AWS Marketplace: A catalyst for federal procurement modernization

The US federal procurement landscape is undergoing its most dramatic transformation in decades. The Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Overhaul (RFO) and executive orders such as “Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement” (14275) and “Ensuring Commercial, Cost-Effective Solutions in Federal Contracts” (14271) represent a re-imagining of how government agencies buy goods and services. This reform aims to usher in a new era of streamlined, commercial-first procurement.

At the heart of this transformation is a bold vision: Federal procurement should be as agile and efficient as modern commerce. Enter AWS Marketplace—an offering that can help federal customers navigate this new age of federal procurement. AWS Marketplace delivers on the promises of the RFO: commercially available solutions, streamlined processes, rapid deployment, and simplified procurement processes—all while helping government customers maintain security and compliance requirements.

AWS Marketplace has been around for over a decade, but its methods of speeding up IT procurement meet the current moment:

1. Streamlined procurement: AWS Marketplace provides a digital catalog that allows agencies to quickly discover, procure, and deploy third-party software and services. This helps agencies align with the RFO’s goal of simplifying the acquisition process.
2. Access to commercial solutions: The RFO emphasizes utilizing commercial products and services. AWS Marketplace offers a vast selection of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software and solutions from thousands of vendors, making it easier for agencies to have access to industry innovation.
3. Efficiency and cost savings: By consolidating procurement through AWS Marketplace, agencies can reduce administrative overhead and potentially benefit from purchasing at scale. This helps agencies meet the RFO’s objective of creating a more efficient and cost-effective procurement system.

Additional benefits of AWS Marketplace to federal buyers include:

1. Flexible pricing options: AWS Marketplace offers various pricing models, including pay-as-you-go, annual subscriptions, and private offers. This flexibility allows agencies to optimize their spending and align with budgetary constraints.
2. Compliance and security: Many products in AWS Marketplace are available for government use, including solutions available in AWS GovCloud (US), AWS Secret, and AWS Top Secret regions via the AWS Marketplace for the US Intelligence Community (ICMP). Customers can filter by services that meet compliance regimes such as FedRAMP. This helps agencies meet compliance requirements more easily.
3. Centralized governance: With AWS Private Marketplace, agencies can create curated catalogs of pre-approved products, helping them comply with internal policies and streamlining the approval process.
4. Integration with existing contracts: AWS Marketplace may be accessible through various government contract vehicles, allowing agencies to utilize existing agreements and simplify the procurement process.
5. Rapid deployment: Once procured, solutions from AWS Marketplace can be quickly deployed and integrated with AWS Services, enabling faster time-to-value for government projects.

As federal agencies adapt to the RFO, AWS Marketplace is ready to support their procurement needs. By utilizing AWS Marketplace, government customers can streamline their acquisition processes, access a wide range of commercial solutions, and drive innovation in public sector IT.

For more information on how AWS Marketplace can support your agency’s procurement goals in this new era of federal acquisition, contact your AWS account team or visit the AWS Marketplace for the Public Sector.