What does it mean to be an initial agency partner?

An Initial Agency Partner or initial authorizing agency refers to the first agency to grant an Authority to Operate (ATO) using FedRAMP standards and baselines for the Cloud Service Offering (CSO). Some stakeholders use the term "Agency Sponsor.” FedRAMP does not recognize the concept of an agency sponsor because the ATO granted by the initial authorizing agency is not a government-wide risk acceptance. As described in FedRAMP's Reuse Quick Guide, OMB Circular A-130 requires agencies to individually authorize operation of an information system and to explicitly accept the risk. Each agency that wishes to use the CSO will conduct its own risk review of the authorization package and grant its own ATO.