How Print Management Systems Help Control Government Budgets

Print management is a huge culprit in budget drainage, with 83% of IT decision-makers (ITDMs) expecting print security spend to increase in the next 12 months.

For the federal government, print is woven into the fabric of operations. Public records, court filings, permits, election materials, citizen notices and all typically printed. That's not going to change anytime soon. What needs to change is the chaotic, disconnected way most agencies manage it.

With the current administration’s emphasis on discretionary spending and prioritizing fiscal restraint by shifting $119.3 billion from non-defense to defense programs, government agencies are aiming for skinnier budgets more than ever. In fact, 11 cabinet departments had their budgets cut by over $1 billion.

Optimizing print management is low hanging fruit for government agencies who want to thin out their budget. Here’s how print management systems help government agencies turn uncontrolled print costs into a managed line item:

Without a centralized print management system in place, print-associated costs are stashed across dozens of departments, buried in supply orders, and hidden within broader IT and facilities budgets. What can't be measured can't be managed; and in government, that blind spot carries real consequences.

Consumables such as paper, toner, and ink are all obvious waste byproducts of unmanaged print. Considering the multi-site operations, large workforces with varying print behaviors, and decentralized purchasing decisions government agencies tend to have, the issue of unnecessary or abandoned print jobs is compounded exponentially. While print still has a strong use case for many agencies, mindfulness and accountability are necessary to ensure that the right things are being printed in a responsible manner.

But we’re not just talking about paper and toner, here. Physical print creates a huge attack surface, with print jobs left in the tray and credentials being swapped left and right. According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025, the global average cost of a data breach has reached $4.44 million, underscoring the growing financial risk of inadequate security. 

Meanwhile, research from Quocirca reveals that 67% of organizations experienced printer-related security incidents in 2024, up from 61% the year before. This rise clearly shows that print environments remain a vulnerable gap in enterprise defenses.

Print management systems help agencies calm printer panic and cut costs in a multitude of ways: 

• Real-time visibility and cost tracking: put real numbers behind every page printed, attributable by user, device, and department. 

• Print quotas and policy enforcement: agencies can cap monthly volume, default all jobs to duplex and monochrome, and require approval for high-cost color printing.

• Usage accountability: audit-ready reporting gives finance and compliance teams the documentation they need without manual tracking or guesswork.

• Waste reduction: secure pull printing means jobs only release when the user is standing at the device, cutting uncollected waste at the source.

• Fleet optimization and right-sizing: uses actual usage data (not assumptions) to eliminate redundant devices, right-size contracts, and sharpen procurement decisions.

Not all print management systems are built for the demands of the government. When evaluating options, agencies should hold vendors to a higher standard than a feature checklist.

Security authorization should be non-negotiable. FedRAMP® High Authorization is the benchmark for cloud solutions handling sensitive government data. It requires 421 verified security controls built into the platform's architecture, not added on after the fact. If a vendor can't meet FedRAMP High requirements, they can't demonstrate readiness for the environments where it matters most.

Cloud-native architecture matters more than cloud marketing. Many solutions were built for client-server environments and later adapted for the cloud. That distinction shows up in security posture, reliability, and the ability to scale across a multi-site agency without layering on complexity.

Consolidation should be a core requirement. Agencies managing end-user and system printing through separate solutions are carrying unnecessary cost and risk. A single platform with one console, one audit trail, and one security posture simplifies compliance and reduces IT overhead significantly.

Integration with existing enterprise systems. Integrations with ERP, EHR, and case management should be prebuilt, not custom-scripted. The less custom code in a government print environment, the fewer vulnerabilities and the lower the long-term maintenance burden.

Finally, ask for proof. Pilots and proofs of concept aren't sufficient. Look for vendors operating in production environments at scale, with federal agency references to back it up.

Most organizations run separate solutions for system and end-user printing, adding complexity without improving visibility. Vasion Print's cloud-native platform consolidates both into a single console, creating a direct IP environment that's simpler to deploy, more secure, and less error-prone than traditional approaches.

From one system, enterprises can deploy a single solution that handles all print needs, eliminating redundant software, support contracts, and IT overhead. Prebuilt integrations with major ERP, CRM, and EHR platforms replace the custom scripts and home-built connections that slow teams down. Hybrid and mobile workers get seamless access to print resources without compromising network security.

AI-driven workflow automation routes outputs to the right printer in the right format reliably, without interfering with print operations. Advanced security features, including Secure Release Printing, ensure sensitive documents never sit unattended at a device. And full console visibility gives IT teams and business users the reporting they need to tighten processes and enforce policy.

Fewer than 100 cloud service providers have earned FedRAMP High Authorization; and Vasion is among the first cloud print solutions to achieve it. That distinction matters. FedRAMP High requires 421 advanced security controls, verified by rigorous third-party assessment. Those controls have to be architected into every layer of the platform from day one.

In practice, that means a cloud-native architecture built for the cloud from the ground up; which is precisely why Vasion achieved FedRAMP High where others haven't. It means Zero Trust security that's built in, not bolted on, with access strictly limited to each user's clearance level and a full audit trail for verification. One unified system for both end-user and critical print, with a single audit trail and a consistent security posture across the board.

This isn't a pilot program or a proof of concept. Vasion operates in production environments at scale—including for the U.S. Army.

Find Vasion Automate Fed in the FedRAMP Marketplace.