Nearshore Agency Vetting Scorecard
The 7 questions every buyer should ask. Score 1 to 5 per question.
| # | Question | Score (1-5) | What good looks like | How AlliedStack scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Who will be on my project? Can I meet them first? | 1 2 3 4 5 | Named people interviewed before signing | 5: PM, Tech Lead, and Developer named before you sign. You interview each |
| 2 | Is the team dedicated or shared? | 1 2 3 4 5 | Dedicated, full-time, no parallel client work | 5: dedicated pod, your sprint is the only sprint |
| 3 | How is QA handled? | 1 2 3 4 5 | AI assisted QA with automated tests, CI, and code review | 5: AI assisted QA, not a separate QA hire |
| 4 | What happens when someone leaves? | 1 2 3 4 5 | Written 10-day replacement policy, attrition rate disclosed | 5: 10-day replacement, 95% retention rate |
| 5 | Can I speak with a client reference? | 1 2 3 4 5 | Direct intro, 15-minute call, not coached | 5: direct intro to matched client |
| 6 | What does a typical week look like? | 1 2 3 4 5 | Specific: standups, Slack SLA, demos, escalation | 5: daily 9 AM ET standup, 4-hour Slack SLA, weekly demo |
| 7 | Exit process if not working? | 1 2 3 4 5 | 30-day notice after 90 days, team-change path, client owns code | 5: 30-day notice, code in your GitHub from day 1 |
Total: ___ / 35
Red flag check (any of these = walk away)
- ☐Team not named before contract signing
- ☐Engineers may work for other clients in parallel
- ☐QA is developer self-test only
- ☐No written replacement policy
- ☐Cannot produce a client reference call
- ☐Communication described in generalities ("transparent," "responsive")
- ☐12-month lock-in with no exit provisions