All about the FedRAMP Marketplace: A beginner’s guide

‍

‍

The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) requires cloud service providers (CSPs) to meet a baseline security standard before serving government agencies. The program has conveniently replaced the previously fragmented, agency-by-agency assurance model.

‍

To speed up the adoption process and centralize visibility into authorized cloud solutions, the FedRAMP Program Management Office (PMO) rolled out the FedRAMP Marketplace: a core database of CSPs that have met or are actively pursuing FedRAMP requirements.

‍

This guide will explain all essential information about the FedRAMP Marketplace and share the main steps to get listed.

‍

What is the FedRAMP Marketplace?

The FedRAMP Marketplace is a publicly accessible directory that lists all cloud service offerings (CSOs) with a FedRAMP status—Ready, In Process, or Authorized—along with accredited third-party assessment organizations (3PAOs) and participating federal agencies. It serves as an accessible, trusted source for verifying which cloud products and auditors have already met stringent federal security standards or are on the FedRAMP path.

‍

“

For agencies and vendors alike, the FedRAMP Marketplace provides an official single source of truth for which cloud service providers are authorized to handle federal data and at what security level, the latter indicated by FedRAMP Low, Moderate, and High authorization tiers."

‍

Connor Snyder

GRC Subject Matter Expert, Vanta

|

LinkedIn

‍

The marketplace is managed by the FedRAMP PMO, which is also responsible for maintaining the listings to keep them accurate and current.

‍

{{cta_withimage44="/cta-blocks"}} | FedRAMP checklist

‍

Who uses the FedRAMP Marketplace?

The primary users of the FedRAMP Marketplace are federal agencies searching for authorized cloud services they can procure and deploy with confidence.

‍

Because the marketplace is publicly accessible, it’s also widely used by cloud service providers (CSPs) to verify which third-party services already hold FedRAMP Authorization and at what impact level. This is especially important because any external service that falls within a CSP’s system boundary must itself be FedRAMP Authorized at an equal or higher impact level. The Marketplace gives CSPs a straightforward way to confirm compliance before incorporating a third-party service into their architecture.

‍

This transparency creates a competitive advantage to listed cloud services. Sectors such as state and local governments, defense, energy, healthcare, and research that often look to FedRAMP as a benchmark favor FedRAMP-authorized CSPs, as they represent the greatest common denominator for data security, transparency, and continuous monitoring.

‍

Achieving FedRAMP compliance can also be valuable in the private sector markets because of how well it demonstrates an organization’s commitment to ongoing security and compliance. For most organizations, though, investment in FedRAMP will deliver the greatest value when it aligns with the organization’s broader goals to pursue federal contracts in the near future.

‍

Why is the FedRAMP Marketplace important?

The FedRAMP Marketplace holds immense value today because it consolidates cloud service designations in one place, thereby resolving long-standing inefficiencies in the approval process.

‍

Before FedRAMP, CSPs mostly had to prepare separate authorization packages for each federal agency they wanted to support and sell to. These packages often had to meet different requirements depending on the federal agency and scope of work, which slowed procurement cycles and drove up compliance costs for the CSP.

‍

Now, the standardized FedRAMP requirements emphasize a “do once, use many” approach. The marketplace operationalizes this by allowing CSPs to centrally publish their authorizations, including the impact level they address (Low, Moderate, or High), making it easier for federal agencies to identify the sensitivity of data each service is approved to handle. Overall benefits include:

‍

• Consistent security and procurement practices
• CSPs get to reuse authorizations across different federal contracts and agencies

‍

Marketplace listings explained

Within the marketplace, you can find CSOs that have received a designation, federal agencies that have authorized or are sponsoring a CSO, and accredited 3PAOs who can perform assessments.

‍

As for individual listings, they typically cover:

‍

• The CSO (product) and the CSP (organization behind the CSO)
• FedRAMP impact level
• Service model (e.g., SaaS, PaaS, or IaaS)
• FedRAMP designation
• FedRAMP ID, business category, and other searchable attributes

‍

The FedRAMP designation reflects the current status of the CSP’s authorization process, explained below:

‍

‍

How you can get listed in the FedRAMP Marketplace

There are four core steps to get listed in the FedRAMP Marketplace:

‍

1. Prepare for authorization
2. Determine an agency to partner with
3. Submit your package to the PMO
4. Implement continuous monitoring

‍

{{cta_withimage44="/cta-blocks"}} | FedRAMP checklist

‍

Step 1: Prepare for authorization

Inventory all of your in-scope assets that handle federal data. Then, determine your system's impact level using the FIPS 199 standard, which means you can assign rankings to each of your assets based on the potential impact of a compromise.

‍

FedRAMP has three main impact levels, each with a growing number of baseline controls drawn from NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5:

‍

1. Low: Intended for systems that handle low-risk data, such as public information and login credentials. The baseline consists of 156 controls.
2. Moderate: Intended for systems that handle controlled but unclassified information, such as employee PII. The baseline consists of 323 controls.
3. High: Intended for systems that handle highly sensitive, high-impact unclassified data (e.g., certain law enforcement, national defense-related, or public health information) where a compromise would have severe or catastrophic effects. The baseline is the most rigorous and consists of 410 controls.

