Here's a confession that might surprise you: We just achieved SOC 2 Type II certification. We already hold ISO 27001 certification. And we're still completing security questionnaires every single week.
Using AutoRFP.ai to do it.
If you think SOC 2 Type II means you can skip security questionnaires, you're in for a rude awakening. Let us explain why, and what this certification actually means for our customers.
What SOC 2 Type II Actually Proves
SOC 2 Type II isn't a participation trophy. It's evidence that an independent auditor examined our security controls over an extended period (not just a snapshot) and confirmed they actually work.
The certification covers five Trust Services Criteria established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA):
Security: Protection against unauthorized access
Availability: Systems work when you need them
Processing Integrity: Data processing is complete and accurate
Confidentiality: Sensitive information stays protected
Privacy: Personal data is handled properly
Type II is the harder certification. Type I only proves your controls look good on paper at a specific moment. Type II proves they function correctly over months of real operation. According to recent industry data, 78% of enterprise clients now require SOC 2 Type II from their service providers.
For AutoRFP.ai, this means our security posture has been validated by an independent third party. Your data is protected by controls that have been tested under real conditions.
ISO 27001 + SOC 2 Type II: Belt and Suspenders
We didn't pursue SOC 2 Type II because ISO 27001 wasn't enough. We pursued it because different customers need different proof.
ISO 27001 is the international gold standard. It certifies that we've built and maintain a comprehensive Information Security Management System (ISMS). It's globally recognized and particularly valued in European and APAC markets.
SOC 2 Type II is the North American enterprise standard. It's what procurement teams in the US and Canada specifically request. It provides attestation (not certification) that our controls operate effectively over time.
Together, these certifications mean AutoRFP.ai meets security requirements across every major market. Whether your compliance team follows international standards or US frameworks, we've got documentation ready.
The Uncomfortable Truth: Certifications Don't Replace Security Questionnaires
Now for the reality check.
We have SOC 2 Type II. We have ISO 27001. And we still receive security questionnaires constantly. Our customers send them. Their customers require them. The cycle never stops.
Why? Because certifications prove general security posture. Security questionnaires ask specific questions about specific scenarios.
Your compliance team needs to know: How do you handle data residency in Australia? What's your incident response time? Who has access to our specific data? Do you support our SSO provider?
No certification answers these questions. Only a completed questionnaire does.
This is precisely why we built security questionnaire automation into AutoRFP.ai in the first place. We knew from experience that even the most certified companies still face mountains of questionnaires.
Eating Our Own Cooking
Here's where it gets interesting. We use AutoRFP.ai internally to complete our own security questionnaires.
Every SIG questionnaire. Every vendor assessment. Every due diligence request from enterprise prospects.
We load the questionnaire into our platform. Our AI matches questions against our approved security responses. We review, refine, and submit. What used to take days now takes hours.
This isn't marketing fluff. We track these numbers religiously. Our internal security questionnaire completion time dropped by over 80% after we started using our own tool consistently.
The SOC 2 Type II certification actually makes our responses stronger. When a question asks about third party audits, we can now reference both ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II. That's concrete evidence, not promises.
What This Means for AutoRFP.ai Customers
For existing customers, nothing changes operationally. You already benefit from our security infrastructure. Now you have additional documentation to prove it to your stakeholders.
When your compliance team asks "Is AutoRFP.ai SOC 2 Type II certified?" the answer is yes. When your enterprise prospect requires proof of security controls, you can point to our trust page and request our certification documentation.
For teams evaluating security questionnaire software, consider this: Would you rather trust a vendor who talks about security, or one who has third party validation and uses their own product to handle security compliance?
The Real Competitive Advantage
SOC 2 Type II certification reduces friction in enterprise sales cycles. Research shows that vendors with current SOC 2 Type II reports complete security reviews weeks faster than those without.
But certification alone isn't a differentiator. Most serious B2B SaaS companies have it now.
The actual advantage? Speed and efficiency in responding to the ongoing security requirements that never stop, regardless of certifications.
Your SOC 2 Type II report satisfies the checkbox. But the follow up questions, the vendor assessments, the annual renewals, and the client specific security questionnaires keep coming.
The companies that win aren't the ones with the most certifications. They're the ones who can respond to security requirements quickly and accurately without burning out their team.
That's why we built AutoRFP.ai. That's why we use it ourselves. And that's why achieving SOC 2 Type II is just one piece of a much larger security and compliance strategy.
Ready to Automate Your Security Questionnaires?
If you're drowning in SIG questionnaires, vendor assessments, and security due diligence requests, we should talk.
Our customers report up to 87% time savings on security questionnaire completion. Not because the questions disappear. Because the answers are ready and accurate before you even open the document.
Book a demo and see how a SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certified platform handles the security compliance grind.
About the Author
Robert Dickson
RevOps Manager
Rob manages Revenue Operations at AutoRFP.ai, bringing extensive go-to-market expertise from his previous roles as COO at an early-stage HealthTech SaaS Company. Having completed 100s of RFPs, Security Questionnaires and DDQs, Rob brings that experience to AutoRFP.ai's RFP process.
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