---
name: scale-vendor-scorecard
description: Makes the build, buy, or partner call, scores up to three vendors on weighted criteria, runs the Account Context demo test, and estimates total cost of ownership. Use when the user says "which vendor", "compare these tools", "build vs buy", "should we build this", "score this demo", "vendor shortlist", or after scale-capability-match.
---

# scale-vendor-scorecard

Write the Sourcing section of `artifacts/scale-capability-decision.md`. Three vendors max. The demo is scored against your own account record, never on the vendor's data.

## Preflight (every run)
1. Confirm `GTM-AI-OS/` is accessible. If not: "I need access to your GTM-AI-OS folder. Select it in Cowork's folder picker, or run `os-install` from the core plugin." Stop until it is.
2. Read `CLAUDE.md`, `INDEX.md`, and the last 20 lines of `signals/log.md`.
3. Check the prerequisites below. For anything missing, ask the cold-start questions and offer: (a) run the earlier skill now, or (b) fast path: answer the questions and this skill writes a minimal version of the missing artifact marked `status: draft (fast path)`.
4. On finish, update the artifact row in `INDEX.md` and append one line to `signals/log.md`: `<date> | <skill> | <produced> | <human changed> | <open question>`.

## Prerequisites
- Capability chain in `artifacts/scale-capability-decision.md`.
- At least one Account Context record in `artifacts/accounts/` (from the GTM AI OS `os-account-context`), or a fast-path record.
Cold-start: "Name the capability you need in plain words, and give me one real account you're working with a sentence on their pain." Build a minimal record marked fast path and continue.

## Step 1: Build, buy, or partner
Ask and decide:
- BUILD when AI changes what you sell or how you sell, the context is proprietary, and you have (or will hire) talent to build and maintain it. Ask about total cost of ownership: build time, QA, production, monitoring, upkeep.
- BUY when speed, budget, and talent are the constraints and the capability is commodity. Note lock-in and limited customization.
- PARTNER when you need it faster than you can hire and it does not touch the Account Context directly.
Write the call and the reasons. A pilot is almost always BUY unless build capability already exists.

## Step 2: Deployment path
Standalone point solution, integrated platform (agents and MCP inside what you own), or custom build. Prefer in-the-flow-of-work over another login.

## Step 3: Shortlist
Up to three vendors. Use web search if `~~docs` has no prior evaluations. Draw from `references/criteria.md` for the weighted scorecard: Features, Fit (to the chain and the OAR level), Security, Scale, plus pricing and integration. Weight criteria before scoring.

## Step 4: The Account Context test
For each demo: give the vendor your real account record (or run your data through their trial). Score: did the record get better (new Verified facts), faster (time to a usable output), or more trustworthy (fewer Inferred facts)? Zero change = fail, regardless of the demo polish.

## Step 5: Reversal check
For each finalist: "What 90-day result would tell us to cancel?" Write it to `context/reversal-triggers.md`.

## Step 6: Write
Fill the Sourcing section with the call, scorecard, demo test results, TCO estimate, and the recommendation. Update `INDEX.md`.

## Quality gate
Do not recommend a vendor that was not tested against the Account Context. Do not accept a shortlist longer than three.

## Hand off
Say: "Before anyone signs, run `scale-guardrails`."