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Open the door to winning federal contracts thanks to trusted, hands-on vCISO guidance on your path to FedRAMP authorization.
We need to get FedRAMP authorization, but…
Navigate FedRAMP’s 300+ NIST 800-53 controls with confidence by working with experienced consultants who take the confusion out of the process. Get a step-by-step roadmap, hands-on help, and guidance on exactly what documentation is required for FedRAMP authorization.
Partner with seasoned FedRAMP specialists who help you efficiently move through your tailored roadmap, only pulling you in when necessary. This leaves you and your team free to focus on core responsibilities, ensuring you reach authorization as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Get access to proven FedRAMP experts who know how to prioritize controls and deliverables, saving you from common pitfalls and potential missteps. With the right guidance, you’ll stay on schedule and move forward without costly setbacks.
The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) was created to standardize security for cloud service providers and related services, to work with federal agencies in the U.S. FedRAMP authorization is a mandatory requirement for working with federal agencies. These agencies use third-party assessment organizations (3PAOs) accredited by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) to conduct independent assessments before authorization is granted.
FedRAMP authorization is required for any cloud service provider (CSP) that wants to work with U.S. federal agencies. These include SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS providers and vendors that handle data in the cloud.
If you are seeking to work with U.S. federal agencies, you need FedRAMP authorization as soon as possible. The earlier you start your journey, the better, as the process can take 8-18 months, and you might miss out on contract opportunities to your FedRAMP-authorized competitors.
Partner with U.S.-based, experienced FedRAMP consultants who won’t just give you a checklist and leave you to it. Instead, we work closely with you and your team to ensure you have a clear roadmap to authorization, know how to document controls and evidence, and coordinate with assessors so you’re not navigating this complex process alone.
Get our risk-optimized approach built into our consulting process so that each step we take is driven by calculating prioritization. This way, we’ll help you see which controls matter most, what gaps need to be addressed first, and commit to using your time and effort for the biggest possible impact, not based on guesswork, but actual data.
Streamline your efforts and reduce duplicate work by aligning your FedRAMP program with other frameworks, such as SOC 2, StateRAMP, and ISO 27001. We’ll help you reuse evidence, streamline documentation, and reduce cost and complexity.
FedRAMP consulting services provide expert guidance in navigating this highly demanding framework built around NIST 800-53’s controls, so that you don’t have to rely on trial and error or incomplete templates. Consultants will help you translate FedRAMP’s over 300 controls, create an actionable plan, develop the necessary documentation, and coordinate directly with 3PAOs.
Consultants act as an extension of your team and do the heavy lifting to guide you through a plan that stands up to federal scrutiny. These responsibilities include:
FedRAMP requires CSPs to find a federal agency sponsor willing to adopt their service. Consultants help you create a roadmap for aligning with the agency’s expectations while meeting FedRAMP’s NIST 800-53 baselines, ensuring smooth communications (and avoiding costly rework) to obtain your Authority to Operate (ATO).
Category | In-House Team | FedRAMP Experts Fractional CISO |
|---|---|---|
Resources Required | High. Requires dedicated staff who will be balancing FedRAMP with other responsibilities.
| Low. Flexible support FedRAMP experts function as an extension of your team, without adding full-time employees.
|
Cost | Costly. Salaries, benefits, and training can add up quickly, with no FedRAMP expertise. | Cost-efficient. Only pay for the expertise and services you need, plus we get you authorization-ready faster. |
Time | Slow. FedRAMP is a complex, demanding framework, leading internal teams to face steep learning curves and delays. | Fast. Get a roadmap-driven plan and move forward as efficiently as possible with professional help that keeps your authorization on schedule. |
Expertise | Limited. Most internal teams are simply not well-versed with FedRAMP, 3PAO coordination, and SSP development. | Specialized. Proven consultants will bring you from unprepared to educated, giving you hands-on guidance to authorization, and ensuring your documentation and controls meet federal standards. |
Don’t just take our word for it, read our case study about how we helped WayPath Consulting become SOC 2 compliant:
CTO of WayPath Consulting
Fractional CISO has enabled us to showcase best-in-class security, putting us on-par with firms much larger in employee count. They allow me to re-invest time previously spent on day-to-day management into growing and improving our business.”
Most organizations need 8-18 months to get their FedRAMP ATO, but this will vary based on maturity, resources, and existing security programs. Consultants help reduce delays and keep you on schedule.
A 3PAO is an accredited and authorized party that performs the official assessment and provides findings. A FedRAMP consultant prepares you for this assessment by helping build your program, implement controls, close gaps, prepare evidence, and ensure you meet 3PAO expectations.
By partnering with Fractional CISO, you get the added benefit of ongoing maintenance beyond the authorization, so that you stay compliant for years to come (and as the program evolves).
All it takes is a 30-minute call to assess your current security program and create a detailed timeline for your road to preparing for your 3PAO assessment. If you’re ready to confidently seek FedRAMP authorization, we’ll be your expert consultants to guide you every step of the way.
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