Merlin Cyber Constellation GovCloud accelerates FedRAMP authorization for SaaS companies

Merlin Cyber launched Constellation GovCloud, a managed service that is designed to accelerate Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) authorization for software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies.

The managed service enables SaaS companies to achieve FedRAMP Authority to Operate (ATO) more quickly and cost-effectively, empowering them to pursue a $200B Public Sector IT market.

The clamor for enhanced cybersecurity protection within U.S. federal, state, and local governments has never been greater, as cybersecurity attacks continue to increase in frequency, scale, and sophistication.

Moreover, as government agencies move to the cloud, it is driving the need for enhanced security and increased demand for SaaS technologies to meet FedRAMP requirements.

FedRAMP is a government-wide program that promotes the adoption of secure cloud services across the federal government by providing a standardized approach to security for the cloud.

For most SaaS companies, navigating the complexities of the FedRAMP authorization process and addressing all 325 controls can be very complex, time-consuming and expensive.

Constellation GovCloud solves for this by expediting FedRAMP authorization and addressing more than 80 percent of the controls.

“The U.S. government is the largest market in the world, and you need FedRAMP authorization to sell into the government if you’re a company with a SaaS offering,” said David Phelps, CEO of Merlin.

“Constellation GovCloud, which is backed by Merlin’s 25-plus years of experience in the Public Sector, significantly reduces time, costs, and level of effort, enabling SaaS companies to accelerate time to market.

“This is not only a game-changer for companies, but it’s also a game-changer for U.S. Public Sector agencies.

“We are making it simpler for government agencies to access the innovative SaaS solutions they need to minimize risk in support of their mission.”

The Constellation GovCloud managed service includes:

• Advisory services that enable companies to expertly navigate the FedRAMP ATO process.
• A pre-configured FedRAMP-compliant platform that satisfies more than 80% of all moderate controls out of the box.
• Oversight of regulatory compliance through a Program Management Office.
• Pre-defined policies and procedures with templates that efficiently guide the development of required documentation.
• Handling of a majority of the Operational and Management controls, which are often overlooked but can have a significant impact on organizational operations and staffing.
• In-boundary, plug-and-play, continuous monitoring technology stack with fully staffed operations to automate ongoing compliance requirements.

The Constellation GovCloud platform and cloud marketplace is hosted in Amazon Web Services GovCloud.