Foundational Technical Review (FTR) Guide

Publishing your solution in AWS Marketplace is an exciting milestone—but it's only one part of becoming a successful AWS Partner.

As part of your onboarding, you'll work with both the Labra and Ibexlabs teams to complete two parallel workstreams:

• Publishing your AWS Marketplace listing.
• Preparing your solution for the AWS Foundational Technical Review (FTR).

While the Labra team guides you through your AWS Marketplace implementation and partner enablement, Ibexlabs, Labra's parent company, works alongside you on the technical assessment required for the Foundational Technical Review (FTR). Together, our teams coordinate these activities throughout your onboarding to ensure you're ready to request FTR validation as soon as all AWS requirements have been met.

This guide explains what the FTR is, why it matters, what you'll need to complete, and how both teams will support you throughout the process.

What is the Foundational Technical Review (FTR)?

The Foundational Technical Review (FTR) is an AWS validation that confirms your solution follows AWS technical best practices.

While publishing your Marketplace listing makes your solution available for customers to purchase, an approved FTR unlocks additional AWS Partner benefits, including:

• Participation in AWS Co-Sell
• Eligibility for ACE opportunities
• Inclusion in AWS Partner Solution Finder
• Access to additional AWS Partner Network (APN) benefits

Understanding Your AWS Solution vs. Your Marketplace Listing

Throughout this guide, you'll see references to both your AWS Solution and your AWS Marketplace Listing. While closely related, they serve different purposes.

Once your Marketplace listing is published, it becomes linked to your AWS Solution in Partner Central. When both your Marketplace requirements and technical assessment are complete, you'll be ready to submit your Foundational Technical Review.

Why We Start FTR Early

Preparing for your FTR is not something that happens after your Marketplace listing goes live.

Instead, Labra and Ibexlabs work alongside your team throughout onboarding, coordinating two parallel workstreams so everything comes together at the right time.

Marketplace Workstream (Led by Labra)

Labra will guide you through:

• Building your Marketplace listing
• Publishing your listing
• Requesting your Deployed on AWS badge
• Enabling Partner Revenue Measurement (PRM)

Technical Workstream (Led by You with Ibexlabs)

The Ibexlabs team will work with your technical stakeholders to:

• Review your architecture
• Complete your technical assessment
• Provide recommendations to address AWS best practices
• Prepare your compliance documentation

Because these workstreams happen simultaneously, you'll be ready to request your FTR shortly after your Marketplace requirements have been completed.

Who Owns Each Activity?

Complete Your Technical Assessment

AWS accepts one of two technical assessment paths.

Throughout this process, the Ibex team will review your documentation, provide recommendations, and help ensure your submission meets AWS requirements before you request validation.

Option 1 — SOC 2 Type II

Your report must:

• Be less than one year old
• Include an unqualified auditor opinion
• Include AWS within the audit scope
• Include your AWS solution within the audit scope
• Cover both the Security and Availability Trust Services Criteria

Option 2 — AWS Well-Architected Framework Review (WAFR)

Your review must:

• Have been completed within the last 12 months
• Contain zero High Risk Issues (HRIs) in the required pillars
• Reference your solution in the workload name

Complete Your AWS Marketplace Requirements

Before AWS allows you to request an FTR, the following Marketplace requirements must also be completed.

Your AWS Solution must:

• Be linked to exactly one AWS Marketplace product
• Be linked to a supported Marketplace product type (SaaS, AMI, Container, or ML)

In addition, your Marketplace listing must:

• Receive the Deployed on AWS badge
• Have Partner Revenue Measurement (PRM) enabled

As part of your onboarding, Labra manages these Marketplace activities for you at the appropriate stage of the implementation.

Before You Submit

Before requesting your Foundational Technical Review, confirm the following items have been completed.

Once every requirement has been completed, you're ready to submit your FTR through AWS Partner Central.

Submitting Your Foundational Technical Review

➡️  Step 1 — Open AWS Partner Central

Navigate to: Partner Central → Build → Solutions

Fig. 1

Select the Solution you want to validate.

➡️  Step 2 — Open the Validation Tab

Within your Solution, open the Request Validation section to review your current validation status.

Fig. 2

➡️  Step 3 — Verify All Requirements

Before submitting, every validation requirement should display Complete, including:

• Solution linked to exactly one AWS Marketplace product
• Solution contains only Marketplace products
• Solution linked to a supported software product
• Marketplace product has the Deployed on AWS badge
• Marketplace product has Partner Revenue Measurement (PRM) enabled

Fig. 3

➡️  Step 4 — Request Validation

Select Request Validation.

Fig. 4

➡️  Step 5 — Upload Your Documentation

Choose the appropriate assessment type:

• SOC 2 Type II
• AWS Well-Architected Framework Review (WAFR)

Upload your report as a PDF (maximum 3 MB).

Fig. 5

➡️  Step 6 — Submit Your Request

Select Request Foundational Technical Review.

Fig. 6

AWS will begin reviewing your submission, and the validation status will change to Under Review.

No further action is required while AWS completes its review.

After You Submit

AWS will return one of two outcomes.

✅  Approved

Congratulations! Your Foundational Technical Review has been approved.

Your solution now meets the FTR requirement for AWS partner programs, allowing you to continue progressing through the AWS Partner journey.

🛠️  Additional Changes Required

If AWS identifies issues during the review, your submission will be returned with remediation guidance.

AWS will provide:

• The reason for the rejection
• Required remediation steps

The Ibex team will work with you to address the findings before your solution is resubmitted for validation.

Need Help?

Your onboarding team is here to help throughout the entire process.

• Labra will guide you through the Marketplace requirements and AWS Partner workflows.
• Ibex will support your technical assessment and help prepare your solution for successful FTR validation.

If you have any questions during onboarding, don't hesitate to reach out to your Labra Customer Success Manager.