About the Federal Cloud Computing Initiative

The Federal Cloud Computing Initiative (FCCI) is rooted in ITI LoB which was a Government-wide study of end user systems and support, telecommunications, mainframe and server services including optimizing performance, efficiency and effectiveness, and year over year comparisons. Subsequently, the Federal CIO Council identified Cloud Computing as a Federal IT priority and formed a CIO Working Group, the Cloud Computing Executive Steering Committee (CCESC), in March of 2009. GSA’s Casey Coleman chairs the CCESC which leads the Federal Cloud Computing Initiative.

The objective of the FCCI is to make cloud computing services accessible and easy to procure for Federal agencies. Actions taken so far have included:

• Creating a cloud computing definition (NIST)
• Hosting a cloud computing summit
• Releasing an IaaS RFI and subsequent IaaS RFQ
• Launching a cloud computing storefront: http://apps.gov

The FCCI Executive Steering Committee, Advisory Council, and Working Groups continue to work on identifying and addressing issues and obstacles to successful cloud computing implementation.

Cloud Computing Mission Statement

Drive the government-wide adoption of cost effective, green, and sustainable Federal cloud computing solutions.

Cloud Computing Vision Statement

Establish secure, easy to use, rapidly provisioned IT services for the Federal Government, including:

• Agile and simple acquisition and certification processes;
• Elastic, usage-based delivery of pooled computing resources;
• Portable, reusable and interoperable business-driven solutions;
• Browser-based ubiquitous internet access to services; and
• Always on and available, utility-like solutions.

View the CIO Cloud Computing Strategy to gain more insight on the objective and goals for Federal Cloud Computing.