{"resourceId":"microsoft-learn-foundry-agent-service-azure-government-feature-gaps-hosted-agents-no-2026","versions":[{"version":"external-3551c80abad0275f21ff667a905d60c34d5e42b90f727093970df855f75523f6","resource":{"id":"microsoft-learn-foundry-agent-service-azure-government-feature-gaps-hosted-agents-no-2026","title":"Microsoft documentation: in Azure Government, Foundry Agent Service supports prompt agents and core tools but not hosted agents, web/Bing search, computer use, SharePoint or A2A; preview features may lack FedRAMP, IL5 or CJIS commitments","organization":"Microsoft (Microsoft Learn)","sector":"State and local government (Azure Government)","geography":"United States (US Gov Virginia, US Gov Arizona)","publishedAt":"2026-08-19 (ms.date); newly relevant with the Oct. 28 harness announcement","publicationDate":"2026-08-19","eventDate":null,"sourceName":"Microsoft Learn","sourceLabel":"Vendor product documentation","sourceUrl":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/foundry/agents/concepts/azure-government","evidenceClass":"vendor-claim","outcomeClass":"cautionary","topics":["developers-agents","infrastructure","governance-procurement"],"finding":"Microsoft's Learn page on Foundry Agent Service feature availability in Azure Government lists US Gov Virginia and US Gov Arizona as regions. Prompt agents are available; workflows are in preview; voice-based prompt agents and hosted agents are not available. Tools available include Code Interpreter, File Search, Azure AI Search, Azure Functions, function calling, MCP servers and the OpenAPI tool (Custom Code Interpreter is preview); web search, Bing grounding, image generation, browser automation, computer use, Microsoft Fabric, SharePoint and agent-to-agent (A2A) are not. Publishing agents with Entra identities is supported. The page warns that preview features might not carry the same compliance commitments, such as FedRAMP, DoD IL5 or CJIS, as generally available features. It does not mention the Copilot harness announced Oct. 28.","sledRelevance":"Agencies on Azure Government cannot assume Microsoft's newest agent capabilities (hosted agents and the Oct. 28 harness) are available to them, and must treat preview features cautiously for CJIS or FedRAMP workloads. Filed now because the Oct. 28 announcement makes the gap decision-relevant.","evidence":"Vendor documentation table; authoritative for stated availability at its date but not an independent assessment.","architectureImplications":"Agent designs in Azure Government are limited to prompt agents with core tools; designs relying on hosted agents, web grounding, computer use or SharePoint tools need alternatives.","governanceImplications":"Compliance teams should treat preview features as lacking FedRAMP, IL5 or CJIS commitments until confirmed otherwise.","securityPrivacyImplications":"For CJIS workloads in public safety, only features with documented compliance commitments should be used.","caveats":"Page dated Aug. 19 (ms.date); availability may have changed. Absence of the harness from the page is the researcher's observation, not a Microsoft statement. Vendor documentation.","streamIds":["microsoft"],"roles":{"sales":"Use this page to set honest expectations with Azure Government customers: prompt agents and core tools are available, but hosted agents, web grounding, computer use, SharePoint tools and A2A are not, and preview features may lack FedRAMP, IL5 or CJIS commitments. Discovery should ask which cloud the workload must run in and what compliance level it needs. Do not position the new commercial harness as available to government customers.","engineering":"Engineers designing agents for Azure Government should build to the documented capability set: prompt agents with Code Interpreter, File Search, AI Search, Functions, MCP servers and OpenAPI. Avoid dependence on hosted agents, web or Bing grounding, computer use and SharePoint tools. Treat workflows as preview without assumed compliance commitments, and note the newer SDK version and government endpoints required. Recheck the page before design sign-off, since availability changes.","delivery":"Delivery plans for government agent projects should include a feature-availability check at kickoff and before each phase, a compliance sign-off that excludes preview features for CJIS or IL5 workloads, and a backlog of capabilities awaiting government availability. Communicate gaps to stakeholders early so commercial announcements do not reset expectations mid-project. Document fallbacks for each missing feature and review the list with sponsors at every milestone."},"roleDetails":{"sales":{"customerProblem":"Government agencies hear about new Microsoft agent features but run in Azure Government, where many are unavailable.","stakeholders":["Agency CIO","Compliance/CJIS officer","Enterprise architect","Program sponsor"],"discoveryQuestions":["Must this workload run in Azure Government?","Which compliance commitments (FedRAMP High, IL5, CJIS) are required?","Which agent features does the design depend on?"],"valueHypothesis":"Designing to documented government capabilities may avoid rework and compliance surprises.","potentialEngagement":"Azure Government agent feasibility and compliance check.","unsupportedClaims":["The Copilot harness is available in Azure Government","Preview features carry FedRAMP/IL5/CJIS commitments","Current availability (page dated Aug. 19)"]},"engineering":{"fit":"Agencies with regulated workloads in Azure Government.","architectureIntegration":"Prompt agents with core tools in US Gov Virginia/Arizona; published agents with Entra identities.","prerequisites":["Azure Government subscription","Feature-availability verification","Compliance requirements list"],"constraints":["No hosted agents, web/Bing search, computer use, SharePoint or A2A","Workflows preview only"],"security":"Use only features with documented compliance commitments for CJIS/IL5 workloads.","proofOfValue":["Prototype a prompt agent with File Search and MCP in a government region","Validate compliance documentation for each feature"]},"delivery":{"work":"Government-specific agent delivery with feature gating.","dependencies":["Microsoft availability updates","Compliance sign-off"],"ownership":"Agency architecture team with compliance officer.","skillsAdoption":"Developer briefing on government feature gaps.","governanceCheckpoints":["Availability check at kickoff and each phase","Exclude preview features for regulated data"],"acceptanceCriteria":["Proposed: every feature verified as available in the government region before production"],"risks":["Designs built on unavailable features","Preview features used for regulated data"]}},"retrievedAt":"2026-10-31T03:08:28Z","enrichedAt":"2026-10-31T03:21:01Z","enrichmentBasis":"retrieved source","accessibilityWorkforceImplications":"Developers trained on commercial Foundry features need guidance on what is unavailable in government regions.","procurementImplications":"Buyers should confirm availability in their specific cloud before committing to agent projects described in commercial announcements.","operatingModelImplications":"Hybrid patterns (commercial for non-sensitive work, government for regulated) may emerge, with governance overhead.","sourceVerification":{"openedUrl":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/foundry/agents/concepts/azure-government","referenceExcerpt":"Features marked Preview are available for early adoption but might not carry the same compliance commitments (such as FedRAMP, DoD IL5, or CJIS)","promptVersion":"sled-research-v4.0","model":null,"basis":"agent-reported inspection"}}}]}