CMMC Assessment Checklist
Are you ready for your CMMC assessment? Check yourself against this resource to measure where you are in the compliance process.
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Where ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO 27001, and CMMC Align and Where They Don’t
Some organizations approach management system standards one at a time. Quality management (ISO 9001) - comes first, while additional certifications like AS9100 and IATF 16949 build on the ISO 9001 foundation, and, if needed, CMMC likely gets attention when the organization meets the other standards. ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO/IEC 27001, and even CMMC were never meant to operate in silos. When implemented together, they form a highly complementary framework that strengthens operational discipline, risk management, and market credibility.
The key is understanding where these standards overlap, where the gaps are, and how to leverage integration instead of duplicating effort.
The Foundation: Clauses 4–10 Are the Common Ground
If you already hold ISO 9001 or AS9100 certification, the leap to ISO/IEC 27001 is not as dramatic as many organizations assume. From a management system perspective, the effort is remarkably similar.
ISO 9001, AS9100, and ISO 27001 all share an integrated management system structure across Clauses 4 through 10, including:
- Context of the organization
- Interested parties and requirements
- Leadership and governance
- Documented information and control
- Competence, awareness, and communication
- Internal audits and management review
- Nonconformity, corrective action, and continual improvement
These clauses are where integration delivers real value. What you’ve already built for quality and aerospace, including governance, documentation, audits, and corrective action, can be directly leveraged for information security. You do not need to start from scratch.
This is why integrated audits are so effective. When certifications are conducted within a defined window (typically 180 days), auditors can reuse evidence and reduce redundant assessment activities. Beyond that window, audits must be treated independently, which adds complexity and cost.
Where the Gaps Appear: ISO 27001 Is a Different Kind of Lift
The real delta between ISO 9001 / AS9100 and ISO 27001 is not in governance but in risk and controls.
1. Scope Differences
Quality and aerospace standards focus on products, customers, and manufacturing processes. ISO 27001 focuses on information assets, technology, and how data is protected across the organization.
That shift in scope alone requires a different way of thinking.
2. Mandatory Risk Assessment and Risk Treatment
ISO 27001 requires:
- A formal information security risk assessment
- A documented risk treatment plan
Neither ISO 9001 nor AS9100 requires these cybersecurity-specific activities. This is often the largest conceptual gap organizations must close.
3. A Defined Control Set
Unlike ISO 9001 and AS9100, ISO 27001 is part of a much larger standards family. It includes:
- A core control framework (93 technical, administrative, and physical controls)
- Roughly 1,400 implementation guidance statements
- Sector-specific guidance for different data and IT environments
Quality and aerospace standards do not include this kind of prescriptive control architecture.
4. Operational Technology and Cyber Controls
ISO 27001 places heavy emphasis on:
- Secure system implementation
- Operational planning and control of IT and cyber processes
- Ongoing monitoring of information security performance
This is fundamentally different from the customer satisfaction and product conformity focus found in ISO 9001 and AS9100.
Where CMMC Fits Into the Equation
CMMC changes the conversation especially for defense contractors.
While ISO 27001 is globally recognized and risk-based, CMMC is contractual and control-specific, rooted in NIST SP 800-171 and focused on protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).
What to remember in regard to ISO 27001 and CMMC:
- ISO 27001 provides a governance and risk management framework
- CMMC provides prescriptive technical and process requirements
- Many ISO 27001 controls map cleanly to CMMC practices
- Organizations with ISO 27001 are often better prepared for CMMC assessments—especially at Levels 2 and above
ISO 9001 and AS9100 strengthen the operational discipline CMMC assessors expect to see, while ISO 27001 helps organizations manage cybersecurity as a system, not a checklist.
The Business Case for Integration
When ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO 27001, and CMMC are aligned, the benefits extend well beyond certification.
A Holistic Management System
You gain visibility into quality, aerospace compliance, cybersecurity, and defense requirements as one integrated operation—not four disconnected programs.
Reduced Audit and Administrative Burden
Integrated audits reduce:
- Preparation time
- Document collection
- Internal resource strain
While savings vary by organization, the efficiency gains are real.
Increased Marketability
Organizations are increasingly being asked by primes and international partners alike to demonstrate both:
- Quality and aerospace compliance
- Cybersecurity maturity
ISO 27001 is widely accepted globally and is often the closest U.S.-based equivalent to GDPR expectations for data protection.
Better Positioning for Cyber Insurance
One emerging trend is hard to ignore:
Cyber insurance questionnaires are starting to look a lot like ISO 27001.
Organizations that can demonstrate a certified information security management system are often seeing:
- Lower premiums
- Higher coverage caps
- Reduced deductibles
That’s not accidental. Insurers understand that structured cybersecurity reduces risk.
The Bottom Line
ISO 9001 and AS9100 establish operational discipline. ISO 27001 introduces structured cyber risk management. CMMC enforces cybersecurity accountability in the defense supply chain.
Individually, each standard has value. Together, they form a resilient, scalable, and market-credible compliance strategy and offer you a more efficient and cost-effective approach.
Are You Ready to Start Your Compliance Journey?
Smithers uniquely offers the capability of serving as both an ANAB-accredited certification body as well as an authorized C3PAO. We can work with your organization to create a time-saving and effective audit/assessment process. Contact us today to learn more.