Handling FOIA requests without an FOIA software is impossible. So you probably have some FOIA software running in your agency. But, for Federal agencies ‘some FOIA software solution’ is not enough. Nowadays, when working with sensitive data, security must come first.

As an established company in the ECM and Case Management industry, we’re painfully aware of the security threats and how important data security really is for government agencies.

The good news about us all is that the National Institute of Standards and Technology initiated the development of FedRAMP. Companies that build FOIA solutions have to adhere to FedRAMP. On the other hand, agencies have to use a FedRAMP Compliant FOIA Software Solution.

What Is FedRAMP Compliance And Why Is It Important?

The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, or FedRAMP, is basically a standardized approach by which the U.S Government determines whether a cloud computing product is secure enough to be used by Federal agencies.

Choosing a FedRAMP Compliant FOIA Software Solution guarantees security and protection of Governmental data. The existence of such a program significantly reduces the burden FOIA Agencies carry every day.

Before FedRAMP, Federal agencies dealing with FOIA had to manage their own security assessment methodologies following the guidance of the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA).

Today, with FedRAMP, this is much easier. Now, when buying an FOIA Software Solution, FOIA agencies use FedRAMP as a guideline. Most of the times, this boils down to a simple Google search for “FedRAMP Compliant FOIA Software Solutions.”

This guideline is developed in a form of a Security Assessment Framework which includes 4 stages:

1. Documentation
2. Assessment
3. Authorization
4. Continuous Monitoring

As directed by OBM, FOIA agencies must use FedRAMP Security Assessment Framework when assessing the security of an FOIA Software Solution they want to use.

The framework does not only guarantee the security and protection of Governmental data but it also saves time, money, and staff required for these security assessments. As such, FedRAMP Compliant FOIA Software Solutions by default are a guarantee that no FOIA-related record will ever be handled by a non-compliant software.

Over the years, Armedia has developed a FOIA software module as an add-on to ArkCase. We did this because clients are always on the lookout for a cost-effective FOIA solution. And, as ArkCase is an open-source case management system that has Alfresco in its technology stack, it was a no-brainer. Just recently, we took this module and contributed it to the ArkCase project.

Let’s cover in a bit more details why ArkCase FOIA is the place to go when looking for a FedRAMP compliant FOIA software solution.

ArkCase FOIA: Cost-Effective FedRAMP Compliant FOIA Software Solution

When it comes to FOIA solutions, Armedia has plenty to show for. With over 17 years in Case Management Solutions, we delivered solutions focused on increasing effectiveness and productivity while reducing the time and costs spent on processing FOIA requests.

Throughout the years we have made some collaborations with industry leaders like ArkCase, Alfresco, and AWS and developed the Armedia FOIA Software Solution based on ArkCase.

Knowing that the best and safest way of providing security among FOIA agencies is FedRAMP Compliance, the ArkCase FOIA Software solution is built to meet all the FedRAMP requirements.

This cost-effective FOIA Software Solution has gone through all of the stages that the FedRAMP program requires and now it is one of the few FedRAMP Compliant FOIA applications out there.

Here are just a few key features we built into the ArkCase FOIA solution:

1. Automation of the Entire Process. Managing a massive number of FOIA requests on a daily basis is one of the largest problems for FOIA agencies. To help reduce backlogs, ArkCase FOIA is a fully automated and easy-to-use
   From FOIA request submission to delivery of the requested information, ArkCase FOIA will make sure everything goes fast, smooth, and automatic. No more piles of paper. No more delays. No more unsatisfied citizens.
2. Pre-Configured Workflows. Once the request is submitted, it is safely stored and enrolled in a pre-configured workflow. These workflows use a standard format which makes the whole process much easier for the employees.
   With the ‘multi-track and automatic status update’ feature, each employee will always know when and what they are expected to do. This makes FOIA processing much simpler, easier, and faster.
3. Data Storage and Access to Records. As a cloud-based FOIA Software, ArkCase FOIA stores and maintains all the records and correspondence related to each request according to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) rules.
   This allows FOIA agencies secure access to data from anywhere in the world on any device that has an internet connection.
4. One Interface for Communication. Unlike most FOIA Software Solutions, the ArkCase FOIA uses one interface for communication for both internal and external use. This feature allows easy and fast communication between departments, agencies, and other institutions but, also for communication with citizens.
5. Online Submission of Requests. The ArkCase FOIA Software solution allows online submission of requests. This means that citizens can easily request for disclosure of Government information from their homes.

All of these features, together with the FedRAMP Compliance, make the ArkCase FOIA Software Solution a reliable, secure, and scalable solution. And most importantly, this is a cost-effective FOIA software solution.

Final Thoughts

The safety of Government data is not something people should take lightly. We recognize this problem and our experienced team in Armedia always gives 100% in delivering the best solutions for you.

We do care about your needs and the needs of your users and that is why we put so much effort into developing a FedRAMP compliant FOIA software solution. The added benefit is that agencies who look for ways to save money should look for open-source, cost-effective solutions.

If you want to find out more about the ArkCase FOIA Software solution, or you have some unanswered questing, feel free to contact us.

And don’t forget to share this blog post on your social media platforms so your colleagues could also find out about the benefits of our FOIA solution.