FedRAMP Authorization Planning Template

For most commercial SaaS companies, plan for 12-18 months from program kickoff to ATO. The breakdown: 3-4 months for preparation and gap analysis, 4-6 months for documentation and control implementation, 2-3 months for 3PAO assessment, and 2-4 months for the authorization decision. Companies with strong existing security programs (SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001) can compress this timeline because many controls overlap.

Total program cost typically ranges from $500K to $2M+. Major cost components: 3PAO assessment fees ($200K-$500K), security tooling and infrastructure ($100K-$300K), documentation effort (often 2-3 FTEs for 6+ months), and consulting support ($100K-$300K). Ongoing continuous monitoring costs $150K-$300K annually. Some costs can be reduced if you already have SOC 2 or ISO 27001 in place. For evaluating whether the investment is justified, the [RICE prioritization framework](/frameworks/rice-framework) can help score the government market opportunity against the cost.

Agency Authorization is faster and more predictable for most companies. You need a specific agency sponsor who wants to use your product and is willing to serve as the authorizing official. JAB Prioritized (reviewed by GSA, DoD, and DHS) carries more prestige and is accepted by all agencies, but the selection process is competitive and the timeline is longer. Start with Agency Authorization if you have an agency customer. You can pursue JAB later for broader marketability.

FedRAMP is for federal agencies. StateRAMP is a similar program for state and local governments. StateRAMP uses the same NIST SP 800-53 control framework but has a streamlined process designed for state and local procurement. Some CSPs pursue both. If your product already has FedRAMP authorization, StateRAMP authorization is significantly easier because the control overlap is substantial.

It depends on the impact level. FedRAMP Moderate typically requires AWS GovCloud, Azure Government, or Google Cloud for Government. These are isolated regions with US-only personnel, ITAR compliance, and additional physical security controls. Standard commercial cloud regions (us-east-1, etc.) generally do not meet FedRAMP Moderate requirements for data residency and personnel clearance. FedRAMP Low may be achievable on commercial cloud regions, but verify with your 3PAO. ---