FedRAMP Assessment
Take control of business information systems in the cloud by bringing your cloud security program in line with FedRAMP requirements.
FedRAMP Overview
All Cloud Service Providers who serve the federal government are required to obtain FedRAMP authorization. Currently, all service providers seeking a FedRAMP Authorization must have an agency sponsor. Additional pathways to Authorization are being developed and may be available in the future.
There are three FedRAMP Marketplace Designations – Ready, In Process, and Authorized. The “Ready” designation is optional for Service Providers with an Agency partner, but is the only designation available for Service Providers without an active Agency partner. A Third-Party Assessment Organization (3PAO) must conduct a Readiness Assessment, but an Agency does not need to review the package. All “Ready” designations expire after one year if the solution does not move to an “In Process” or “Authorized” status.
OUR APPROACH
Holistic Security
MegaplanIT conducts FedRAMP assessments with a comprehensive, security-focused approach—objectively evaluating the System Security Plan (SSP) and testing the implementation of security controls to ensure alignment with FedRAMP requirements.
Non-Disruptive Testing
Our FedRAMP assessment methodology is designed to validate security controls with minimal disruption, allowing your business operations to continue seamlessly throughout the audit process.
Expert Guidance
Clear communication is maintained throughout the assessment—from planning to completion—ensuring your team understands the requirements for documentation, including policies, procedures, test plans, and results. These artifacts also support any remediation efforts needed prior to authorization.
From Readiness to 3PAO—We’re With You All the Way
Pre-Assessment
During this phase, MegaplanIT will review your control baseline, work with you and your Agency partner to identify in-scope controls, validate system inventory and boundary, and begin conducting any penetration testing and vulnerability scanning.
Readiness Assessment
During the readiness phase, MegaplanIT will conduct the necessary Readiness Assessment to determine your cloud offering’s readiness for the full FedRAMP assessment and ensure that the offering meets the minimum requirements to achieve a FedRAMP ATO.
FedRAMP Authorization
During this phase, MegaplanIT will develop the required FedRAMP documentation: Security Assessment Plan (SAP), Security Requirements Traceability Matrix (SRTM) to document assessment results, Risk Exposure Table (RET), and Security Assessment Report (SAR) and Recommendation for Authorization.
Continuous Monitoring
Lastly, MegaplanIT will help with any monthly, quarterly, or annual continuous monitoring needs to maintain your authority to operate.
HOW IT WORKS
FedRAMP
Learn how the FedRAMP assessment process is conducted step by step.
Step 1: Registration
The registration phase marks the official start of your FedRAMP Authorization journey. During this step, your organization formally engages with the FedRAMP Program Management Office (PMO) to declare its intent to pursue authorization and secure placement in the FedRAMP Marketplace. Our team ensures your registration documentation is complete and accurate, helping establish a strong foundation for clear communication with FedRAMP stakeholders and setting your cloud service on the path to compliance.
Step 2: Agency Partnership(s)
In this step, your organization secures a federal agency sponsor to advocate for your cloud service throughout the FedRAMP process. We guide you in identifying and engaging the right agency stakeholders, aligning your system with mission needs and compliance priorities. Together, you’ll define project scope and expectations for documentation and testing. If a formal agency partnership is not yet in place, you also have the option to pursue a FedRAMP Ready designation, signaling your system’s readiness for authorization to potential agency partners.
Step 3: Determine Impact Level
Determining your system’s impact level is a critical early step. Here, your organization identifies whether your cloud service processes Low, Moderate, or High impact federal data, based on potential risk to confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Our team helps assess data types and usage scenarios to ensure your selected impact level aligns with both FedRAMP requirements and federal agency expectations, setting the stage for an efficient authorization path.
Step 4: Readiness Assessment
A readiness assessment is optional, but highly recommended, as a way to validate your organization’s preparedness to pursue full FedRAMP authorization. During the readiness assessment, we, as your accredited 3PAO, conduct an independent review of your cloud system’s security capabilities and documentation. This assessment verifies that your system aligns with FedRAMP requirements and identifies any gaps before the full authorization process. A successful readiness assessment can earn your service the FedRAMP Ready designation, showing agencies that your system meets baseline compliance expectations and is prepared for formal assessment.
