Tech review
Architect-led, hands-on.
- Architecture walkthrough
- Code/repo access (NDA)
- Infra & deploy review
- Data security audit
▸ DELIVERABLETechnical fitness scorecard
§ SOL · 04For enterprise VPs evaluating a partnership
Don't bet your transformation
on the wrong partner.
A senior architect-led technical due diligence engagement that scores prospective vendors across 60+ criteria, surfaces real risk, and produces a defensible written recommendation. One week. Fixed fee.
§ 01 — The ChallengeYour runway is burning
Your runway is burning
while your product isn't shipping.
You're about to commit to a multi-year, multi-million dollar partnership. The sales deck is gorgeous. The references all check out. But somebody senior with no skin in the deal needs to actually look under the hood — and you don't have a week to spare.
- 01Sales calls answer nothing of substance!
- 02Reference clients all hand-picked by the vendor!
- 03No insight into the vendor's roadmap or runway!
- 04Procurement asks for risk assessment you can't write!
41%
of our DD engagements result in a changed vendor decision. Sometimes a no, sometimes a different vendor, sometimes a renegotiated contract. Always defensible.
SOURCE · DREXUS DD ANALYTICS, 2024
What real vendor diligence looks like.
✓DAY 1-2
Architecture review.
Senior architect spends two days with the vendor's tech team — the real one, not the sales team — and walks the code, infra, and data flow.
✓DAY 3-5
Reference calls.
Three reference calls with non-vendor-curated customers. Off-record questions about reliability, support, and what they wish they'd known.
✓DAY 6-7
Written report.
60+ criteria scored, top 10 risks named, board-ready summary. Defensible in a procurement review.
§ 02 — Our Approach
From kickoff to handoff.
References
Off-script reference calls.
- 3 reference calls (non-vendor-curated)
- Off-record questions
- Roadmap & runway assessment
- Support & reliability deep-dive
▸ DELIVERABLEReference scorecard + transcripts
Report
Board-ready, defensible.
- 60+ criteria scored
- Top 10 risk register
- Pricing benchmark
- Recommendation with caveats
▸ DELIVERABLEWritten DD report (PDF)
EVERY · FRIDAY · 17:00 CET
Weekly Friday Receipts.
No status meetings. No vague Slack updates. One signed document, every Friday, with everything you need to know.
✓What we shipped this week
✓What's in progress (with %)
✓What's next + decisions needed
✓Honest blockers
✓PR links + metric impact
✓Live demo links
§ 03 — Proven Results
Word from the fast lane.
We were two weeks from signing. Drexus's DD found three architectural issues that would have cost us a year. We renegotiated, fixed the contract, and saved $4M.
Procurement and the board both signed off on the recommendation in one meeting. The write-up did the convincing.
85+
DDs Delivered
7d
Avg Cycle
41%
Changed Decisions
60+
Criteria Scored
§ 04 — FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Q.01
Will the vendor agree to this level of access?
Most do. We bring an NDA template that protects both parties. Vendors who refuse to participate are usually the ones you don't want to sign with — and that's a useful signal.
Q.02
What if we're already mid-contract?
We do mid-engagement health-checks too — same methodology, focused on the issues you're seeing in production. Often used to ground a renegotiation or a switch.
Q.03
Can you do it remotely?
Yes. Most engagements are fully remote with one optional half-day on-site if the vendor's stack benefits from a hands-on look (rare).
Q.04
What's included in the fee?
Fixed fee covers the senior architect, 3 reference calls, the written report, and one stakeholder readout call. Add-on costs only if the vendor stack requires specialized expertise (e.g. mainframe).
Q.05
Can you also help with the RFP or contract?
Yes — we have a separate RFP/contract engagement. Many clients add it on after a DD that surfaces something they want renegotiated.
BOARD · APPROVAL · IN · 7 · DAYS
Defensible decision,
one week.
Start with our free Vendor Scorecard to evaluate your top vendors in-house, or book a call to discuss the full DD engagement.
AVG RESPONSE 2H · BUSINESS HOURS · CET