GSA unveils list of FedRAMP third-party assessment organizations

The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, the governmentwide standardized approach to cloud services and security, is one step closer to rollout.

The General Services Administration on May 14 released a list of accredited third-party assessment organizations -- or 3PAOs for short -- that will do initial assessments and test the controls of cloud service providers per FedRAMP requirements and provide evidence of compliance. The 3PAOs will also have an ongoing part in ensuring cloud service providers meet requirements.

The nine organizations are eight from private industry and one from government:

COACT Inc.   
Department of Transportation Enterprise Service Center
Dynamics Research Corporation
JD Biggs and Associates Inc.   
Knowledge Consulting Group Inc.   
Logyx LLC   
Lunarline Inc.   
SRA International Inc.   
Veris Group LLC       

Cloud services providers that go through FedRAMP must use a 3PAO to independently verify the FedRAMP-required security implementations. FedRAMP provisional authorizations must include an assessment by a FedRAMP-accredited 3PAO to ensure a consistent assessment process.

GSA and the Office of Management and Budget currently expect FedRAMP to reach its initial operational capability by June 2012.