The challenge behind the engagement.
FedRAMP 20x readiness helps cloud service providers prepare the security evidence needed to enter the federal market. We help you choose the path and class that match your service and intended data, then define the assessment boundary. We map controls, pipelines, and monitoring to the applicable Key Security Indicators and other program requirements, identifying automated, partly automated, and manual evidence. We design how each check is produced, how often it runs, and who maintains it. You receive an evidence matrix, a draft machine-readable certification package, and incident and change-notification procedures. We rehearse the review and plan ongoing monitoring with your engineers. Readiness consulting is separate from any required independent assessment and from the government’s certification and authorization decisions.
Cloud-native software providers starting to sell to federal agencies and needing an authorization first. Also current authorization holders weighing whether to move to FedRAMP 20x as the rules change.
What we do.
What you can use.
Choose the path, class, and scope
We start with your architecture, the federal data you will hold, and whether an agency will sponsor you. From that we recommend the path and the class, and we write the scope and boundary of what will be assessed, keeping the reasoning in a short decision memo you can defend later.
Map applicable indicators and prove them
Theme by theme we trace each applicable Key Security Indicator to the control, pipeline, or log in your cloud accounts that proves it. Where nothing proves it yet, we specify what to build. For each indicator we define the data source, the check, and how often it runs, and review the validation the way an assessor would.
Assemble the package and dry-run the review
You receive the indicator matrix with method and owner, the decisions you made along the way, the incident and change-notification procedures, and a draft certification package in the machine-readable form the program publishes. We then run a dry run of the independent review with the evidence your assessor will sample, and retest whatever fails.
Who it’s for.
When you need it.
- Cloud-native SaaS providers running on FedRAMP-certified infrastructure and starting a federal sales motion
- Engineering teams with a compliance-as-code toolchain that can validate controls continuously
- Current Rev5 authorization holders weighing whether to migrate to 20x
- Providers choosing between Class B for Low and Class C for Moderate data
- A federal agency signals interest but requires an authorization before it can buy
- A new submission or existing certification must adopt updated FedRAMP requirements
- Your evidence pipeline cannot yet produce the required machine-readable certification package
- Your planned entry path changes and you need to reassess eligibility and sponsorship
What the scope can include.
- 01
Choose the path and the class that match the data you will hold
- 02
Set the scope and boundary of what will be assessed
- 03
Gap analysis across applicable Key Security Indicators, marked automated, partial, or manual
- 04
Design the proof for each indicator: data source, check, and how often it runs
- 05
Draft the machine-readable certification package and the incident and change procedures
- 06
Run a dry run of the independent review and set the ongoing monitoring rhythm
What it typically costs.
One rate: $150/hour.
Every engagement is priced by the hours it takes at one flat rate, with scoping, the work, and the final deliverables included. Find the size closest to yours.
One cloud product on a single major cloud platform, Low impact, few integrations
About 120–200 hoursOne product at Moderate impact with several integrations and outside services
About 200–360 hoursMultiple services or a complex multi-cloud architecture at Moderate impact
About 360–600 hours- Impact level (Low or Moderate) and class selected
- Number of services, environments, and third-party components in the boundary
- How much of the security evidence can already be pulled automatically
- Engineering gaps found against the Key Security Indicators
2–4 months for readiness and package build; longer if engineering fixes are needed before validation
The independent 3PAO assessment is paid separately; Rev 5 assessments commonly run $100,000–$300,000, and 20x assessment costs are still settling.
Get a fixed quote for your scopeRanges are planning estimates at $150/hour, not a quote. Your price is confirmed in writing after a scoping call, before any work begins.
What you take forward.
- Path and class memo with the assessment scope defined
- Indicator matrix listing the check, data source, frequency, and owner for each one
- Machine-readable certification package draft with the incident and change procedures
- Dry-run report with retest evidence and a continuous monitoring runbook
Final coverage, deliverables, timing, and any retesting or implementation work are confirmed before the engagement begins.
Before we get started.
How do we choose between FedRAMP 20x and Rev5?
Start with your architecture, intended certification class, existing status, and agency needs. We check those against the current eligibility rules and submission paths. Published transition dates differ for new applications and existing certifications, so a single January 2027 deadline does not describe every case. We document the relevant requirements, deadlines, engineering effort, and dependencies in a path-selection memo. The recommendation is checked against current FedRAMP guidance before you commit to a submission plan.
What does a machine-readable FedRAMP package require us to build?
You need structured evidence that follows the format and content rules applicable to your chosen path and class. For security indicators, that means a reliable source of truth, a defined check, a record of the result, and an owner who keeps it current. Automated checks can help, while manual evidence still needs a documented method. We design the evidence flow with your engineers, validate the package against published requirements, and prepare it for the applicable independent and program reviews.
- 32 CFR Part 170: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Program (Federal Register final rule)
- Forging the Arsenal of Freedom: Department of War Suspends CMMC Phase II Requirements
- NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2: Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Systems and Organizations
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations
- FedRAMP Consolidated Rules for 2026
- FedRAMP 20x
- GovRAMP FAQs