 27001 accreditation is more than an additional line on a scope of services. It is a commitment to helping organizations navigate a landscape where security expectations are rising, regulatory obligations are expanding, and assurance is no longer optional.
Looking Ahead
Security, quality, and compliance are converging. ISO 27001, ISO 9001, and CMMC are no longer standalone efforts managed in separate binders. They are interdependent components of organizational resilience. This expanded accreditation positions Smithers to guide clients through that convergence with the same steadiness and precision that has defined its work for a century.
Questions About ISO 27001 and/or CMMC?
If you would like to talk to us about ISO 27001, CMMC, or any of the other standards we can audit/assess for you, please contact us today.