Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) officials on June 10 reviewed results of recent program outreach efforts aimed at better engagement with Federal agencies.
Ryan Hoesing, customer success manager at FedRAMP, spoke at the DGI Cloud Security Conference about FedRAMP’s Ideation Challenge launched in 2019 to enhance and evolve the program.
Applicants in the Ideation Challenge had the opportunity to help guide the FedRAMP Program Management Office (PMO) on next steps and ensure that the government kept Federal data secure while bolstering modernization efforts. In addition, it provided not only FedRAMP’s stakeholders but the cloud security community at large the opportunity to directly inform and contribute ideas in support of a new approach to risk assessments and security authorization for cloud products and services.
“When we launched the FedRAMP Ideation Challenge, we wanted to reimagine our authorization process,” said Hoesing. “Most of the ideas were around automation, more opportunities for stakeholders to connect with the FedRAMP PMO, and further guidance and clarity into the process and security requirements.”
Additionally, FedRAMP in June 2020 kicked off a new initiative, the Agency Liaison Program, designed to transform the way FedRAMP informs and collaborates with Federal agencies.
“This initiative establishes a volunteer community to enhance collaboration and knowledge sharing across the government, with more than 50 agencies participating in the program,” said Betsy Steele, program manager for Training and Outreach at FedRAMP.
She said participants have benefited from increased collaboration with a direct line of communication between agencies, bureaus, and the FedRAMP PMO; improved understanding of FedRAMP and the marketplace; greater efficiency enabled by a single leverageable point of expertise; and increased transparency into program updates and strategic initiatives.
“Through this program, FedRAMP has built a community to enhance collaboration and knowledge sharing across the government,” said Steele.
