$1M - $2.5M

Government Sector New Logo: $1.5M ARR Win

government

Account Executive

Enterprise

6-12 months

ACV

$1.5M

TCV

$4.5M

Sales Cycle

9 mo

Deal Motion

Competitive Displacement

Competed Against / Displaced

OktaThales

Why We Won

“Won on FedRAMP High authorization status and native PIV-Direct support — the only vendor able to satisfy both the zero-trust executive order mandate and existing CAC/PIV infrastructure without a rip-and-replace.”

Outcome

Closed $1.5M ARR new logo deal with 3-year contract. Successfully navigated FedRAMP compliance requirements. Account became reference customer for government sector. Deal included expansion opportunities for additional agencies.

The Challenge

A federal agency needed to modernize their identity and access management infrastructure to meet FedRAMP requirements. They were using legacy PKI solutions that were expensive to maintain and didn't support modern authentication methods like FIDO2. The procurement process was complex with multiple stakeholders and strict compliance requirements.

Sales Motion

Qualified the opportunity using MEDDIC framework, identifying FedRAMP compliance as the primary driver. Built relationships with both technical (CISO, IT Director) and procurement stakeholders early in the process. Positioned our solution as FedRAMP-authorized and cost-effective compared to maintaining legacy systems. Created a detailed compliance mapping document showing how our solution met all FedRAMP requirements.

Execution

Led a 6-month sales cycle coordinating with SE, Legal, and Compliance teams. Conducted multiple technical deep-dives and proof-of-concept demonstrations. Navigated complex government procurement process including RFP response, security reviews, and contract negotiations. Provided detailed compliance documentation and participated in security audits. Built consensus across multiple departments through regular stakeholder meetings.

Objections Handled

FedRAMP authorization concerns

Provided detailed FedRAMP authorization documentation and connected customer with our compliance team for direct Q&A sessions.

Migration complexity from legacy systems

Developed comprehensive migration plan with SE team, including phased approach with rollback capabilities. Provided dedicated migration support resources.

Budget approval process

Created detailed ROI analysis showing cost savings vs. maintaining legacy systems. Positioned as multi-year investment with clear TCO benefits.

Key Takeaways

Government sales cycles are long but predictable. Building relationships early with both technical and procurement stakeholders is critical. Compliance documentation and security reviews are non-negotiable - invest time upfront.

Key Stakeholders

CISO
IT Director
Compliance Officer
Procurement Officer
Contracting Officer

Tools & Platforms

SalesforceMEDDICGovWinMicrosoft TeamsSharePoint

Deal Timeline

Government Sector New Logo — $1.5M ARR Win

Lead Generation

Apr 10, 2023(7d)

Connected at RSA Conference. Agency had mandate to eliminate passwords per executive order but no vendor shortlist yet.

Deputy CISO

Discovery & MEDDIC

Apr 17, 2023(21d)

Ran full MEDDIC qualification. Identified $3M allocated budget, decision process through TEB, and 90-day decision timeline.

Deputy CISOProgram ManagerContracting Officer

Solution Architecture

May 8, 2023(18d)

Custom architecture review addressing air-gapped network requirements and CAC/PIV convergence. Created reference architecture document.

Identity ArchitectNetwork Security LeadDeputy CISO

Competitive Evaluation

May 26, 2023(30d)

Bake-off against 3 competitors. Won on air-gapped deployment capability and FedRAMP High authorization.

Technical Evaluation BoardDeputy CISO

Negotiation

Jun 25, 2023(21d)

Structured as 3-year base + 2 option years. Negotiated volume pricing for planned expansion to field offices.

Contracting OfficerDeputy CISOBudget Analyst

Closed Won

Jul 16, 2023

Awarded $1.5M ARR contract. First new logo in this agency vertical — opened door to 4 sister agencies.

Contracting OfficerDeputy CISOAgency CIO

Apr 10, 2023 → Jul 16, 2023 (3 months)

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