The FedRAMP program is undergoing its most transformative overhaul in over a decade.

Announced by the General Services Administration (GSA) in March 2025, FedRAMP 20x represents a fundamental reimagining of how the federal government approaches cloud security compliance. It shifts away from a rigid, paperwork-heavy assessment process toward a more agile, automation-driven model designed to accelerate cloud adoption, reduce costs, and make compliance accessible to a broader range of cloud service providers (CSPs).

Below, we take a comprehensive look at what FedRAMP 20x is, how it’s changing the landscape for federal cloud compliance, what it means for currently authorized CSPs, and how organizations can prepare for the new model. We’ll also explain the Phase One pilot program, highlight key milestones in the transition timeline, and offer practical advice to help you stay ahead of federal contract requirements.

What is FedRAMP 20x?

At its core, FedRAMP 20x is a modernization initiative aimed at streamlining the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP). The goal is to reduce the cost and complexity of achieving authorization through automation and real-time monitoring.

The original FedRAMP model provided a standardized approach to assessing and authorizing cloud service offerings used by U.S. federal agencies. But over time, it became clear that this procurement process was too slow, too expensive, and too manual to keep pace with technological innovation. Compliance timelines often stretched beyond a year, and the cost of entry put FedRAMP out of reach for most small and mid-sized providers as mainly enterprises were the only ones able to participate in FedRAMP.

FedRAMP 20x is a direct response to these challenges. It introduces a new compliance model built around automation, real-time reporting, and closer collaboration between agencies and CSPs. The ultimate goal is to create a cloud-native, continuously updated compliance ecosystem that allows secure technologies to reach the federal market faster.

Why is FedRAMP changing?

The push to modernize FedRAMP isn’t new, but momentum accelerated following the passage of the FedRAMP Authorization Act in 2022. Since then, government leaders, security professionals, and cloud vendors have all acknowledged the need for reform.

The existing model, while effective in its time, has not scaled to meet the current pace of innovation and has much too high barriers to entry. CSPs often face incredibly high costs, long backlogs, complex documentation requirements, and overlapping security assessments. Many simply avoid the federal market altogether due to the resource burden involved.

FedRAMP 20x aims to break down these barriers by embracing a few core principles: compliance automation over paperwork, real-time and continuous monitoring over annual 3PAO assessments, and direct engagement between providers and agencies via Trust Centers. By shifting to this new model, the government hopes to unlock faster access to cutting-edge, secure cloud technologies within the private sector.

How is FedRAMP 20x different?

FedRAMP 20x introduces sweeping changes to both the structure and philosophy of the program. Rather than a top-down, federally managed compliance process, 20x distributes responsibility across CSPs, federal agencies, and industry-led working groups.

One of the most important changes is the introduction of real-time compliance dashboards. Instead of submitting monthly reports or annual audit documentation, CSPs will use automation tools with Trust Centers to provide ongoing visibility into their security posture. Federal agencies will be able to access this information directly, enabling faster decision-making and eliminating delays caused by manual reviews.

Another major shift is the move toward machine-readable evidence and automation-driven validation. CSPs will be expected to generate structured outputs, such as OSCAL-formatted files, JSON files, and/or API data, to demonstrate compliance. This allows for continuous control monitoring and reduces the need for human-reviewed documentation.

Working groups composed of industry stakeholders and government participants are also shaping the future of FedRAMP. These groups are defining standards for continuous monitoring, automating assessments, leveraging existing commercial security frameworks, and developing best practices for real-time reporting. FedRAMP facilitates these groups but does not lead them, signaling a shift to a more community-driven approach that incorporates public comment.

Perhaps the biggest change, however, is the decentralization of compliance interactions. In the past, FedRAMP served as the central hub for authorization reviews and ongoing monitoring. Under 20x, these responsibilities shift to the agencies themselves, with CSPs expected to engage directly using standardized tools and data feeds.

What does FedRAMP 20x mean for current FedRAMP-Authorized CSPs?

If your organization already has a FedRAMP authorization, you’re not starting from scratch. Existing ATOs remain valid, and 20x is meant to be followed by a more-traditional assessment for authorization by a 3PAO.

That said, CSPs will need to adapt now to meet the new expectations. Real-time monitoring and automated reporting will soon become standard, replacing the monthly continuous monitoring reports and annual security assessments many CSPs are used to.

You’ll also need to prepare for greater autonomy. Without FedRAMP playing the intermediary role, CSPs will be responsible for managing more of the compliance lifecycle themselves. This includes maintaining real-time dashboards, conducting internal risk assessments and control validation, and working directly with agency sponsors to address security changes or incidents.

