What is a FedRAMP?

Also known as: Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program

By the GovPrimer teamUpdated January 1, 2026

FedRAMP (the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program) is the government-wide program that standardizes security assessment and authorization for cloud products and services. A cloud offering must achieve FedRAMP authorization to be used by federal agencies.

Why FedRAMP matters

Agencies generally cannot adopt a cloud service unless it holds the appropriate FedRAMP authorization (such as Moderate or High impact level). For cloud vendors, FedRAMP is effectively the entry ticket to the federal market.

Authorization can be earned via an agency sponsor or through the FedRAMP program's review process, and it requires ongoing continuous monitoring.

Frequently asked questions

Is FedRAMP the same as CMMC?

No. FedRAMP authorizes cloud services for federal use government-wide; CMMC certifies a defense contractor's overall cybersecurity maturity for handling DoD information. A cloud vendor selling to DoD may need to address both.

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