‍

In addition to determining your impact level, you must also prepare FedRAMP documentation, such as the System Security Plan (SSP), incident response plan, Rules of Behavior, and a continuous monitoring strategy.

‍

{{cta_withimage43="/cta-blocks"}}

‍

To verify you’re prepared, it’s highly recommended to undergo an initial readiness assessment conducted by a 3PAO, who will then issue a RAR.

‍

Step 2: Determine an agency to partner with

Once you’ve prepared for authorization, you must identify a federal agency sponsor for your organization. In August 2024, the FedRAMP PMO officially retired the Joint Authorization Board Provisional Authority to Operate (JAB P-ATO) path, making agency sponsorships the only route to authorization.

‍

Because different agencies handle data with varying sensitivity levels, the agency sponsor plays a key role in choosing baseline control requirements as well as influences the overall cost and authorization timeline.

‍

Step 3: Submit your package to the agency

After you’ve secured a sponsor and completed a 3PAO assessment, submit your documentation package to the agency’s authorization officer (AO). The AO will conduct an external review, which typically involves the same 3PAO that conducted your initial assessment.

‍

They’ll flag any gaps and inefficiencies in the Security Assessment Report (SAR), and you’ll have to address them before being authorized for the ATO.

‍

Note: Depending on where you are in the process, your service may be listed on the FedRAMP Marketplace as:

‍

1. FedRAMP Ready: After a successful RAR and PMO review
2. FedRAMP In Process: Once an agency has agreed to sponsor your authorization
3. FedRAMP Authorized: After an agency issues an ATO, and your package is accepted into the FedRAMP repository

Step 4: Implement continuous monitoring

All FedRAMP-authorized CSOs must undergo continuous monitoring to ensure ongoing compliance with federal security standards and maintain the marketplace listing.

‍

Once you’ve obtained an ATO, you must include the following in your workflows:

‍

• Continually update your Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) to document the gaps and remediation measures
• Conduct regular vulnerability tests
• Update your asset inventory
• Report to your sponsoring agency monthly on the interim security posture
• Undergo annual 3PAO assessments

‍

Getting listed in the FedRAMP Marketplace: Potential challenges

Achieving FedRAMP authorization and getting listed on the FedRAMP Marketplace can be a longer or complex process because of challenges like:

‍

• Finding a government agency sponsor: In practice, finding the right agency sponsor can be tricky. Not every agency’s needs align with CSP offerings, and many are reluctant to sponsor new or unproven services. Without early engagement, CSPs often discover late-stage misalignments that slow or stall authorization.
• Comprehensive documentation requirements: FedRAMP requires thorough, up-to-date evidence that your implementations meet criteria. Leverage templates and engage with your 3PAO and FedRAMP PMO regularly to guide the process.
• High resource investments: Implementing the mandatory controls often requires dedicated tooling and expertise. Talk with 3PAOs and hire experts if necessary to prevent rework and delay later in the process.
• Sustaining continuous monitoring: Continuous monitoring entails regular audits, documentation reviews, and reassessment. Investing in centralizing documentation management and automation resources can help you maintain authorization efficiently.

‍

For a more streamlined compliance program, use Vanta’s dedicated FedRAMP solution and access support for documentation management, operationalized guidance, and continuous monitoring.

‍

Get FedRAMP Marketplace-ready faster with Vanta

Vanta is a leading agentic trust platform that helps organizations comply with 35+ security standards and frameworks through automated workflows and continuous risk management and monitoring.

‍

Vanta makes the FedRAMP authorization process clearer by breaking down the requirements into actionable steps tailored to your impact level, helping you get listed on the marketplace quicker. Useful features include:

‍

• A centralized dashboard for everything FedRAMP
• AI-powered policy creation and customization features
• Pre-built auditor-approved policies mapped to FedRAMP baselines
• Automated evidence collection through 400+ integrations
• The Vanta partner network to find a 3PAO to guide you through the authorization process

‍

Vanta can make ongoing monitoring easier with resources like 1,200+ tests and expert-built workflows. You can also access vendor risk management tools to secure your supply chain.

‍

Book a tailored demo to see how Vanta can make FedRAMP compliance faster for your team.

‍

{{cta_simple39="/cta-blocks"}} | FedRAMP product page

‍

FAQs

Do I need a RAR when preparing for a FedRAMP Marketplace listing?

A Readiness Assessment Report (RAR) is required to achieve the FedRAMP Ready status, but it’s not mandatory for all Marketplace listings. CSPs can skip the Ready designation and be listed as In Process or Authorized, and in those cases, an RAR can be used but is not strictly required.

‍

Regardless of the designation, an RAR can be valuable as a health check for your system and signals that your organization is prepared to undergo the full authorization process.

‍

Can I start FedRAMP prep work without a sponsor?

You can start preparing for FedRAMP authorization before finding a sponsoring agency. Traditionally, a sponsor is required to get fully authorized and listed on the FedRAMP Marketplace, but the FedRAMP 20x pilot is actively reshaping how and when you’d need a sponsor.

‍

What is the reporting expectation after FedRAMP authorization?

After obtaining authorization, CSPs are expected to submit regular reports and updates at a set cadence. This is typically monthly for deliverables such as vulnerability scans and updates to POA&Ms and asset inventory. The regular reporting also helps prepare for the annual 3PAO assessment to confirm ongoing compliance.

‍