FedRAMP 3PAO Assessment Services

Insight Assurance is now officially accredited as a FedRAMP Third-Party Assessment Organization (3PAO). This milestone reflects our commitment to delivering independent, high-quality security assessments for cloud service providers (CSPs) supporting federal government agencies.

 

Becoming a 3PAO authorizes our firm to conduct the security assessments required for federal cloud adoption. It also places Insight Assurance among the select few organizations approved to validate whether a cloud service or cloud environment meets the federal security requirements defined by the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP).

 

As CSPs pursue federal cloud security authorizations, they encounter one of the most rigorous review processes in modern cybersecurity. Our role is to bring clarity, discipline, and precision to that process, helping organizations understand what federal agencies expect and how security controls must operate within cloud infrastructures, including AWS GovCloud, Google Cloud Platform, and other federal cloud computing platforms.

 

Understanding FedRAMP: Why 3PAOs Are Critical for Cloud Authorization

FedRAMP establishes a unified, government-wide security standard for cloud services used by federal agencies. Instead of each federal agency performing its own assessment, FedRAMP centralizes the process to reduce duplication, strengthen cloud security, and ensure that cloud services handling federal data meet consistent expectations.

 

A 3PAO plays a specific and required role in this ecosystem:

 

  • Independence: The 3PAO must be impartial and fully separate from advisory or implementation work.
  • Validation: The 3PAO evaluates whether the CSP has correctly implemented the required NIST security controls, secure configuration baselines, and monitoring practices.
  • Trust: Federal agencies, the General Services Administration (GSA), and the FedRAMP Program Management Office rely on 3PAOs to provide accurate, disciplined, and unbiased assessments.

For any organization seeking to deliver a cloud solution to the federal government, at certain impact levels (Moderate/High) a 3PAO is not optional. A FedRAMP authorization package, including the security assessment report, cannot be accepted without a 3PAO’s validation.

 

Meet Your Expert Assessors: Our FedRAMP 3PAO Leadership

Our 3PAO capabilities are anchored by two leaders with decades of experience across federal cloud security, cybersecurity assessments, and enterprise compliance programs.

 

Dr. Stephanie Carter, Head of Federal Cloud Compliance & Assessments

Dr. Carter brings more than 30 years of experience in cybersecurity and federal cloud compliance. Her career includes supporting well over 100 FedRAMP authorizations, including 60-70 under Rev. 5, and contributing to key regulatory transitions, including:

 

  • Development of DoD cybersecurity regulations during the DIACAP to DoD RMF transition
  • Advising DISA on early cloud security requirements
  • Input into the FedRAMP program from its launch in 2011
  • Leading 50+ CSPs through a seamless migration to Rev. 5

She has served as a security engineer, senior assessor, project lead, compliance advisor, privacy officer, program manager, and GRC officer, giving her a uniquely comprehensive understanding of federal IT, federal cloud computing strategy, and the security controls federal agencies rely on to protect sensitive information.

 

Craig Saldanha, Director of Audit Services

Craig oversees Insight Assurance’s FedRAMP line of service, ensuring the work aligns with our broader assurance practice. He has led or contributed to roughly 1,000 SOC engagements and brings deep experience with NIST frameworks, SOX ITGC, HIPAA, ISO, and IT governance programs.

 

His governance-driven approach strengthens assessments across cloud workloads and cloud infrastructures, helping CSPs prepare evidence that aligns with federal expectations while keeping the assessment independent, structured, and efficient.

 

Together, Dr. Carter and Craig combine federal cybersecurity expertise with cross-framework proficiency—an essential combination for CSPs navigating cloud security requirements across multiple programs.

 

Navigating FedRAMP: What Our 3PAO Accreditation Means for Your CSP

Earning FedRAMP authorization requires discipline, accuracy, and a clear understanding of federal security requirements. Although no 3PAO can guarantee a specific authorization outcome, accreditation affirms that Insight Assurance meets the program’s stringent qualifications and maintains the independence necessary to conduct credible security assessments.

 

For CSPs, this means:

 

  • A 3PAO with deep experience in both federal cloud security and enterprise audit programs
  • Assessors who understand the expectations of federal agencies, federal civilian agencies, and government entities
  • Clear communication throughout each assessment phase
  • A focus on accuracy, thoroughness, and alignment with the security standard

Our accreditation strengthens our ability to support cloud service providers building secure cloud solutions for federal government agencies—and to do so with rigor and clarity.

 

Key Steps in the FedRAMP 3PAO Assessment Process

While the scope and depth of a FedRAMP engagement vary based on the impact level and cloud environment, the assessment follows a consistent structure. Here is an overview of the phases a CSP can expect when working with a 3PAO:

 

1. Preparation

During preparation, our team works with the cloud service provider to establish the precise scope and boundaries of the environment under review. This includes confirming which components of the cloud service fall under assessment and reviewing the System Security Plan (SSP) along with all supporting documentation. We also verify the implementation details for the applicable impact level for the FedRAMP baseline so the assessment begins with a clear, accurate understanding of the system.

 

2. Initial Review

Once documentation is gathered, we conduct an initial review to evaluate whether the materials are complete, consistent, and ready for deeper analysis. At this stage, we highlight areas that may require clarification or additional evidence, helping CSPs resolve issues before formal testing begins.

 

3. Validation & Observation

The validation and observation phase focuses on how security controls operate within the cloud infrastructure itself. Here, we examine monitoring practices, access control mechanisms, data protection processes, and other operational safeguards to ensure they are implemented as described and aligned with federal expectations for secure cloud services.

 

4. Technical Testing

Technical testing introduces a deeper level of assurance. Through vulnerability scanning, targeted penetration testing, and configuration reviews, we evaluate whether the cloud environment can withstand attempts at unauthorized access. This phase helps confirm that security configurations are effective and that cyber risks are appropriately mitigated.

 

5. Attestation & Reporting

After testing concludes, our assessors compile the Security Assessment Report (SAR), which documents the evidence, results, and objective conclusions drawn from the engagement. This report provides government agency reviewers with a clear, defensible understanding of the system’s security posture.

 

6. Leverage Packaging

For CSPs seeking authorization with additional agencies, leverage packaging becomes an important efficiency step. We help ensure that all documentation aligns with FedRAMP requirements so existing security packages can be reused where appropriate. This reduces duplicative work and supports smoother federal cloud adoption.

 

Stop Navigating Complexity Alone

FedRAMP is one of the most detailed security assessment programs in the federal government. CSPs often struggle with documentation volume, FedRAMP/NIST control interpretation, and the complexity of the FedRAMP PMO and federal agency sponsor’s expectations. Working with an accredited 3PAO provides structure and clarity throughout the process.

 

Insight Assurance helps organizations address the demands of federal cloud security with independence, expertise, and a disciplined review process that aligns with federal cloud computing strategy, Cloud Smart principles, and secure cloud adoption across government agencies.

 

Simplify Your FedRAMP 3PAO Assessment Today.

 

  • View our official FedRAMP Marketplace profile: Insight Assurance 3PAO Listing
  • Read the press release
  • Explore our services

 

View our official FedRAMP Marketplace profile: Insight Assurance 3PAO Listing.

Read the press release.

Explore our services.