Case Study
FedRAMP 20x: We Went First. Here’s How Coalfire and Paramify Did It.
Paramify builds software that helps companies achieve federal compliance faster, cheaper, and in a genuinely better way.
The Moment that Made it Obvious
When FedRAMP 20x launched — a modernized, automation-first path to federal authorization — it wasn't a question of whether Paramify would pursue it. It was a question of who would move fast enough to go with them.
Paramify had been watching public sector demand build for a while.
“Federal agencies were interested. The pipeline was there,” said Mike Schreiner, Chief Operating Officer at Paramify. “But we kept hitting the same wall: “Do you have FedRAMP?” “
The one that stung most: a deal where the customer's budget was already approved. The contract was as good as signed — until their security team flagged that Paramify was not FedRAMP authorized and shut it down. No recourse, no workaround. Just a closed door.
Finding a Partner who Could Keep Up
FedRAMP 20x was new territory for everyone. There was no established playbook, no company that had been through it at the Moderate level and come out the other side to share notes. That made partner selection critical — Paramify needed a 3PAO with the experience and the know-how, that could also think ahead, be creative, move fast, and had the appetite to innovate.
Paramify chose Coalfire.
“Coalfire was the ideal partner for us. They understood the evolving realities of 20x and adapted alongside us instead of waiting for the dust to settle. And critically, they helped us figure out where to focus — which evidence and security indicators would actually matter for assessment, so we weren't burning cycles on things that didn't move the needle.”
That kind of guidance is harder to find than it sounds. A lot of compliance work turns into a sprawling checklist that consumes everyone and produces anxiety rather than progress. Coalfire helped keep the process sharp.
Internally, Paramify matched that with real executive commitment.
When engineering or DevOps needed to respond to a FedRAMP requirement, leadership had already pre-cleared the priority. Cycles that might have taken weeks happened in days. That alignment — across security, engineering, product, and leadership — ended up being the single biggest factor in how fast Paramify and Coalfire moved.
What Happened Next
The results have been concrete. Paramify has already seen expansion in total addressable market and pipeline since being listed in the FedRAMP marketplace. Within six months of completing their assessment, Paramify had two federal agencies signed and several more in late-stage evaluation.
They are now certified in the FedRAMP Marketplace, and the halo effect has reached beyond government — Paramify reports commercial customers skipping their standard security review entirely because FedRAMP covers it. Partners trust them more, deals close differently.
Looking back, Paramify credits one factor above all others: assembling the right team. Internally, that means aligning engineering, leadership, and compliance around the initiative from the start. Beyond that, it means choosing the right partners.
Paramify’s Takeaway
Aligning our engineering, leadership, and compliance teams to all work together with Coalfire on the FedRAMP initiative was the biggest factor that contributed to our ability to achieve FedRAMP certification and authorization quickly.”
Looking for guidance on your FedRAMP journey?
Connect with Coalfire’s FedRAMP Advisors to learn how our team can help you prepare, stay focused, and move toward certification with confidence.
Interested in a collaborative path to FedRAMP certification?
Learn how working together with Coalfire and Paramify can help your organization align teams, accelerate progress, and achieve meaningful results. Ask our Advisors to learn more.