Service 02 · Vendor Audit Defence

Audited? Don't reply alone.

When a Notice of Audit letter arrives from Oracle LMS, SAP GLAS, Microsoft SAM, IBM, or another vendor, the first 30 days determine the outcome. We step in immediately — former auditors, leverage analysis, scripted responses, and a defensible counter-position. 68% average claim reduction across 340+ engagements.

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68%
Average claim reduction
30 days
Time to first counter-position
96%
Highest single reduction (SAP)
340+
Audits defended
How we defend

What happens in the first 30 days.

01
Audit triage
Within 48 hours we read every paragraph of the Notice of Audit, contract, and licensing terms. We identify which clauses limit scope, what the vendor can and cannot ask for, and the response posture that protects you from self-incrimination.
02
Internal exposure model
Before the vendor receives a single data point, we model your true exposure under the metrics the auditor will use. Oracle Processor counts under hard partitioning, SAP Digital Access documents, Microsoft per-user vs per-device — we build your baseline first.
03
Scripted response
We script every email, every meeting, every data submission. Our former auditors know which questions trigger expanded scope. Your team responds only with what is contractually required — no more, no less.
04
Counter-position
When the vendor delivers their preliminary findings, we deliver our counter the same week. Our register holds up under direct challenge because every line has source evidence the auditor cannot dispute.
05
Settlement negotiation
Most audits settle. We negotiate the settlement — not the auditor's number, ours. In our experience, the final settlement is 30–70% of the original claim, with future commercial terms protected from punitive concessions.
06
Post-audit hardening
After settlement, we close the gates the auditor exploited: contractual language for the renewal, deployment changes that prevent recurrence, and a SAM hardening plan.
Why buyers choose us

What internal teams can't replicate.

01
Former vendor auditors
Our defence leads include former senior staff from Oracle LMS, Microsoft SAM, SAP GLAS, and IBM. They wrote the scripts, designed the playbooks, and trained the auditors now sitting across from you.
02
Litigation-grade documentation
Every finding is sourced, every counter-position evidenced. Our work product holds up if an audit escalates to formal dispute or counsel engagement.
03
No vendor relationships
We don't resell, partner, or accept referral fees from any vendor we defend you against. Our incentives align with one outcome — reducing your claim.
04
Privileged engagement
Engagements can be structured under outside counsel privilege when the audit risk warrants it. This protects pre-audit assessment work from discoverability.
Inline · talk to a senior advisor

Not sure where to start?

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Research before you reply

Audit response playbooks.

All papers
Handbook
Vendor Audit Defence Handbook
Step-by-step Oracle, SAP, Microsoft audit response guide
Playbook
Oracle Compliance & Negotiation Playbook 2026
47 pages — insider tactics, pricing benchmarks, clause analysis
Guide
SAP S/4HANA Migration Negotiation Guide
Indirect access, Digital Access, RISE traps
Guide
Microsoft EA Negotiation Guide
True-up tactics, NCE shifts, Azure commitment leverage
Recent outcomes

Where our work paid for itself.

All cases
Manufacturing facility
SAP · Manufacturing
96%
SAP Audit Claim Reduction
$4.8M Digital Access claim reduced to under $200K in a 90-day engagement.
Read case study
Enterprise headquarters
Oracle · Hospitality
$14.2M
Oracle ULA Restructuring
Three unused product families removed from certification before exit.
Read case study
Corporate office
Microsoft · Telecom
$8.7M
Microsoft EA Optimization
7,000 unused E5 licences identified before true-up.
Read case study
Questions

Frequently asked, frankly answered.

Q1
How fast do you engage?
Within 48 hours of a Notice of Audit. We have standby engagement letters that move from inquiry to active defence in two business days.
Q2
Should we talk to the vendor before engaging you?
No. Every email, call, and data submission affects your position. Most damage to a buyer's defensive position happens in the first two weeks before counsel or independent advisors arrive.
Q3
Do you defend against all vendors?
Oracle LMS, SAP GLAS, Microsoft SAM, IBM, VMware/Broadcom, Salesforce, Adobe, Autodesk, and most other major enterprise vendors. We've defended against every major audit programme.
Q4
Is your work privileged?
Engagements can be structured under outside counsel direction to extend privilege over our work product. We work with your existing counsel or recommend specialists.
Q5
What's the typical fee model?
Fixed-fee phased engagements. No contingency on findings, no percentage of savings. The fee is disclosed before signing — see /pricing/.
Q6
What if we're already mid-audit?
We routinely take over mid-audit. The first 48 hours are spent reading the file, identifying corrective opportunities, and rebuilding the response strategy.

Audit letter on your desk?
Reply with us beside you.

48-hour engagement. Former auditors on the call from day one. No obligation to proceed past the initial review.

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