GSA Blog

Redesigned site for secure cloud products helps agencies easily find products they need

Every federal agency requires cloud products to store, transmit, and process data. The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) helps government agencies that depend on modern, secure cloud technologies to support that.

Recently, the FedRAMP team redesigned the website that agencies use to find such products, making it much more streamlined, flexible, and intuitive. Agencies can more easily find and understand which cloud products have already been reviewed and authorized for use by agencies, so that they can use them without having to do their own review from scratch, saving time and resources and reducing burden while also building better digital experiences for the public.

“Our federal customers’ success is our top priority, and we achieve this by actively listening to their needs and ensuring their feedback is incorporated into our design and development process,” said Ryan Hoesing, FedRAMP customer success manager. “The redesigned Marketplace is a direct reflection of that feedback, and we will continue to listen and incorporate user feedback into our future design plans.”

How it happened

In 2015, the FedRAMP Marketplace was created to provide a searchable and sortable database of Cloud Service Offerings (CSOs) that have received a FedRAMP authorization, meaning they have been vetted and authorized for government-wide use. The Marketplace also listed federal agencies using FedRAMP Authorized CSOs, and FedRAMP-recognized Third Party Assessment Organizations that can perform a FedRAMP assessment. 

In other words, the Marketplace started providing the public and federal agencies transparency about which cloud products have achieved an official FedRAMP authorization.

In 2021, the FedRAMP program management office started engaging in discovery work with users and stakeholders to make sure their experience was at the forefront of the team’s approach. A series of feedback sessions with Marketplace users identified areas where we needed to improve the site, such as making it easier to navigate. 

Using human-centered design

The updated FedRAMP Marketplace launched in June 2023. The redesigned FedRAMP Marketplace is easier to navigate and better meets user needs, such as a more intuitive search feature, faster load times and a more streamlined experience. There are currently 327 FedRAMP authorized cloud products within the Marketplace.

Using human-centered design and accessibility best practices, we created an easier, more productive user experience. For example, we reduced the clicks needed to access cloud service provider information, and simplified page layouts. 

The Department of Veterans Affairs Cloud Security Lead in VA’s FedRAMP Office, Charles Solomon-Jackson, praised the revamped site and its new features stating, “the maturity of the FedRAMP Marketplace made it easier for vendors and agencies to navigate and find services we are looking for. When working with cloud [service] offerings early in the journey, the searchability features of the revamped Marketplace have been very helpful.”

The team also made it easier to search by FedRAMP ID number, provider, and service offering, which better helps users choose a cloud service provider to fit their needs, and they redesigned the Marketplace to look like the FedRAMP homepage, creating a unified branding experience.

Moving forward

FedRAMP values customer and industry input. They will continue to bring stakeholders into the process as they update the Marketplace to scale and modernize the FedRAMP program. The team is also seeking public comment by March 11 on a draft Emerging Technology Prioritization Framework [PDF], which outlines a framework to prioritize emerging technologies in the FedRAMP authorization process, beginning with generative artificial intelligence, that can help federal agencies accomplish their missions.