| [May 11, 2015] |
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MeriTalk Launches Three New FedRAMP-Focused, Cloud Initiatives
MeriTalk,
a public-private partnership focused on improving the outcomes of
government IT, today launched three new FedRAMP-focused, cloud
initiatives designed to help accelerate cloud computing adoption across
the Federal government. FedRAMP, or the Federal Risk and Authorization
Management Program, is the Federally mandated cyber security
certification for Federal cloud computing. You can preview the
announcements in this brief
video.
MeriTalk's new cloud initiatives include:
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The
Gov Cloud Shopper: This free tool helps government
buyers navigate the complexity of understanding cloud pricing,
building appropriate specifications, and actually buying
FedRAMP-certified cloud solutions. Developed by MeriTalk in
collaboration with the Defense Information Systems Agency (News - Alert), Department
of Homeland Security, General Services Administration, and the
Department of Interior, the Gov Cloud Shopper (GCS (News - Alert)) enables Federal
agencies to develop an initial cost estimate based on pricing data
from FedRAMP-approved Cloud Service Providers (CSPs), including:
Amazon Web Services, CenturyLink, IBM, Microsoft, and VMware. MeriTalk
will add data from additional FedRAMP-approved CSPs to the estimator
as it becomes available. GCS takes agencies through a three-step
process:
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First, the Cloud Cost Estimator allows users to define their
agency's cloud requirements and provides price estimates for
compatible FedRAMP CSP (News - Alert) offerings, accounting for not only hosting
charges, but also professional services such as initial set up,
managed services, and compliance costs
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Second, the Cloud Requirements Designer empowers users with
pull-down-menu options to drill down to select greater specifics
in terms of key services and deliverables required of cloud
solutions in order to meet their agency's needs. The result is a
complete requirements outline for the specific agency's cloud
project
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Third, the Cloud Quote Request allows users to submit their
requirements outline and request quotes from their choice of
government cloud Government Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC)
procurement program offices - GSA (News - Alert), NASA SEWP, DHS, Interior, etc .
When they submit their bid requests, users automatically get a
copy of that bid request emailed to their own email inbox
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FedRAMP
Forward, a industry working group comprised of FedRAMP
CSPs and 3PAOs. FedRAMP Forward works to support, inform, and
accelerate FedRAMP and broader cloud adoption across government. The
group provides recommendations on how to enhance the value and
efficiency of the FedRAMP process and reduce the costs of achieving
and maintaining certifications
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FedRAMP411,
a new go-to source for news, information, and insight on FedRAMP.
FedRAMP411 hosts GCS, and offers a series of additional tools and
capabilities:
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CSPs
at-a-Glance: A comprehensive, sortable, and
searchable database of all FedRAMP CSPs - those that have received
FedRAMP certification and those that are in the pipeline and
working toward certification
-
3PAO
Performance: A complete lineup of Third-Party
Assessment Organizations (3PAOs), which provide FedRAMP cloud
security audits, showing their complete and pending certification
efforts, broken out by respective CSPs
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News:
The only news source solely dedicated to reporting news and
information for and about the FedRAMP community
These new efforts complement MeriTalk's existing Cloud
Computing Exchange (CCX), a community of Federal cloud leaders,
project managers, and other IT community stakeholders focused on
public-private collaboration and best-practice exchange. CCX generates
operational content, applications, and programs to help the Federal
government clearly define and realize its cloud computing goals. They
also bolster the existing Cloud
Computing Caucus Advisory Group, a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition
of technology companies and industry groups focused on educating
lawmakers and the public about cloud computing, as well as other
information technology issues.
The Gov Cloud Shopper, FedRAMP411, FedRAMP Forward, CCX, and the Cloud
Computing Caucus Advisory Group are united under the MeriTalk Cloud
Coalition.
"As goes FedRAMP, so goes Federal cloud," said Steve O'Keeffe, founder
of MeriTalk. "Simple is better than complex - GCS makes cloud pricing
transparent, and makes it easy to specify and purchase FedRAMP-compliant
cloud offerings."
About the Government IT Market and FedRAMP
The U.S. Federal government spends more than $80 billion each year on
IT. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Congress have directed
Federal agencies to embrace cloud computing and shared services to
increase the efficiency of Federal IT and reduce costs. According to
OMB's FedRAMP mandate, all commercial cloud services acquired by U.S.
agencies must have a FedRAMP Authorization to Operate (ATO). State and
local government agencies also use FedRAMP. The state and local
government market is bigger than the Federal IT market - and ripe for
cloud conversion.
To continue the cloud discussion, be a part of the MeriTalk Cloud
Coalition's Cloud Computing Exchange at www.meritalk.com/ccx.
About MeriTalk
The voice of tomorrow's government today, MeriTalk is a public-private
partnership focused on improving the outcomes of government IT. Focusing
on government's hot-button issues, MeriTalk hosts Big
Data Exchange, Cloud
Computing Exchange, Cyber
Security Exchange, and Data
Center Exchange - platforms dedicated to supporting public-private
dialogue and collaboration. MeriTalk connects with an audience of 85,000
government community contacts. For more information, visit www.meritalk.com
or follow us on Twitter (News - Alert), @meritalk.
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