How FedRAMP-Authorized Ediscovery Platforms Support Government Transparency Requests

How FedRAMP-Authorized Ediscovery Platforms Support Government Request

How can government agencies securely manage public record requests while staying compliant with federal regulations? The answer lies in using FedRAMP-authorized eDiscovery platforms designed to handle sensitive data with speed, accuracy, and accountability. These tools are especially critical as FOIA requests continue to rise, with federal agencies receiving over 928,000 requests in fiscal year 2022 alone, according to the Federal News Network.

Today we're taking a closer look into how FedRAMP-approved eDiscovery solutions support transparency, improve response times, and more!

Government Transparency and Public Access

Government agencies are under constant pressure to meet growing public expectations for transparency. At the same time, they must comply with legal requirements that demand timely and complete access to public records.

There are three primary reasons why demand continues to rise:

• FOIA and other transparency laws give the public legal rights to request information
• People expect faster digital responses from public institutions
• Agencies manage large amounts of government data

Legal Rights to Request Information

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) gives anyone the right to request access to federal records. State and local governments have similar laws that create legal obligations to release public documents. Government agencies must follow strict timelines when responding to these requests.

Faster Digital Responses from Public Institutions

Today's public expects a faster and more digital-friendly experience. People don't want to wait weeks for paper files or incomplete responses. They want to get the information they're requesting in a format they can use.

It creates added pressure on government offices to respond quickly and accurately, even if the data is stored in multiple formats or systems.

Agencies Manage Large Amounts of Government Data

Agencies collect and store massive amounts of data. These records may be spread across email servers, cloud platforms, legacy systems, and paper files.

Finding the right information for a record request takes time, especially if systems don't talk to each other. Without the right tools in place, this process can be slow, inconsistent, and prone to error.

Challenges in Managing Government Data Requests

Government data requests can be difficult to manage without the right tools or structure in place. There are three main issues that make the process harder than it needs to be:

• Disorganized or inconsistent storage systems
• Manual steps that increase the chance of error
• Lack of secure collaboration across teams

Storage Systems

Many government offices still rely on a mix of digital and paper records. Some files live in shared drives while others are stored in outdated systems or kept in filing cabinets.

It makes it hard to locate all the records tied to a single request. Without a clear system, teams can spend hours searching and may still miss important documents.

Manual Steps That Increase the Chance of Error

Handling record requests by hand often leads to delays. Staff may need to print, scan, or copy files just to move them into the review process.

If redactions are done manually, it's easy to overlook sensitive information. These steps take time and often result in inconsistent results, especially when multiple people are involved.

Lack of Secure Collaboration Across Teams

FOIA and other requests often require input from different departments. Without a shared platform, communication can slow down.

Files may be passed back and forth by email or saved in folders that not everyone can access. This makes it harder to track changes, review the status of a request, or keep data secure.

What is FedRAMP and Why It Matters for eDiscovery

When government agencies use cloud-based services, those services must meet strict security standards. That's where FedRAMP comes in.

FedRAMP, which stands for the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, provides a standardized process to evaluate the security of cloud products used by federal agencies. This approval is required before any cloud tool can be used to store, process, or transmit government data.

For eDiscovery platforms, FedRAMP compliance is a key requirement. Agencies need to know that the tools they use to manage record requests can protect sensitive files from exposure.

FedRAMP-approved platforms meet these standards through regular audits, detailed reporting, and strict access controls. It helps reduce the risk of data leaks and builds trust between the agency and the public.

How FedRAMP-Authorized eDiscovery Platforms Streamline FOIA Requests

Public agencies face pressure to process FOIA requests quickly and accurately. FedRAMP-authorized eDiscovery platforms help by reducing manual work, improving data search, and keeping everything secure. There are three main ways these platforms support faster and more reliable FOIA responses:

• Advanced search features that locate relevant records quickly
• Automated redactions and metadata handling
• Built-in tools for audit trails and secure collaboration

Advanced Search Features

One of the biggest time-wasters during a FOIA response is sorting through irrelevant files. With advanced search functions, users can filter by date, keyword, document type, or sender.

These filters make it easier to find exactly what's needed, even across large volumes of data. This cuts down on time and helps avoid missing documents that should be included.

Automated Redactions and Metadata Handling

Many requests require redacting personal details or sensitive information. When done manually, this process can lead to mistakes. With automation, the platform can apply redaction rules to specific terms or data types.

It can also manage metadata to show when and how records were created or changed. These steps protect privacy and add context to each document.

Built-In Tools for Audit Trails and Secure Collaboration

Agencies often need to show how they handled a request. FedRAMP-authorized platforms log every step, from data collection to final delivery.

This audit trail helps confirm that the response followed legal steps. Secure sharing features also let departments work together in real time without putting files at risk. It keeps the process moving without sacrificing control.

eDiscovery for Law Firms: Legal Compliance Tools

FedRAMP-authorized eDiscovery platforms give public agencies and their legal partners the tools they need to manage requests with accuracy, speed, and security.

With Reveal, you can streamline investigations and legal review with AI-powered eDiscovery software built for speed and simplicity. Process over 900 file types, run advanced searches, and use visual tools to uncover key insights. Features like OCR, translation, and supervised learning help teams reduce manual work, organize data, and accelerate decisions at any scale.

Get in touch so we can help with your eDiscovery!