The Technology Operating Partner relationship, in four shapes. Pricing that matches what the business actually needs.
Four tiers of the Program, the durable retainer form of the Technology Operating Partner relationship. Each tier matches a specific organizational profile: revenue band, complexity, regulatory exposure, and IT maturity. Most engagements begin with a fixed-price Initiative that proves the fit; the tier-based Program continues the work on quarterly cadence once both sides confirm the relationship.
How engagements typically begin
Initiative first. Program second.
Most relationships start with a fixed-price Initiative because committing to a tier on day one is the wrong shape for either side. The Initiative produces a defensible artifact in two to six weeks. If the work confirms the fit, the tier-based Program continues the cadence; if not, both sides walk with the artifact and no further obligation.
01
Initiative
Fixed scope. Fixed price. Two to six weeks. Walk away with the deliverable on the date you signed up for.
See the catalog →02
Decision
The Initiative's output is the conversation. If it produced work the company wants continued, the Program is the durable form.
03
Program at a tier
Quarterly cadence, annual commitment, monthly billing. Tier matches organizational complexity and regulatory exposure.
See the tiers →Tier Placement
A two-minute decision aid
Tier placement is determined at onboarding through a structured assessment of organizational complexity, regulatory exposure, and IT maturity, not headcount alone. These are typical fits.
| Foundation | Accelerate | Advance | Command | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employee count | 100–250 | 250–500 | 500–1,000 | 1,000+ |
| Typical revenue band | $15M–$50M | $50M–$150M | $150M–$500M | $500M+ |
| IT spend (rough) | $300k–$1M | $1M–$3M | $3M–$8M | $8M+ |
| Regulatory profile | Light | PCI, SOC 2 | SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA | NERC CIP, FedRAMP, multi-juris. |
| Engagement cadence | Quarterly | Monthly | Bi-weekly | Weekly + on-demand |
The Four Tiers
Same methodology. Different intensity.
All tiers are annual commitments paid monthly. Volume pricing available for financial sponsors deploying across portfolios of 10+ companies.
Foundation
Focused IT environments · clear baseline
A fraction of the build-and-maintain cost
- ALE baseline + quarterly tracking
- IT health assessment at onboarding
- Platform + executive reporting dashboard
- Quarterly strategy & roadmap sessions
- Risk scorecard & reduction roadmap
- Executive reporting templates
- Vendor + escalation support: advisory guidance
Accelerate
Active growth or technology transition
A fraction of the build-and-maintain cost
- Everything in Foundation
- Monthly strategy & priority alignment
- Active cost optimization program
- Vendor contract review & negotiation
- Change management & adoption playbooks
- IT leadership advisory & team coaching
- Vendor + escalation support: direct, scoped vendor management
Advance
Complex environments · regulatory exposure
A fraction of the build-and-maintain cost
- Everything in Accelerate
- Bi-weekly strategy & executive alignment
- Compliance program & audit readiness
- Active project governance & stage gates
- Board / executive-ready reporting
- ALE reduction program with attribution
- Vendor + escalation support: full handling + specialist management
Command
Enterprise-scale · sponsor-level reporting
A fraction of the build-and-maintain cost
- Everything in Advance
- Weekly executive & sponsor engagement
- Full enterprise IT governance program
- Dedicated advisory hours · always-available
- Enterprise risk program ownership
- Technology investment governance
- Vendor + escalation support: complete ownership
Side by side
Tier comparison
| Foundation | Accelerate | Advance | Command | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly investment | $5,000 | $10,000 | $15,000 | $22,000 |
| Annual investment | $60,000 | $120,000 | $180,000 | $264,000 |
| As % of $2.5M bench | 2.4% | 4.8% | 7.2% | 10.6% |
| ALE baseline & tracking | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Strategy sessions | Quarterly | Monthly | Bi-weekly | Weekly |
| Cost optimization program | · | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Compliance program | · | · | ✓ | ✓ |
| Project governance | · | · | ✓ | ✓ |
| Board / sponsor reporting | · | · | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dedicated advisor hours | · | · | · | ✓ |
| Vendor + escalation support | Advisory | Direct + vendor | Full handling | Complete ownership |
The ROI Math
When does the Program fee pay itself back?
Cost optimization (Pillar 03) typically delivers 15–25% IT spend recovery in year one. For most mid-market organizations, that recovered spend exceeds the Program fee within the first 6 months.
| Org profile | IT spend | 15% recovery | Program fee | Breakeven | Year-1 net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150-person services firm | $540k | $81k | $60k (Foundation) | Month 9 | +$21k |
| 350-person manufacturer | $1.6M | $240k | $120k (Accelerate) | Month 6 | +$120k |
| 750-person regulated co. | $4.2M | $630k | $180k (Advance) | Month 4 | +$450k |
| 1,500-person enterprise | $8.5M | $1.28M | $264k (Command) | Month 3 | +$1.01M |
Recovery percentages on the conservative end of published industry ranges of 20 to 30 percent for vendor consolidation savings (Forrester, CloudEagle, BetterCloud 2024-2025); verified across our engagements. Doesn't include risk reduction value (ALE Δ), which typically dwarfs the spend recovery on the balance sheet.
For Financial Sponsors
Volume pricing for portfolios of 10+
Single sponsor-level contract. Standardized Program deployment across portcos at materially reduced per-portco rates. IC-ready quarterly rollup reporting included.
For PE, growth equity, and family offices building IT value-creation capacity across the portfolio.
For Financial Sponsors →Portfolio companies
- One sponsor contract
- Standardized portco rollout
- Quarterly fund-level reporting
- Volume per-portco pricing
- IC-ready output
Common Questions
Pricing FAQ
What's included beyond the monthly fee?
The Program fee covers Preside delivery, the six pillars, ALE work, reporting, and stakeholder cadence at the tier level. Specialist work that requires external vendors (penetration testing, specific compliance audits, large project implementations) is sourced and scoped by us but billed separately to the specialist.
How is tier placement determined?
At onboarding, through a structured assessment of organizational complexity, regulatory exposure, and IT maturity, not headcount alone. We may recommend a different tier than the obvious one based on operating shape (multi-entity, M&A activity, regulated industry, etc.).
Are the RC4 and AI Governance assessments included?
No, these are separate point-in-time engagements. They can be purchased standalone or alongside the Program. Program clients receive priority scheduling and integrated remediation roadmaps.
Can we start with an assessment and decide later about the Program?
Yes, most clients do. RC4 Readiness™ or AI Governance™ is a low-friction starting point. Many surface enough findings to justify a Program engagement; others stand on their own.
What's the engagement term?
Annual, paid monthly. The Program compounds in value, pattern intelligence, quarterly reporting trends, accumulated context with vendors. Short engagements don't deliver the full value model.
Can we move between tiers?
Yes, at the annual anniversary, or earlier if the operating shape materially changes (acquisition, regulatory event, leadership turnover). The tier should match the engagement intensity that delivers the most value, not lock you in.
Pick a tier, or talk to us about a custom shape.
Multi-entity organizations, holding companies, and complex regulatory profiles often warrant custom configurations.
Not sure which tier fits your situation? Take the four-question path-finder first.