Perplexity has become the first provider to receive a FedRAMP "Class C" certification that fully complies with the new rules and the accelerated "20x" process. FedScoop reports this, citing several announcements from the past week. According to the source, Class C is most closely aligned with FedRAMP's old "Moderate" level and is the most common class in the marketplace.
Background
The certification complies with the FedRAMP Consolidated Rules for 2026, which were released over the summer together with the opening of the 20x pipeline. According to a FedRAMP blog, the first 20x Class C certification marks the real start of the effort to significantly expand the marketplace of cloud services available to federal agencies. Security capabilities are increasingly assessed through outcome-based "Key Security Indicators" rather than purely narrative descriptions.
According to the blog, there are now seven "Class A" certifications, a new entry-level tier that has been rolling out since August. Twelve "Class B" certifications are in the pilot phase, including Google Gemini for Government and Flock Safety. OpenAI's ChatGPT and Filevine hold pilot Class C certifications, as do about a dozen others. According to the source, nearly 100 products have started the certification process, including offerings from Anthropic and Cisco.
What the certification concretely enables
Perplexity's certification allows the General Services Administration and the Department of Agriculture to use the Perplexity Enterprise and API Platform. According to the company blog, it brings live web search and source-cited answers into the certified environment. The company describes itself as an American company.
Assessment
For companies outside the US federal government, FedRAMP is not directly binding. However, those selling cloud AI services to US agencies, or using such security evidence as a benchmark, could benefit from the outcome-based assessment if the requirements prove workable in practice. It remains open how quickly the announced further certifications will follow; FedRAMP itself describes a long road to thousands of products.
Sources
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