How Long Does the FedRAMP Authorization Process Really Take?

If you’re looking to get any type of FedRAMP authorization, you’ve probably wondered “How long does FedRAMP authorization really take?”  

FedRAMP can take a couple months or even years. How long it will take your organization will depend on your goals, approach and the tools you use. 

Here we’ll break down the timeline to achieve FedRAMP authorization and how your org can do it faster without sacrificing quality. With this, you can decide the best way for your org to approach FedRAMP.

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The FedRAMP Certification Timeline: 

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There are 4 main steps to FedRAMP authorization.

1. Setting the Groundwork
2. Creating Compliance Documentation
3. 3PAO Assessment
4. PMO Review

The conventional path to FedRAMP authorization ranges 8 - 24+ months.

You’ll need to manually write an SSP with this path, so you can expect that to take a good portion of your time. 

If you use Paramify, you can expect authorization to take from 1-15 months. 

SSP creation is automated with Paramify, so the majority of the time range will depend on how long it takes your organization to put your controls into practice and find a sponsor. 

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Step 1 - Setting the Groundwork (1-12+ Months)

Calculating your ROI: Does the federal pipeline justify the expense? 

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FedRAMP authorization can open the door to massive revenue potential. 

Your organization will want to calculate whether the possible ROI justifies the costs of getting certified before diving in completely. 

Your company should consider: 

• Potential revenue
• Possible government clientele
• How your product strategy aligns with government needs

Ready for some good news? it’s officially easier, faster, and cheaper to get FedRAMP authorized than it’s ever been.  

Finding a FedRAMP Sponsor: 

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You’ll need to find a sponsor before you can achieve FedRAMP authorization. 

“The issuance of an agency ATO represents an acceptance of risk associated with the CSO on the part of the agency’s authorizing official (AO)” - Stack Armor

Your sponsor can be any government entity that wants your product/solution and has the ability to sponsor it. 

Finding a sponsor can take a lot of time and effort. It might require many hours of networking and building relationships. These can lead to a partnership with a government agency or representative from the FedRAMP board (formerly Joint Authorization Board or JAB). 

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Choosing Your 3PAO: 

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Next, you’ll need to choose an accredited 3PAO (3rd-party assessment organization) to help with your FedRAMP assessments. 

Finding the right 3PAO is not just about credentials, but also about compatibility, transparent communication, and mutual goals.

Request our list of recommended 3PAO partners for help finding the right partner for your goals. 

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Find Your Security Gaps:

You’ll need to do a security gap assessment to know whether or not your security is aligned with the high standard FedRAMP requires. 

Once you know your gaps you can start improving your security plan. 

Ready to fast track your gap assessment? Schedule a call with the Paramify team to get your free gap assessment in just 30-60 minutes.

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You can begin implementing your security controls once you have your gap assessment. We recommend building out your security plan in the form of your SSP first to map out your ideal strategy. 

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Step 2 - How Long Does it Take to Create an SSP (System Security Plan)

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Manually Written SSP: 6 - 24+ months vs Paramify: 1-7 days

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Ah, here’s what has been the FedRAMP nightmare. The SSP. 

Organizations have traditionally had to manually write 800 to 1,000+ pages of intricately detailed System Security Plans (SSPs). 

Creating an SSP isn’t just about throwing words onto a document. This painstaking process involves multiple stakeholders who are both technical and non-technical. It will include your precise data, evidence, and methodologies.

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The tool you choose will make a difference in how long it takes to build your ATO package. 

Many CSPs choose a tool like Word, Google Docs, or SharePoint to create their SSP. But, tools like these aren’t really built to handle documents this massive. 

GRC teams often experience crashes, loss of data, or sluggish performance due to the size of SSP docs. This results in wasted hours, tons of stress, and lost information.

OSCAL (Open Security Controls Assessment Language) is a machine readable format meant to address some of these problems. Learn more about the benefits and shortcomings of OSCAL to decide if it’s a good fit for your organization. 

Paramify automatically creates both a machine readable, OSCAL-friendly digital ATO package and a human readable version. 

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Why is FedRAMP authorization so much faster with Paramify?

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What used to take months of manual effort can now be done in hours with Paramify’s Risk Solutions platform. 

Yup. Hours. 

Why? You can create, update, and change your documents by putting the control in once and automatically updating it everywhere it applies. Your SSP(s) become more accurate & consistent and easy to update. 

When you have an automated SSP you can kiss software crashes and the never ending requests from your 3PAO to fix inconsistencies goodbye. Paramify limits human error and is built to handle creating, updating, and managing your massive SSP.

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Learn more here about how Risk Solutions work and check out our pricing.

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Request a demo to see a preview of your OSCAL and human-readable SSP docs created in less than an hour

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Step 3 - How Long Does an ATO Audit Take? (1 - 3 Months)

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The assessment phase means it’s time for a hands-on, careful review of your systems, controls, protocols, and procedures. Expect thorough checks and refinements.

Your assessment phase will be longer or shorter depending how accurate your SSP is. 

SSP documents created with Paramify have received high praise from assessors. Our clients move faster than average through this phase because of their ultra-consistent documentation. 

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“Paramify has helped organizations, many of which are our clients, automate the creation of documentation packages – in addition to other capabilities – faster and more accurately than I have ever seen in the marketplace to date.” - Mike Parisi, Head of Client Acquisition, Schellman

4. How Long Does it Take to Get FedRAMP Authority to Operate from the PMO (1 - 12 months)

Now you wait for all of your effort to pay off and for your coveted FedRAMP certification to arrive.

If you only created human-readable SSPs this phase may take longer than it will with OSCAL documentation. We expect to see OSCAL docs approved faster, since the process can be automated. 

If you used Paramify, you can expect an even faster PMO review since:

1. Fewer errors = faster review. The Paramify approach prioritizes efficiency, transparency, and accuracy.  
2. OSCAL-based docs enable more automation.

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How Long Will Your FedRAMP Authorization Take? 

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Your approach to FedRAMP will dramatically affect how long it will take your org to achieve FedRAMP authorization.

The traditional, manual approach will take an average of 8 months - 2+ years, depending on the dynamics and complexities of your organization.

Paramify's approach can reduce this to 1 - 15+ months.

It's no exaggeration: just one month from no SSP to a full ATO package. 

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Discover how Palo Alto Networks achieved FedRAMP in a month using Paramify.

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Start Your FedRAMP Journey

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Ready to give yourself the advantage in FedRAMP certification? Get your gap assessment today and see a preview of your ATO Package after just 30-60 minutes.

In the world of FedRAMP certification, knowledge truly is power. The journey, while intense, doesn’t need to be full of obstacles. You’ll save time and peace of mind with Paramify’s Risk Solutions Framework. 

If FedRAMP is on your radar, why not give yourself every advantage?

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Sign up for free your free Paramify demo:

Have questions? Our team loves to help. Feel free to reach out anytime with questions.