Established in 2011, the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) was established to provide a cost-effective, risk-based approach to promote the adoption and use of secure cloud services by the federal government and government agencies.
FedRAMP eliminates redundant efforts by individual agencies by providing a common framework to secure and authorize cloud technologies on a government-wide scale. This is achieved through a standardized set of criteria that cloud service providers (CSPs) must comply with before they can secure contracts with the government.
Only FedRAMP Authorized CSPs that meet FedRAMP compliance requirements can secure contracts with the US government and its agencies.
What Are the FedRAMP Compliance Requirements to Become FedRAMP Certified?
There are two ways for CSPs to meet FedRAMP compliance requirements and become a FedRAMP certified vendor. They can either obtain a P-ATO (Provisional Authorization to Operate) through the Joint Authorization Board (JAB) or obtain an ATO (Authorization to Operate) by working with a government agency.
The JAB is the primary governing body of the FedRAMP program and consists of the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and General Services Administration (GSA). The JAB issues a FedRAMP Provisional Authorization to Operate (P-ATO) to a CSP after its risk has been assessed by an approved third-party assessment organization (3PAO).
Understandably, because CSPs are assessed by the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and the General Services Administration, it’s a stringent process leading up to the issuing of a P-ATO. This authorization is provisional due to the fact that the JAB does not have the required authority to accept risk on behalf of any other federal agency. The authority to do this lies with the Authorization Officer (AO) of the specific federal agency.
To obtain an Authority to Operate (ATO) authorization, CSPs work directly with a specific agency during the Agency Authorization process. Here, the federal agency partner works with the CSP from the outset, approves the CSP, and arranges approval for the CSP from the FedRAMP Program Management Office. Once approved, the CSP will be issued with an ATO which authorizes the CSP to work with the specific agency.
What Are the Benefits of Working with a FedRAMP Certified Vendor?
There are many benefits for both government and private sector organizations in working with a FedRAMP authorized Cloud Service Provider (CSP). These benefits include:
Connect with an FedRAMP Authorized Accessibility Expert
Become and Maintain Section 508 Compliance
Simply put, AMP gives government agencies the ability to efficiently build, test, and maintain accessible systems which, in turn, helps them to comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act successfully.
Through AMP’s FedRAMP authorization, Level Access reaffirms its commitment to your security. So, whether you sell into government agencies or not, you can benefit from an accessibility management platform that meets the rigorous security requirements of FedRAMP.
If you want to find out more about AMP and how it can help you develop and support successful digital accessibility initiatives, get in touch with us and request a demo of AMP.
Who is Level Access?
Level Access has supported the accessibility initiatives of more than 2000 organizations from Fortune 500 enterprises to public sector and government agencies, educational institutions, and private sector businesses of all sizes. Our industry-leading software, consulting, and training solutions provide the full 360-degree coverage needed to ensure accessible and compliant websites, mobile apps, software, and other technology, while protecting against legal risk.