Step 5: Pre-Authorization
The pre-authorization phase sets the stage for a structured FedRAMP assessment. Our team works with you to finalize the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), develop the Security Assessment Plan (SAP), and prepare for the Authorization Kick-off meeting. This step ensures roles, timelines, and documentation requirements are clearly defined, providing a roadmap for a smooth and efficient security assessment.
Step 6: Authorization
The authorization step is where your cloud service undergoes the formal security assessment. We perform the Security Assessment, testing controls and verifying compliance with FedRAMP requirements. Following the assessment, we help complete all Security Assessment Reporting (SAR) deliverables and submit the full authorization package—including documentation and findings—to your agency partner. This step validates your system’s security posture and moves your cloud service toward FedRAMP Authorization.
Step 7: Agency & PMO Review
In this critical phase, both your sponsoring agency and the FedRAMP PMO review your full authorization package, including the SSP, SAR, POA&M, SRTM, and Risk Exposure Table (RET). The agency evaluates residual risk, while the PMO confirms compliance with FedRAMP standards. Our team assists with documentation clarification, addressing feedback, and developing the SAR debrief presentation for agency stakeholders. Completion of this review paves the way to official FedRAMP Authorization.
Step 8: Continuous Monitoring
After receiving an Authorization to Operate (ATO), continuous monitoring ensures your cloud service maintains FedRAMP compliance. Our team conducts the annual security assessment and testing, reviewing key documentation—including SSP, POA&M, SRTM, and RET—and validating that vulnerabilities are properly managed. These independent assessments help federal agencies maintain confidence in your system’s security over its operational lifecycle.
Step 1: Registration
The registration phase marks the official start of your FedRAMP Authorization journey. During this step, your organization formally engages with the FedRAMP Program Management Office (PMO) to declare its intent to pursue authorization and secure placement in the FedRAMP Marketplace. Our team ensures your registration documentation is complete and accurate, helping establish a strong foundation for clear communication with FedRAMP stakeholders and setting your cloud service on the path to compliance.
RESOURCES
Ready to Start Your FedRAMP Assessment?
Download our free informational booklet!
Why Consider FedRAMP Assessments?
- FedRAMP is required by all Executive Agency cloud deployments and service models at the low, moderate, and high-risk impact levels as part of the Federal Cloud Computing Initiative.
- Fedramp harmonizes FISMA and NIST requirements for agency cloud-based IT products and services.
- FedRAMP provides a standardized risk-based approach for the Federal Government to leverage cloud services. FedRAMP ensures the use of cloud services adequately protects and secures federal information.
- Documentation: System Security Plan (SSP) as accepted by JAB.
- Assessment: Security Assessment Plan (SAP) is the testing of security controls and effectiveness within the environment as per the 3PAO.
- Authorization: Security Assessment Report (SAR) is derived when the submission of evidence to FedRAMP.
- Monitoring: The continuous efforts to monitor and alter security controls within the cloud environment to maintain effectiveness.
FedRAMP Security Assessment Framework (SAF) and NIST RMF
KEY BENEFITS
Accelerate Your FedRAMP Journey with MegaplanIT
From readiness to authorization, our experts help you navigate FedRAMP—and stay secure across every stage of growth.
MegaplanIT supports its client’s strategic planning to ensure controls are being met throughout the year. This is done via functional testing of all systems, networks, and application layers in the scope of FedRAMP, and verification of proper process execution.
Since day one MegaplanIT has been working with clients to implement, measure, and monitor various Federal security frameworks in all capacities. Whether it’s a gap assessment, FISMA, NERC CIP, NIST SP800 risk assessments, or FedRamp our clients have benefited from our Knowledge and successful engagement execution.
Receive expert advice and guidance on cloud security
Ensure cloud assets are secured in line with FedRAMP requirements
Protect your cloud environment from sophisticated cyber threats
Become and remain FedRAMP compliant, year after year
Partner with MegaplanIT to Streamline FedRAMP Compliance
Our innovative IT security and compliance solutions are designed to deliver customized, cost-effective service on time—because your priorities are our priorities. With a highly qualified team of PCI DSS QSAs, Penetration Testers, and Information Security Consultants here at MegaplanIT, we will assess your unique company and business environment and design a path to security that will fit all of your needs.