Organizations that proactively adopt automation and streamline their internal compliance workflows will have a distinct advantage in this new model. Those that rely heavily on manual processes may struggle to keep up.

The FedRAMP 20x Phase One Pilot

For CSPs looking to get a head start, the FedRAMP 20x Phase One pilot offers a chance to engage with the new model early.

This pilot focuses on streamlining the FedRAMP Low authorization process using a reduced set of Key Security Indicators (KSIs) in place of the full Rev. 5 control baselines. The goal is to evaluate how well automation, machine-readable evidence, and real-time monitoring can replace traditional manual reviews.

Participation in the pilot is open to the public until August 15, 2025, with eligibility for low-impact CSPs. Organizations that successfully complete Phase One will receive a 12-month FedRAMP Low authorization. They’ll also receive priority consideration for Moderate-level authorization in future phases.

For startups and smaller cloud vendors, this is a unique opportunity to enter the federal space more quickly and with significantly lower compliance costs. It also allows participants to shape the future of the program by providing real-world feedback on the pilot’s structure and effectiveness. 

Secureframe is proud to be participating in the FedRAMP 20x pilot with an ‘In Process’ designation, alongside our trusted 3PAO partner, Coalfire. If you’re interested in participating in FedRAMP20x, we offer out-of-the-box support for the KSI framework, paired with Trust Center capabilities, federal-ready automation and expertise you can trust. Fill out the form here for more information on how we can help you get FedRAMP Low authorized. 

The FedRAMP 20x timeline: What to expect and when

The rollout of FedRAMP 20x is happening fast. The new model was officially announced in March 2025, and the initial community working groups launched shortly thereafter. By the end of April 2025, the FedRAMP Program Management Office (PMO) committed to clearing the backlog of existing authorization requests under the old model.

While the Rev. 5 authorization path will remain available in the short term, FedRAMP 20x is expected to become the standard model for all new authorizations by early 2026. That’s also when the program will transition to an annual update cycle, enabling more responsive revisions to security requirements and practices.

In other words, the window to prepare is short. CSPs that want to succeed under the new model should begin modernizing their compliance operations now.

7 Ways CSPs can prepare for FedRAMP 20x

With the shift toward automation and real-time compliance already underway, here are a few practical steps CSPs can take to get ready:

1. Embrace automation: Evaluate your current compliance processes and identify opportunities for automation. Focus on high-impact areas like evidence collection, vulnerability scanning, access reviews, and control testing. Look for ways to centralize and standardize logs and data outputs that can feed into real-time dashboards. To stay ahead of FedRAMP 20x requirements, choose an automation platform that supports real-time monitoring, OSCAL formatting, and Trust Center management, and offers the 20x framework out of the box, like Secureframe. 
2. Prepare for continuous monitoring: Start assessing your ability to produce machine-readable evidence. Tools that can export OSCAL-compliant files or API-based control status will be increasingly important. If you’re not already using such tools, start exploring your options now.
3. Align with industry certifications: SOC 2 and ISO 27001 will increasingly serve as foundations for FedRAMP 20x compliance. In fact, a SOC 2 Type 2 report is a required prerequisite for participation in the FedRAMP 20x Low impact pilot. Getting certified or updating your controls now puts you in a good position to stay aligned with both industry best practices and federal expectations as FedRAMP 20x evolves.
4. Engage with working groups: Stay plugged into GitHub discussions, Zoom meetings, or advisory councils related to FedRAMP 20x.
5. Strengthen agency relationships: In the new model, agencies will play a larger role in validating and monitoring compliance. Building clear, open communication channels with an agency sponsor will help smooth the transition and establish trust.
6. Review documentation practices: Begin transitioning away from FedRAMP-specific templates where possible, and document your controls in ways that align with automation tools.
7. Plan for agility: With annual updates ahead, CSPs must adopt a mindset of continuous improvement and flexible compliance strategies.

Finally, keep a close eye on developments from the FedRAMP 20x working groups. The standards and practices they define will shape the compliance landscape for years to come.

A more agile, accessible era for federal cybersecurity compliance

This new 20x program represents a meaningful shift not just in the FedRAMP process, but in the mindset with which cloud providers need to approach their security practices. It’s a recognition that static compliance models are no longer sufficient in a world where security threats evolve by the hour and innovation moves faster than regulation.

By embracing automation, decentralization, and continuous improvement, the new model offers the potential to unlock faster time-to-market for secure technologies, lower compliance costs for vendors, and a more resilient infrastructure for federal agencies.

For CSPs, this is the moment to invest in automation, modernize your compliance operations, and lean into real-time security validation. Those that do will be best positioned to thrive in a new era of federal cloud compliance.