Check the Debarment List

Before grants money went to any vendor or partner, we checked the exclusion lists — the federal rosters of organizations barred for fraud, misconduct, or failure. It took minutes. Skipping it could cost you everything.

AI vendors deserve the same few minutes of diligence. Not a federal list — but the same instinct: check before you trust.

1. Reputation. Has this vendor had public security incidents or data misuse controversies? A quick search tells you plenty.
2. Data practices. Do they train on customer data? Their terms and privacy policy say — read them.
3. Viability. Is this a company that will exist in two years, or a demo with a pricing page? Your operations may depend on the answer.
4. References. Who else uses this for work like yours, and what do they say off the record?

None of this requires a procurement department. It requires the grants habit: verify before you commit, in writing, as a matter of routine.

The check takes minutes. The regret of skipping it lasts much longer.

I explain frameworks; I don't give legal counsel.