According to the CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) v2.0, assessors are required to conduct Daily Checkpoint Meetings at the end of each day to summarize progress with the OSC (Organization Seeking Certification). The final Daily Checkpoint is where preliminary practice ratings are shared, before the quality assurance review and Out-Brief. The Out-Brief is reserved for the presentation of final results. Additionally, Department of Defense regulations (32 CFR §170.17(c)(2)) provide a 10-business-day re-evaluation window for requirements marked NOT MET before the final report is delivered, which necessitates that the OSC see preliminary ratings during the assessment process itself.

Supporting Extracts from Official Content:

CAP v2.0, §2.23: “The assessment team shall host a Daily Checkpoint Meeting with the OSC at the end of each assessment day to summarize progress.”

CAP v2.0, §3.7: “The C3PAO shall conduct the quality assurance review… prior to the conduct of the Out-Brief Meeting.”

CAP v2.0, §3.10: “The purpose of the Out-Brief Meeting is to convey the results of the assessment to the OSC.”

32 CFR §170.17(c)(2): “A security requirement assessed as NOT MET may be re-evaluated… for 10 business days… if the CMMC Assessment Findings Report has not been delivered.”

Why Option A is Correct:

The CAP specifies that Daily Checkpoint Meetings are the formal, structured mechanism for assessors to communicate progress and preliminary findings to the OSC.

The final Daily Checkpoint provides the OSC with visibility into the preliminary practice ratings before they are finalized, ensuring transparency and alignment.

The Out-Brief is explicitly for conveying the final assessment results after the C3PAO has completed QA.

Federal regulation (32 CFR §170.17(c)(2)) requires the OSC to have access to preliminary results so they can provide additional evidence for re-evaluation before the report is locked, further confirming that this exchange must occur at the final Daily Checkpoint.

References (Official CMMC v2.0 Content):

CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) v2.0: Sections 2.23 (Daily Checkpoints), 3.7–3.10 (QA and Out-Brief).

32 CFR §170.17(c)(2): Security Requirement Re-evaluation Window.

DoD CMMC Assessment Guide – Level 2 (v2.13): Guidance on MET/NOT MET determinations and findings.