AWS Public Sector Blog
Introducing US-based, US citizen, 24/7 technical support for AWS GovCloud (US) customers: Your mission never sleeps, neither do we
Starting today, AWS GovCloud (US) customer technical support cases are routed to US-based, US citizens. This means that 24/7, AWS Support will make every effort to ensure your cases are handled exclusively by US-based, US citizens throughout the entire case lifecycle – no opt-in or special request required.
Why this matters for your mission
Government workloads don’t wait for business hours. Federal, state, and local government agencies, along with private companies, non-profits, and academic institutions working with government, operate systems that run continuously. Having 24/7 access to AWS GovCloud (US) cloud support engineers who are US citizens on US soil can mean the difference between service delivery and system failure. To meet these always-on operational demands, AWS services undergo compliance assessments that address the specific conformity requirements government customers require for their mission-critical workloads.
What’s new and how it helps you
Previously, AWS GovCloud (US) technical support cases might be assigned to support engineers outside the US. When access to restricted resources was required in support of the case, US-based engineers were available to assist. Starting today, technical support cases for AWS GovCloud (US) customers are now routed by default to US-based, US citizen cloud support engineers – no action is required from you. This team specializes in supporting workloads across both AWS GovCloud (US) Regions and they are trained in maintaining International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) compliance and other applicable GovCloud (US) requirements.
Streamlined support experience
Our cloud support engineers are full-time AWS employees who are US citizens based in the US and understand the government context in which you operate. They are familiar with:
- ITAR restrictions with recommended Business or Enterprise support plans
- Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP)
- The urgency behind mission-critical government applications
Our US-based, US citizen cloud support engineers have the permissions and tools needed to work within AWS GovCloud (US) environments for faster diagnosis and resolution. You can reach the team through channels you’re already using:
- Your AWS GovCloud (US) Console
- API access for automated support workflows
- Click-to-call for urgent issues
- Chat support for quick questions
Note on billing and account support: Billing and account questions route through your commercial account and may be handled by non-AWS GovCloud (US) teams. Billing and account questions include invoice inquiries, payment method updates, and account consolidation requests – not technical issues with AWS services or configurations.
Getting started
If you’re already an AWS GovCloud (US) customer, you don’t need to do anything – this support is already active as a general practice for your account. The next time you need technical help, simply open a case through your existing channels:
- Log into your AWS GovCloud (US) Console
- Navigate to the Support Center
- Create a case or use chat/phone for technical support
New to AWS GovCloud (US)? Follow our Getting Started: Sign Up for AWS GovCloud (US) guide to sign up, or contact AWS GovCloud (US) sales for more information.
AWS Support will make every reasonable effort to ensure cases related to AWS GovCloud (US) partitions are handled exclusively by US-based personnel who are US citizens throughout the entire case lifecycle.
Learn more
Ready to experience the difference? Visit AWS GovCloud (US) FAQs – Amazon Web Services to learn more about AWS GovCloud (US) support for your mission-critical operations.
For additional resources:
- AWS GovCloud (US) documentation
- AWS GovCloud (US) compliance information
- Contact your AWS government account team for personalized assistance
Frequently Asked Questions
General Information
Q: What is AWS GovCloud (US)?
A: AWS GovCloud (US) is an isolated AWS region designed to host sensitive data and regulated workloads in the cloud, helping customers support their US government compliance requirements. AWS GovCloud (US) is operated by US citizens on US soil and provides two regions, AWS GovCloud (US-East) and AWS GovCloud (US-West), that are physically and logically separated from commercial AWS regions. It enables government agencies and their partners to meet specific regulatory and compliance requirements, including ITAR, FedRAMP High, DoD SRG, and other federal security standards. Learn more at AWS GovCloud (US) FAQs.
Q: What’s the difference between the AWS GovCloud (US-West) and AWS GovCloud (US-East) Regions?
A: Both regions provide the same level of security and compliance but are geographically separated for redundancy and disaster recovery. Customers can choose the region closest to their operations or use both for enhanced availability.
Security & Compliance
Q: How does AWS GovCloud (US) support compliance requirements?
A: AWS GovCloud (US) is designed to help address specific regulatory and compliance requirements of US government agencies at the federal, state, and local level, as well as contractors, educational institutions, and other U.S. customers that run sensitive workloads in the cloud. The AWS GovCloud (US) Regions help customers to adhere to U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), and Department of Defense (DoD) Cloud Computing Security Requirements Guide (SRG) Impact Levels 2, 4, and 5. Visit the Compliance Programs page for a complete list of U.S. compliance standards supported by AWS GovCloud (US). Learn more about AWS GovCloud (US) compliance.
Q: How are you protecting my data and my privacy when I use this product?
A: Protecting data is AWS’s top priority. For additional information, please see our Data Privacy FAQs.
Support Operations
Q: Who provides AWS GovCloud (US) technical support and what are their qualifications?
A: Technical support is provided by full-time AWS cloud support engineers who are US citizens based on US soil. They undergo validation of United States citizenship and are trained in maintaining ITAR compliance. They specialize in supporting workloads across both AWS GovCloud (US) Regions.
Q: What are the support hours and channels for AWS GovCloud (US)?
A: Technical support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including Federal holidays. Customers can submit technical support cases through multiple channels including the Support Console, API access, click-to-call, and chat options.
Q: What counts as a billing or account question versus a technical support question?
A: Billing and account questions include things like invoice inquiries, payment method updates, account consolidation, and subscription management. Technical support covers issues with AWS service functionality, configurations, performance, and errors within your AWS GovCloud (US) environment. If you’re unsure, open a case through your AWS GovCloud (US) console, consult with GovCloud (US) technical support on the matter, and the team will help route it appropriately.