Illustrative Artifact · Synthetic Data

Assign an accountable owner for every recurring evidence set

A synthetic CMMC responsibility matrix linking assessment objectives, evidence sets, process owners, technical providers, reviewers, cadence, and escalation.

Request the synthetic matrix See the shared-responsibility guide

Process owner and evidence producer separated

Internal, shared, inherited, and external responsibilities visible

Review and signature authority named

Cadence and escalation included in the same row

Control ownership is too broad for daily work

Saying “IT owns access control” does not identify who exports the authorized-user list, who confirms terminated accounts, who reviews the exception, who stores the record, or who follows up when the MSP report is late. The matrix decomposes ownership into observable tasks.

Five roles are often needed

One person may hold several roles, but the roles should still be explicit so the process survives turnover and provider changes.

Process operator: performs the recurring activity.
Evidence producer: creates or exports the proof.
Evidence coordinator: requests, tracks, and files the proof.
Qualified reviewer: determines whether the evidence supports the requirement.
Decision authority: approves exceptions, resources, and affirmation.

Connect the matrix to the chase process

A responsibility document becomes operational when each row has a cadence, request path, backup owner, escalation authority, and expected output. Gridex maintains those links in the evidence ledger and chase log.

Evidence set	Operator	Producer	Coordinator	Reviewer	Escalation
Authorized-user review	Client IT	MSP	Gridex	vCISO	COO
Security training	HR	LMS owner	Gridex	Security lead	COO
Visitor records	Facilities	Facilities	Gridex	Security lead	Operations director
Annual affirmation packet	Program owner	Multiple owners	Gridex	RPO/vCISO	Affirming Official

Synthetic example — responsibility assignments must be tailored to the actual organization.

What the work produces

Concrete, client-owned operating records

Objective-to-role matrix

Internal and provider ownership

Cadence and expected output

Backup and escalation owner

Reviewer and decision authority

Responsibility boundary

Facts, not verdicts

The matrix documents assigned responsibility. It does not transfer the organization’s contractual responsibility or the assessor’s authority.

Questions buyers ask

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same as a CRM or SRM?

It is related but more operational. A CRM/SRM allocates responsibility; this matrix also identifies evidence outputs, dates, coordinators, reviewers, and escalation paths.

Can an MSP own the evidence?

An MSP can produce and maintain evidence for responsibilities it performs. The contractor still needs the relationship and evidence mapped within its assessment scope.

Primary references

Source context

DoD CMMC Level 2 Scoping Guide v2.13 Defines the assessment scope, asset categories, ESP relationships, and responsibility documentation. DoD CMMC Level 2 Assessment Guide v2.13 Defines assessment objectives, evidence expectations, MET and NOT MET findings, and Examine, Interview, and Test methods.

Start with one bounded scope

Bring the evidence state you actually have.

Gridex will map the operating work, the human judgment boundary, and the safest next step.

Request the synthetic matrix →