Advisory Services
Practical, governance-first advisory for regulated institutions and federal agencies — built on 14 years of operational experience managing 600+ vendor relationships.
C-SCRM Program Design
Federal agencies are mandated to manage cybersecurity supply chain risk, but few have the internal expertise to translate NIST SP 800-161r1 requirements into operational programs. The gap between policy language and day-to-day controls is where real risk lives. We close that gap.
Our Approach
- Assess current supply chain risk posture against NIST SP 800-161r1 controls and EO 14028 requirements
- Design tiered supplier risk classification aligned with mission criticality and data sensitivity
- Develop C-SCRM policies, procedures, and operational playbooks that work in practice, not just on paper
- Build monitoring and reporting frameworks that provide actionable intelligence to leadership
What You Get
Outcome: A fully documented C-SCRM program with policies, procedures, supplier tiering methodology, assessment templates, and a governance framework that satisfies both compliance requirements and operational needs.
Relevant Frameworks
Third-Party Risk Architecture
Community banks and mid-size financial institutions face the same regulatory expectations as the largest banks — but without the budget for a Big Four engagement or a dedicated risk team. Managing third-party risk at scale requires a system: tiering methodology, lifecycle governance, escalation paths, and reporting that leadership can act on. We built exactly this over 14 years managing 600+ vendor relationships at a $10B FDIC-regulated institution.
Our Approach
- Design risk-based vendor tiering methodology calibrated to your organization's risk appetite and regulatory environment
- Build vendor lifecycle governance from onboarding through exit, with clear accountability at each stage
- Develop oversight frameworks including due diligence requirements, ongoing monitoring cadences, and issue management processes
- Create board-level and executive reporting that translates program metrics into risk decisions
What You Get
Outcome: A complete third-party risk management architecture with tiering model, assessment templates, lifecycle procedures, reporting framework, and governance structure. Designed to scale without proportional headcount increases.
Relevant Frameworks
CMMC Readiness Advisory
CMMC Phase 2 assessments are raising the stakes for defense contractors. The gap between self-attested compliance and assessment-ready implementation is often significant. Organizations need an honest assessment of where they stand and a practical plan to close the gaps before an assessor finds them.
Our Approach
- Conduct gap analysis against all 110 NIST SP 800-171 Rev 2 security requirements
- Map current controls to CMMC 2.0 Level 2 practices with honest assessment of maturity
- Develop prioritized remediation plan based on assessment risk and implementation complexity
- Prepare organization for third-party assessment with documentation review and readiness exercises
What You Get
Outcome: Gap assessment report, remediation roadmap with prioritized action items, updated System Security Plan (SSP) and Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M), and assessment preparation guidance.
Relevant Frameworks
Risk Governance Training
Compliance frameworks only work when the people implementing them understand the principles behind the requirements. Off-the-shelf training checks a box. Custom training built by a practitioner who has operated these programs changes how your team thinks about risk.
Our Approach
- Develop custom training curricula tailored to your agency's mission, regulatory environment, and maturity level
- Deliver interactive workshops on C-SCRM, vendor risk assessment, and compliance frameworks
- Build examiner-readiness programs that prepare staff for regulatory engagement
- Create reference materials and playbooks that outlast the training session
What You Get
Outcome: Custom training program with curriculum, presentation materials, participant guides, and reference documentation. Delivered live or as self-paced materials, calibrated to your team's experience level.
Relevant Frameworks
Fractional Chief Third-Party Risk Officer
Community banks and mid-size institutions need experienced TPRM leadership but cannot justify a full-time executive hire. A fractional CTRO provides senior program oversight, examination readiness, and board-level reporting without the overhead of a permanent position.
Our Approach
- Serve as your organization's dedicated TPRM leader on a retained basis, with ongoing program oversight and strategic direction
- Prepare for and support regulatory examinations with examiner-ready documentation and management response coordination
- Deliver monthly risk dashboards and quarterly board reports that translate program metrics into governance decisions
- Manage vendor escalations, critical findings, and risk acceptance decisions with the authority of a senior risk officer
What You Get
Outcome: Ongoing senior TPRM leadership including monthly risk dashboards, quarterly board reports, examination preparation and support, vendor escalation management, annual program assessments, and ad hoc advisory. Minimum six-month engagement.
Relevant Frameworks
Targeted Engagements
Not every organization needs a full program build. These focused engagements deliver immediate value and can stand alone or serve as the foundation for a broader initiative.
TPRM Policy Suite
Board-ready TPRM policy, standards, and procedures documentation. Aligned to current regulatory expectations. Delivered in 2-3 weeks.
2-3 weeksRegulatory Exam Preparation
Intensive preparation for FDIC, OCC, or state examiner visits. Documentation review, gap remediation, and mock Q&A with an examiner-perspective approach.
2-4 weeksSOC Report Review Program
Establish a systematic process for reviewing vendor SOC reports. Includes review methodology, documentation templates, and escalation criteria.
2-3 weeksVendor Inventory Reconciliation
Comprehensive discovery and reconciliation of all third-party relationships. Risk tiering, gap identification, and remediation roadmap.
3-4 weeksAP-TPRM Vendor Reconciliation
Cross-reference Accounts Payable payment data against your vendor inventory to identify shadow vendors operating without due diligence, risk assessment, or compliance oversight. Includes classification, reconciliation frameworks, and preventative controls so it never happens again.
2-4 weeksVendor Exit Planning
Structured transition plan for critical vendor relationships including data migration, contract wind-down, and replacement sourcing.
1-2 weeksTPRM Policy Review & Redline
Assessment of your existing TPRM policy against current regulatory expectations with specific enhancement recommendations and redlined revisions.
1-2 weeksDon't see exactly what you need? Every organization's risk landscape is different. Let's talk and we'll scope an engagement that fits your situation.
Ready to Start?
30 minutes to discuss your situation. No pitch deck. Just a conversation about what you are facing and whether we can help.
Schedule a Consultation