Coalfire Federal

What Coalfire Federal does

Coalfire Federal is a Reston, Virginia-based cybersecurity compliance and advisory firm that serves the U.S. Defense Industrial Base and federal government. Founded in 2005 and operating as a federal-focused unit within Coalfire Systems, Inc., it is one of the first organizations authorized as a CMMC Third-Party Assessor Organization (C3PAO) to conduct official CMMC Level 2 certification assessments, and also holds FedRAMP Third-Party Assessment Organization (3PAO) authorization, Cyber AB Registered Provider Organization status, NSCAP certification, and eligibility to conduct DoD Impact Level 6 assessments.

The firm delivers a portfolio centered on three pillars. CMMC services encompass advisory (CUI boundary analysis, gap analysis, remediation support), mock assessments, official C3PAO assessments, and recurring Lifecycle Continuity Packages designed to retain assessment memory across certification cycles. FedRAMP services provide end-to-end Authorization to Operate (ATO) support for cloud service providers and federal agencies, including DoD Impact Level 6 assessments. A broader Federal Solutions suite adds offensive security, engineering, orchestration, program management, and ongoing operations work. The company also operates the CMMC Partner Assurance Network (CPAN), a proprietary marketplace for DIB organizations to discover and engage vetted CMMC partners.

Coalfire Federal generates revenue through professional services engagements billed per Service Order in USD, with multi-year contracts common and federal contract vehicles enabling up to $4 million sole-source task orders. Pricing is quote-based across advisory, mock, official assessment, FedRAMP ATO, and lifecycle continuity packages. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting defense contractors, federal agencies, and prime/subcontractor supply chain members, supplemented by content marketing, educational webinars, National Cybersecurity Summit participation, and the CPAN partner network. The firm claims 1,800+ clients and operates across 10 locations under the broader Coalfire organization.

Name

Coalfire Federal

Legal name

Coalfire Federal

Website

https://coalfirefederal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Coalfire Federal is a C3PAO and FedRAMP 3PAO that conducts official CMMC and FedRAMP assessments and provides cybersecurity advisory to U.S. Defense Industrial Base contractors, federal agencies, and cloud service providers, also operating the CPAN partner marketplace.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Reston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Advisory: CMMC advisory services including gap analysis, CUI boundary analysis, and remediation support provided through consulting engagements billed at agreed-upon fees per Service Order.
2. Professional Services - Assessments: Official C3PAO assessments and mock assessments conducted for CMMC certification, billed per engagement with fees quoted in USD.
3. FedRAMP ATO Services: FedRAMP authorization services for cloud service providers seeking federal authorization, including 3PAO assessments for DoD Impact Level 6.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Coalfire Federal is an authorized C3PAO and FedRAMP 3PAO providing CMMC advisory and assessment services, FedRAMP ATO services, and federal cybersecurity/offensive security services. The company guides Defense Industrial Base contractors and federal agencies through cybersecurity certification, compliance, and ongoing authorization maintenance for cloud and on-premise environments handling Controlled Unclassified Information.

Product overview

Coalfire Federal provides a comprehensive suite of cybersecurity certification, compliance, and advisory services for the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) and federal government market. The portfolio is organized around three core pillars: CMMC services (advisory, mock assessments, official C3PAO assessments, and Lifecycle Continuity Packages), FedRAMP services (ATO authorization and DoD Impact Level 6 assessments), and broader Federal Solutions (offensive security and program management). Key differentiators include its position as one of the first authorized C3PAOs with JSVA experience, its independence from remediation product sales ensuring unbiased assessments, and its eligibility to conduct DoD Impact Level 6 assessments. The company also operates the CMMC Partner Assurance Network (CPAN), a partner ecosystem platform for the DIB community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CMMC Advisory Services

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Cato NetworkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalfire Federal is collaborating with Cato Networks on its FedRAMP High Authorization process for the SASE Platform. Coalfire is providing cybersecurity services and assessment expertise to support Cato Networks' expansion into the U.S. federal government market. This partnership leverages Coalfire's FedRAMP assessment capabilities to help Cato achieve the highest authorization level required for federal government deployments.
• CMMC Partner Assurance Network (CPAN)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCPAN is Coalfire Federal's partner network bringing structure and trust to the CMMC ecosystem. The CPAN Marketplace provides a centralized platform where Defense Industrial Base organizations can discover, evaluate, and engage with trusted CMMC partners. Partners include organizations across the supply chain that meet CMMC compliance requirements.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Schellman: Schellman (formerly Schellman & Co.) is an accredited FedRAMP 3PAO and CMMC assessment provider offering cybersecurity attestation, certification, and advisory services. Its federal compliance practice and assessor business directly overlap Coalfire Federal's core offerings.
• A-LIGN: A-LIGN is a leading cybersecurity and compliance assessor providing CMMC, FedRAMP, SOC, ISO, HITRUST, and PCI assessments for federal and commercial clients. It is one of the most direct C3PAO and 3PAO competitors to Coalfire Federal with overlapping federal compliance service lines.
• BARR Advisory: BARR Advisory is a cybersecurity compliance and advisory firm providing FedRAMP, SOC, HITRUST, ISO, and CMMC services. It directly competes with Coalfire Federal in compliance assessment and advisory for federal and defense-aligned clients.
• 360 Advanced: 360 Advanced is a cybersecurity compliance firm offering CMMC, FedRAMP, SOC, ISO, HITRUST, and PCI assessments. It is a similarly sized assessment provider that directly competes for CMMC and FedRAMP engagements.
• Coalfire (parent): Coalfire is the parent organization of Coalfire Federal and a long-standing cybersecurity advisory and FedRAMP 3PAO serving commercial and public-sector clients. Its commercial cybersecurity and compliance services substantially overlap with Coalfire Federal's offerings across CMMC, FedRAMP, and advisory.

Broad incumbents

• Deloitte (Government & Public Services): Deloitte's Government & Public Services practice delivers large-scale federal cybersecurity, FedRAMP, and risk advisory engagements. While its portfolio is far broader than Coalfire Federal's, it competes for high-value federal cybersecurity mandates.
• KPMG (Federal Practice): KPMG's federal advisory practice includes FedRAMP 3PAO services, CMMC readiness, and federal cybersecurity consulting. It is a broader incumbent that competes for large-scale federal compliance and cybersecurity work.
• Booz Allen Hamilton: Booz Allen Hamilton is a major federal consulting and cybersecurity services provider with deep DoD and federal civilian relationships. Its cyber defense and compliance practices overlap with Coalfire Federal's federal cybersecurity and CMMC-adjacent advisory work.
• Kratos Defense & Security Solutions: Kratos is a larger federal technology and cybersecurity services provider with a meaningful public-sector and DoD customer base. While it operates a broader portfolio beyond assessment, its federal cybersecurity services overlap with Coalfire Federal's federal go-to-market.
• ManTech International: ManTech is a large federal IT and cybersecurity services contractor serving DoD, intelligence, and federal civilian agencies. Its federal cybersecurity and compliance work directly competes with Coalfire Federal for federal and defense engagements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coalfirefederal

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Coalfire Federal