Overview

Integrate, a leading provider of program management software for space, defense, and other critical industries, was selected for a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to support a government customer in tackling complex, multi-stakeholder programs. These initiatives are often plagued by fragmented timelines, siloed teams, and shifting external dependencies.

To address this, Integrate delivered its multiplayer project management platform, enabling teams to share segmented, live views of Integrated Master Schedules (IMS) with external partners, without compromising security or control. But delivering this capability wasn’t just about great software—it required deployment into a classified environment at Impact Level 6 (IL6), the DoD’s designation for handling SECRET information. 

With the success of their Phase II engagement on the line and government stakeholders expecting deployment in under 12 months—a process that typically takes years—Integrate turned to Second Front to meet the mission at speed and scale.

“The team at Second Front was incredibly responsive and proactive, providing unwavering support to ensure a smooth and efficient deployment. Their dedication to commercial and government stakeholders made all the difference in helping us move at blazing speed.”

— John Conafay, Co-Founder & CEO, Integrate

From Red Tape to Readiness: Overcoming IL6 Challenges

Achieving IL6 accreditation is one of the most demanding security and compliance hurdles for commercial software providers aiming to deploy on DoD networks. 

Navigating the IL6 accreditation process posed several significant obstacles:

• Strict Security Standards: IL6 requires compliance with some of the most rigorous DoD cybersecurity protocols, far beyond what commercial cloud providers typically encounter.
• Complex Authorization Pathways: The multi-step process of inheriting, validating, and verifying compliance can be unclear, leading to bottlenecks and delays.
• Prohibitive Costs and Resources: Integrate initially estimated needing hundreds of thousands of dollars and dedicated full-time staff to manage accreditation efforts.
• Extended Approval Timelines: Traditional IL6 authorization can take two to three years, introducing uncertainty in timelines for deployment and revenue generation.
• Ongoing Compliance Burden: Even after accreditation, maintaining compliance in an ever-evolving regulatory landscape requires constant updates, monitoring, and security enhancements.

Without a streamlined accreditation pathway, Integrate risked delayed deployments, lost revenue, and an inability to support government agencies in classified operations. They needed a solution to fast-track their IL6 accreditation while minimizing operational strain.

The 2F Advantage: Unlocking IL6 Accreditation Faster

Integrate partnered with Second Front to accelerate accreditation and deployment. 2F Game Warden is the fastest pathway to software accreditation, allowing companies to inherit an ATO at IL2-6+ at a fraction of the time and cost compared to traditional methods. By automating compliance and security processes, 2F Game Warden ensures adherence to stringent DoD cybersecurity standards and supports seamless integration into federal and defense networks.

“2F delivered what other providers couldn’t: an ATO on day one, even for a classified environment. Inheriting an ATO and skipping the usual government wrangling was a complete gamechanger.”

— John Conafay, Co-Founder & CEO, Integrate

Beyond just technology, 2F’s team provided expert guidance and orchestration, streamlining the accreditation process by coordinating critical compliance milestones and ensuring smooth execution, simplifying the accreditation journey. With fully managed hosting options, automated security controls, and built-in compliance with strict ATO requirements, 2F Game Warden enabled Integrate to quickly secure their application for classified environments. 

Additionally, our Day 2 ops support ensures that once deployment is complete, ongoing compliance, security monitoring, and system updates remain seamless, allowing Integrate to focus on mission success rather than maintenance.

The Results

By leveraging 2F Game Warden, Integrate achieved:

• Achieved classified deployment in under 12 months.
• Saved over $500K compared to initial budget estimates.
• Expanded partnerships with U.S. Space Force, NASA, and the Air Force.
• Secured a $25M Phase III SBIR award from the U.S. Space Force.

This deployment wouldn’t have been possible without the support of key defense stakeholders like the Department of the Air Force Cloudworks team, who are driving innovation in military software adoption. That momentum helped Integrate quickly secure a $25M Phase III SBIR award from the U.S. Space Force—a direct continuation of their successful Phase II performance, made possible by their rapid and secure IL6 deployment through 2F Game Warden.

“In close collaboration with 2F and ODIN, we are demonstrating the realm of the possible in scaling the impact of our military and civil servants delivering mission-critical capabilities at the speed of relevance.”

—Col. Mike Medgyessy, CIO for the Air Force Intelligence Community

Take the Next Step

Are you ready to streamline accreditation and get your solution in front of federal agencies faster? Learn how Game Warden can help you navigate the compliance maze with confidence.