Glossary / Security
Authority to OperateATO
An ATO is granted by an Authorizing Official after a system completes its Risk Management Framework (RMF) assessment, a package of security controls, test results, a Plan of Action & Milestones, and a continuous-monitoring strategy. Without an ATO, a system can sit fully built but legally unable to operate on DoW networks. Variants include Interim ATO (IATO), Conditional ATO (cATO), and Continuous ATO.
Why it matters to your pipeline
ATO timelines are notorious for slipping programs. Proposals that credibly address RMF, cATO pipelines, and DevSecOps posture have a real discriminator.
When this term shows up in an opening GovSmith finds for you, your vCM explains what it means for that pursuit and does whatever it calls for. You decide; we do the work.
Example
A software-defined mission system that cleared a cATO with the Air Force's Platform One could push new releases weekly instead of waiting months for per-release approval.
Find out what applies to you
Some terms will matter to your business right away and some won’t for years. A vCM can tell you which are which.