MCG Energy is thrilled to announce that we achieved FedRAMP® Authorization on April 30, 2025—a significant milestone in our commitment to security and compliance. This rigorous process began in 2022, when the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) extended sponsorship to MCG Energy, recognizing our strong track record. From there, our journey was led by Infrastructure and Security Manager, Terry Peterson, culminating in Authorization after years of dedicated effort. Key milestones along the way included MCG’s entrance into the FedRAMP Marketplace in 2023 and receipt of DoE Authorization to Operate (ATO) in November 2024.
“MCG is grateful to all involved who helped accomplish this!” says MCG Energy’s CEO Brenda Huebsch. “These efforts were many and at a level above the rest. We’re very proud to continue to uphold the best in class reputation that MCG has been known for.”
Achieving FedRAMP Authorization is a monumental accomplishment—but maintaining it is just as critical. Unlike SOC/NIST auditing, which follows an annual cycle, FedRAMP requires continuous monitoring, timely fixes, and quarterly audits to uphold our ATO status. As the gold standard in energy software hosting, FedRAMP Authorization assures customers that our systems meet the highest security standards—without the need for lengthy, time-consuming audits. This not only enhances confidence in our platform but also streamlines customer operations, making compliance simpler and more efficient.
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Why is FedRAMP Authorization Important?
The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is a U.S. government-wide initiative designed to provide a cost-effective, standardized, and risk-based approach to cloud security authorization for federal systems and applications. Developed by the federal government, FedRAMP establishes consistent security guidelines for cloud hosting providers working with federal agencies. Agencies—including the Department of Energy (DoE) and its affiliates—are legally required to ensure that their cloud services comply with FedRAMP, including continuous monitoring (ConMon) by service providers.
FedRAMP is built upon the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidelines, specifically leveraging NIST’s Special Publication (SP) 800-53, which outlines security and privacy controls for federal information systems. This framework includes baselines and test cases to ensure federal agencies properly authorize and protect their cloud-based information systems.
While many companies provide cloud hosting services to various industries, any independent cloud provider working with federal agencies must meet FedRAMP’s rigorous security standards and legal requirements. Achieving FedRAMP Authorization demonstrates that MCG Energy fully meets these stringent requirements, ensuring the highest level of security and compliance for federal customers.
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MCG Energy’s Hosting and Application Security
FedRAMP builds upon the same industry-standard security principles found in SOC 2 and NIST SP 800-53, but with a significantly higher level of rigor—particularly in cloud hosting security. While MCG Energy has long adhered to SOC and NIST standards and continues to do so, FedRAMP introduces a private cloud hosting focus, requiring more detailed application and reporting of security controls. Unlike SOC 2 and NIST, which allow flexibility in the frequency and duration of security activities, FedRAMP mandates specific timelines and procedures for security operations. It also defines which tools can be used for automation, alerting, and security data integration.
Beyond Basic Energy Compliance: MCG Energy’s Full-Stack FedRAMP Security
At MCG Energy, security is embedded into software development, system architecture, as well as datacenter hosting. While some providers simply place applications into a FedRAMP-compliant cloud facility like AWS or Azure, this alone does not meet the stringent security requirements of federal agencies. MCG Energy has stood apart by applying SOC and NIST SP 800-53 standards to both its hosting infrastructure and applications. Continuing that precedent, MCG has achieved FedRAMP Authorization for both datacenter hosting facilities and software packages. Unlike competitors who shift security responsibility to an external hosting provider, MCG Energy ensures comprehensive security coverage—eliminating gaps and uncertainty in protecting federal systems.
MCG Energy’s FedRAMP Advantage
MCG Energy meets the highest cybersecurity standards, including SOC 2, NIST SP 800-53, and FedRAMP, providing the most trustworthy and reliable hosting infrastructure for your energy software needs.
With MCG Energy, everything is handled in-house—from software development to secure hosting in the MCG Private Cloud. This eliminates the common complexities of managing subcontractors or third-party vendors, offering you a single, reliable partner and a clear path to support for any requirements. The result is seamless, secure, and fully managed solutions you can truly rely on.
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David Peterson, Ph.D. is the content specialist for MCG Energy Solutions.