White Paper
cATO+ and Federal Modernization
Accelerating Continuous Authority to Operate Through Compliance Documentation Automation
Summary
The traditional authority to operate (ATO) process in both federal civilian (FedCiV) agencies and Department of Defense (DoD) environments presents significant challenges in software delivery, with authorization timelines typically ranging from 6-18 months. While continuous authority to operate (cATO) significantly streamlines those timelines, many implementations still struggle with the heavy documentation burdens. This white paper examines an enhanced approach — cATO+ — which builds upon standard cATO practices by adding crucial automation for compliance documentation and assessment.
The cATO+ methodology has been successfully implemented across multiple government agencies, enabling them to redirect resources from compliance documentation to active risk reduction and mission-focused activities.
The documented results from agencies, including the DoD, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), include:
Up to 74% reduction in compliance overhead
30% decrease in authorization time
50% shorter onboarding times while maintaining strong security outcomes
GRC Engineering Resources
Automating compliance processes with GRC engineering streamlines adherence to regulatory standards and internal policies by integrating automated tools and technologies into the GRC framework. Learn more in the video below.
We’re in good company.
