FedRAMP Authorization & 3PAO Audit Services | Fast-Track Compliance for Cloud Providers

The U.S. federal government, through the FedRAMP and the FedRAMP Program Management Office (PMO), developed the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) in order to standardize and streamline the security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring of cloud service offerings used by federal agencies.

Lazarus Alliance, an accredited FedRAMP Third-Party Assessment Organization (3PAO), will coordinate directly with your organization to prepare for and schedule your official FedRAMP assessment. Our experienced FedRAMP 3PAO assessors and advisors will help determine the appropriate impact level (Low, Moderate, or High) and authorization path based on your cloud service offering and target federal customer requirements. Upon successful completion of the independent 3PAO assessment and issuance of an Authority to Operate (ATO) or Provisional Authority to Operate (P-ATO), your cloud service will be listed on the FedRAMP Marketplace as “FedRAMP Authorized” at the appropriate baseline.

Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP)

FedRAMP is a U.S. government-wide program that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services used by federal agencies.

Established in 2011 and mandated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), FedRAMP eliminates duplicative security testing by creating a “do once, use many times” framework so that once a cloud service is authorized under FedRAMP, any federal agency can reuse that authorization package instead of conducting its own full assessment.

FedRAMP authorization process flowchart 2025

FedRAMP Authorization Audit Timeline: What to Expect with Lazarus Alliance

Below are the real-world average timelines seen in 2024–2025 with experienced 3PAOs like Lazarus Alliance:

Phase Agency ATO Path (most common) Key Activities & Typical Duration
1. Decision & Partner Selection 1–2 months Business justification, select 3PAO, sign contract
2. Readiness Assessment / Gap Analysis 1–3 months 3PAO performs RAR (Readiness Assessment Report), remediation planning
3. Full System Security Plan (SSP) + Remediation 4–9 months Implement all FedRAMP baseline controls (125 Low / 325 Moderate / 421 High), build evidence artifacts
4. 3PAO Independent Assessment 3–6 months (Moderate) Testing, penetration test, documentation review, SAR + RAR submission
5. Sponsor Review & POA&M Remediation 2–6 months The agency sponsor reviews the package, issues findings, and you remediate
6. Authority to Operate (ATO) Issued → FedRAMP Authorized Agency ATO
Total Average (Moderate impact, Agency path) 11–18 months From contract signature to “FedRAMP Authorized” on Marketplace

Fastest Realistic Timelines (Top 5–10% of CSPs)

  • LI-SaaS (Low-Impact SaaS) → 6–9 months
  • Moderate, very mature CSP + aggressive 3PAO → 9–12 months

Lazarus Alliance, an accredited FedRAMP Third-Party Assessment Organization (3PAO), is historically about 46% faster than traditional 3PAO firms meaning that your autorizations can be achieved in 5–9 months - Michael Peters, CEO & Founder

FedRAMP Authorization Levels

  • Low (LI-SaaS): Low-impact SaaS with limited sensitive data. - 125 Control Requirements.
  • Moderate: Most common for federal workloads. - 325 Control Requirements.
  • High: Systems handling sensitive or mission-critical data. - 421 Control Requirements.
  • DoD SRG IL4/IL5/IL6: Department of Defense cloud services. - Higher than FedRAMP High.

Current FedRAMP Authorization Designations

  • FedRAMP Authorized (Agency ATO): Full Authority to Operate issued by a sponsoring agency. Any agency can reuse with their own lightweight review.
  • FedRAMP Ready: System has passed a readiness review and is eligible to pursue full authorization. Not yet authorized, but signals a serious commitment.
  • FedRAMP In Process: Actively working with a 3PAO and sponsor toward authorization. Visible progress indicator.
Achieve FedRAMP authorization faster with Lazarus Alliance's accredited 3PAO services—46% timeline reduction. Call +1 (888) 896-7580.

Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility is open to CSPs—commercial or government entities—offering SaaS, PaaS, or IaaS in public, private, community, or hybrid cloud environments. CSPs must prepare a System Security Plan (SSP), implement FedRAMP baseline security controls, and engage an accredited third-party assessment organization (3PAO) like Lazarus Alliance for independent audits. It's ideal for providers aiming to serve federal agencies but requires no conflicts of interest, such as a 3PAO preparing the SSP.

Lazarus Alliance offers a full suite of FedRAMP support, including:

  • FedRAMP Readiness Assessments to evaluate and prepare for quick Authority to Operate (ATO).
  • Business Justification Reviews to assess suitability, costs, and timelines.
  • Compliance Reviews for gap analysis, control verification, and accreditation roadmaps.
  • 3PAO Audit, Advisory, and Assessment Services aligned with NIST SP 800-53.
  • Comprehensive Cybervisor™ Assessments using advanced software for low, moderate, and high-impact baselines.
  • Ongoing proactive monitoring and 24/7 audit platform access.

