The FedRAMP certification process is a maze of documentation, checks and ongoing monitoring for cloud service providers looking to work with government agencies. 

In this episode of Government Enabled with host Gil Tillman, Cory Clements, Director of Federal Programs at SecureIT, an IT security company that is also a certified assessor for the FedRAMP certification program, breaks down exactly what each phase entails — and how you can boost your chances of successfully getting certified.

“There are many things you need to make sure are implemented in the system,” Cory says. “You will need full-time resources, and you will need that FedRAMP expertise to be able to interpret and help devise the different countermeasures and controls you're implementing in your system to make sure you are FedRAMP compliant.” 

FedRAMP, or Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, is a streamlined, standardized process that prevents cloud systems from having to be assessed by multiple agencies or organizations. The complex process is necessary for cloud security providers if they want to store government data. 

“This results in government agencies relying on that single assessment, saving time and money for both the IT provider as well as the federal government,” Cory says.