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LM-19 · Consult · 14 items
Vendor Red Flags Checklist
Before you sign a migration quote, agency SOW, or MSP plan
Red flags that signal scope creep, missing security, or a bad fit — use before FC-08 Tech Second Opinion or on your own.
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Work through each section at your pace.
Migration & cloud quotes
- No rollback plan or test window documented
- Licensing and consumption costs excluded from TCO
- Identity and MFA treated as phase 2
- No named senior architect — only junior implementers
- Fixed price with unlimited scope language
Agency & build SOWs
- You don't own code, credentials, or cloud accounts on day one
- Production deploy and security review excluded
- No acceptance criteria — payment tied to demo only
- Maintenance priced as T&M after launch
- Third-party AI/API costs not estimated
MSP & managed plans
- No clarity on project vs helpdesk boundary
- Security assessments always 'extra'
- Single named tech with no escalation path
- No reporting on patch cadence or backup tests
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