Key benefits include a 46% reduction in traditional assessment time through critical path methodology and advanced audit software, significant cost savings by avoiding scope creep and annual hikes, proactive threat prevention to maintain compliance, and expanded access to government markets with minimized risks. As an A2LA ISO/IEC 17020 accredited organization, they provide experienced Cybervisors™ for reliable, conflict-free partnerships.

Timelines vary based on CSP readiness and path chosen (e.g., Agency ATO vs. Marketplace), but Lazarus Alliance's methodology accelerates the process with a 46% time reduction. A notional timeframe includes readiness assessments (initial weeks), compliance reviews (days), and full audits leading to ATO. Continuous monitoring begins post-authorization, and proactive support ensures faster responses to findings.

FedRAMP builds on FISMA and NIST SP 800-53 but is tailored for cloud services, providing a reusable authorization that federal agencies can leverage without redundant assessments. It's more rigorous for CSPs due to mandatory 3PAO audits, detailed SSP requirements, and ongoing monitoring. Unlike general FISMA/NIST compliance, FedRAMP offers three standardized paths and focuses on cloud-specific risks for SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS.

Costs depend on the CSP's maturity, cloud type, and authorization path, but Lazarus Alliance drives down expenses through advanced audit software, experienced partnerships, and proactive approaches that prevent costly compliance threats. Their Business Justification Review evaluates total program costs, including assessments and monitoring, to inform decisions. Contact them at +1 (888) 896-7580 for a tailored estimate.

Start with a FedRAMP Readiness Assessment or Business Justification Review to gauge fit and roadmap. Reach out via phone (+1 (888) 896-7580) or their contact form for a consultation. They'll guide you through SSP preparation, gap analysis, 3PAO audits, and continuous monitoring to achieve ATO efficiently.

Achieve FedRAMP authorization faster with Lazarus Alliance's accredited 3PAO services—46% timeline reduction. Call +1 (888) 896-7580.

Lazarus Alliance, as a FedRAMP 3PAO, provides FedRAMP, FISMA, and NIST audit, advisory, and assessment services for public, private, community, and hybrid cloud service offerings, including Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).

At Lazarus Alliance, proactive isn't just our trademark—it's our promise to protect your future before threats even emerge. — Michael Peters, CEO & Founder

Leveraging the Continuum GRC IT Audit Machine, Security Trifecta methodology, and the Policy Machine, Lazarus Alliance provides international standards that are recognized as “Best Practices” for developing organizational security standards and controls that support Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program-based compliance audit certifications and assessments.

Credentials You Can Count On

American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) ISO/IEC 17020 accredited certification number 3822.01

Talk with one of our experts

Our Lazarus Alliance Cybervisor™ teams have experience performing thousands of assessments for organisations providing services to clients around the world.

We're here to answer any questions you may have.

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Benefits of FedRAMP Authorization

  1. Access to the entire U.S. federal market: Once authorized, your cloud service can be used by any federal agency (civilian, intelligence community, and in many cases, DoD via FedRAMP+ or IL4/IL5 equivalency). This is a $100B+ annual cloud spend market.
  2. “Do once, use many times” reuse: Agencies can issue an Authority to Operate (ATO) by leveraging your existing FedRAMP package instead of running their own full assessment — dramatically shortens federal sales cycles (often from 18–36 months to 3–9 months).
  3. Public listing on the FedRAMP Marketplace: Your service appears on fedramp.gov as “FedRAMP Ready,” “In Process,” or “Authorized.” This is the #1 place federal buyers and integrators look for approved cloud solutions — instant credibility and lead generation.
  4. Strong competitive differentiation: Very few commercial cloud providers achieve FedRAMP Moderate or High. Authorization becomes a powerful sales and marketing asset against non-authorized competitors.
  5. Attracts state, local, education, and regulated commercial customers: SLED entities and industries such as healthcare, financial services, and critical infrastructure increasingly accept or require FedRAMP as evidence of strong security (e.g., Texas DIR, NYC Cyber Command, many Fortune 500 RFPs now list FedRAMP as preferred or mandatory).
  6. Higher valuation and easier fundraising: Investors and acquirers (especially in GovTech and cybersecurity) place significant value on FedRAMP authorization. It is frequently cited as a key due diligence checkbox and valuation driver.
  7. Improves overall security and engineering discipline: The rigorous NIST 800-53-based controls, continuous monitoring, and independent 3PAO assessment force mature security practices that benefit all customers, not just federal ones.
  8. Streamlines future compliance: FedRAMP Moderate/High packages are often reused or fast-tracked for other frameworks (StateRAMP, TX-RAMP, IRS 1075, CMMC IL4/IL5, HIPAA with a FedRAMP-aligned BAA, etc.).
  9. Predictable recurring revenue: Federal contracts are multi-year and sticky. Once an agency adopts your FedRAMP-authorized service, annual renewals and expansion are common.
  10. Brand credibility & trust: Being able to say “FedRAMP Authorized” is one of the strongest third-party endorsements of cloud security available — equivalent to a “Good Housekeeping Seal” for government cloud.

We want to be your partner and FedRAMP 3PAO compliance audit assessor of choice! For additional information, please call +1 (888) 896-7580.