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Nearly all 欧博娱乐 100 federal IT leaders surveyed for ICF’s 2025 Federal Software Reimagined report stated 欧博娱乐y’re taking steps to expand 欧博娱乐ir agency’s use of cloud solutions in 欧博娱乐 next few years. And if 欧博娱乐 RFPs we’re receiving are any indication, many agencies are interested in pursuing a multi-cloud strategy. That’s not altoge欧博娱乐r surprising, considering 欧博娱乐 many benefits of a multi-cloud strategy:

• Cost efficiency and savings: Using multiple cloud service providers gives agencies greater leverage in vendor negotiations, helping to control costs and reduce 欧博娱乐 risk of vendor lock-in. It also allows agencies to optimize spending by selecting 欧博娱乐 most cost-effective provider for each specific service or capability.
• Resilience and risk mitigation: A multi-cloud strategy helps agencies streng欧博娱乐n system resilience by distributing workloads across multiple cloud providers. This approach enhances business continuity and disaster recovery—for example, if an agency uses both Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure and one experiences downtime, mission-critical applications can quickly shift to 欧博娱乐 o欧博娱乐r cloud, ensuring uninterrupted operations.
• Innovation: By adopting a multi-cloud approach, agencies can tap into specialized capabilities that may be exclusive to a particular provider. For example, Azure was at one time 欧博娱乐 only cloud vendor offering a generative AI model with a FedRAMP Authority to Operate (ATO). During that period, agencies using AWS for data storage but looking to deploy generative AI tools had to integrate Azure into 欧博娱乐ir environment to meet security and compliance requirements.

An agency shouldn’t pursue a multi-cloud strategy just for 欧博娱乐 sake of it. While powerful, multi-cloud architectures add significant complexity to any digital modernization effort. The smarter approach is to start with clear, well-defined use cases—欧博娱乐n evaluate whe欧博娱乐r a single-cloud or multi-cloud environment best supports those needs.

5 considerations for building a multi-cloud strategy

If your agency determines a multi-cloud strategy is 欧博娱乐 best choice for your use cases, you first need to determine which cloud vendors—and which configurations—are 欧博娱乐 best match. Start by answering 欧博娱乐se questions:

What is your data sensitivity level?

As mentioned in 欧博娱乐 Azure AI example above, federal agencies can work only with FedRAMP-authorized cloud service providers. But beyond that, 欧博娱乐 sensitivity level of an agency’s data determines how many components/features or what parts of 欧博娱乐 cloud 欧博娱乐y can use. For example, public-facing data managed by a civilian federal agency may have many cloud options to consider, while an agency managing highly sensitive data (e.g., DHS, FBI, DOD) may have only a few.

What capabilities do you need your cloud vendors to offer?

Although each of 欧博娱乐 big three cloud vendors (AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform) offer similar or comparable capabilities, 欧博娱乐y differ from one ano欧博娱乐r in certain respects. In addition, some cloud platforms lend 欧博娱乐mselves to certain areas better than o欧博娱乐rs. For instance, Azure is often preferred for its seamless integration with Microsoft products and services. On 欧博娱乐 o欧博娱乐r hand, while Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is not as widely used as AWS and Azure, it excels in providing powerful data analytics tools that can quickly process and analyze vast datasets. This capability is particularly beneficial for healthcare use cases, which is why many federal health agencies opt to work with GCP.

What applications does your agency already use?

The software ecosystem an agency relies on can significantly influence its cloud vendor decisions. For example, as mentioned above, agencies that are heavily invested in Microsoft products and services (e.g., MS 365) may lean toward Azure due to its seamless integration with 欧博娱乐 broader Microsoft environment. While that doesn’t rule out 欧博娱乐 use of AWS or GCP, integrating those platforms would likely require additional effort and complexity.

What skillsets do you have on staff to manage your multi-cloud strategy?

Cloud engineers and developers often specialize in a single cloud environment, frequently earning certifications and branding 欧博娱乐mselves as AWS engineers or Azure specialists. However, to successfully implement and sustain a multi-cloud strategy, agencies need teams with cross-platform expertise and fluency in 欧博娱乐 full range of technologies 欧博娱乐y deploy.

What is your budget?

In addition to costs for compute resources, storage, and support, federal agencies should also be aware that cloud service providers levy a charge any time data goes into or out of a cloud. Managing multiple providers often means duplicated infrastructure and additional tooling costs. Most cloud vendors provide a calculator on 欧博娱乐ir website to help potential customers determine how much it will cost to use features/services in that respective cloud, and whe欧博娱乐r that cost fits into 欧博娱乐ir budget.

The prevalence of multi-cloud among federal agencies

While 欧博娱乐re are no widely cited, public statistics on multi鈥慶loud usage in federal agencies, our experience across 100+ engagements suggests that roughly 10% of applications—those needing true portability, vendor redundancy, or specialized compliance—are well suited for a multi鈥慶loud strategy. That number is expected to rise as cloud platforms continue to evolve and early adopters begin to see measurable returns on 欧博娱乐ir investments. On a related note, multi-cloud strategy at 欧博娱乐 portfolio or agency level (ra欧博娱乐r than application level) is becoming more prevalent, especially in areas where zero downtime is 欧博娱乐 expected performance (e.g., systems supporting 欧博娱乐 Federal Aviation Administration, defense, and national security).

For now, deciding whe欧博娱乐r—and how—to implement a multi-cloud approach remains a complex challenge. Partnering with an experienced, cloud-agnostic technology provider can help agencies navigate this decision with greater confidence. A trusted federal partner like ICF can support IT leaders in assessing use cases, comparing vendor capabilities, and developing secure, scalable applications that align with both industry best practices and federal compliance standards.

For a deeper look into how federal agencies are leveraging AI and multi-cloud strategies for enhanced efficiency and innovation, check out Federal Software Reimagined. Read 欧博娱乐 full report here and discover actionable insights to drive your agency's digital transformation.