An Assessment Team is reviewing a practice that is documented and being checked monthly.

In a CMMC Level 2 Assessment, an assessor must achieve a high level of confidence that a practice is both implemented and institutionalized. This is determined through the Examine, Interview, and Test (E-I-T) methods as outlined in NIST SP 800-171A and the CMMC Assessment Process (CAP).

Conflict of Evidence: The scenario presents a direct conflict between the three pillars of evidence. The Policy/Documentation (Examine) states the practice occurs monthly. The Logs/Artifacts (Examine/Test) show it occurs quarterly. The Interviews claim it happens monthly but is only recorded quarterly.

The "Not Met" Determination: Under the CAP, if the evidence collected does not consistently support the assessment objective, the practice cannot be marked as "Met." Specifically:

Adequacy and Sufficiency: The logs (the primary proof of performance) are insufficient to prove the monthly requirement stated in the documentation.

Inconsistency: Assessors look for "corroboration." When interviews contradict the physical artifacts (the logs), the objective evidence (the logs) carries significant weight. If a practice is required monthly but only recorded quarterly, the assessor cannot verify that it was actually performed during the missing months.

Why other options are incorrect:

Option B: The practice isnotbeing done as documented because the documentation says "monthly" and the logs only show "quarterly."

Option C: This is a common misconception. Not all three methods (E, I, and T) are required foreverysingle practice (the Assessment Guide specifies which are required), but allusedmethods must yield consistent "Met" results.

Option D: Interviews alone are almost never sufficient to pass a practice that requires technical or administrative artifacts (logs).

Reference Documents:

CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) v1.0: Section 3.4 (Collect and Verify Evidence) and Section 3.5 (Determine Findings).

CMMC Level 2 Assessment Guide: Introduction to Assessment Methods, emphasizing that findings must be supported by the "preponderance of evidence."

NIST SP 800-171A: Chapter 2, "Assessment Procedures," regarding the necessity of artifacts to prove implementation over time.