# Government Contractors Evaluate Zero Trust Access

A 2026 comparison of zero-trust network access (ZTNA) and traditional business VPNs recommends ZTNA for application-level access, tighter identity controls, and stronger audit visibility, while retaining VPNs for legacy systems and site-to-site connectivity. For government agencies and contractors, the article identifies a practical opportunity to assess ZTNA or hybrid designs through phased pilots; it cites no specific solicitation, award, contract value, or procurement contact.

- Procurement and IT teams can use the comparison to evaluate access-control capabilities and audit visibility when planning network security acquisitions.
- A phased pilot can help organizations assess ZTNA while accounting for legacy and site-to-site needs that may continue to require VPNs.
- Cloudflare, Zscaler, Netskope, Palo Alto Networks, and Cisco are among the identified providers; the signal does not specify a preferred vendor or active procurement.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Information Technology
**Topics:** Cybersecurity, Digital Infrastructure
**Published:** November 09, 2026

### Vendors
- Cloudflare (ZTNA and SASE platform provider)
- Zscaler (ZTNA provider)
- Netskope (ZTNA provider)
- Palo Alto Networks (ZTNA provider)
- Cisco (ZTNA provider)

### Sources
- [Zero Trust Network Access vs VPN: 12 Differences [2026]](https://tech-insider.org/zero-trust-network-access-vs-vpn-12-differences-ztna-2026) - https://tech-insider.org/