Auditor Selection

Auditor Selection

Evaluate and select audit firms for "$ARGUMENTS" based on industry expertise, regulation experience, cost, and timeline to find the best fit for the organization's certification goals.

Prerequisites

Read .metapowers/compliance/$ARGUMENTS/00-scope.md. If this file does not exist, tell the user:

Phase 0 (Scope) has not been completed for "$ARGUMENTS". Run /compliance:regulatory-landscape $ARGUMENTS first, or use --skip-checks to bypass.

If --skip-checks is present in $ARGUMENTS, skip this check.

Process

1. Read context files:

   • Read plugins/compliance/shared/grc-lifecycle-guide.md for GRC methodology reference
   • Read .metapowers/compliance/$ARGUMENTS/00-scope.md for scope and applicable regulations
   • Read .metapowers/compliance/$ARGUMENTS/03-certify.md for audit readiness status

2. Define selection criteria:

   • Industry expertise — experience with organization's sector
   • Regulation experience — certifications the firm can audit (SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, etc.)
   • Geographic coverage — can they audit all relevant locations?
   • Team size and availability — can they staff the engagement in the desired window?
   • Cost — engagement fees, travel costs, additional charges
   • Timeline — availability for desired audit window
   • References — client references in similar industry/size
   • Combined audit capability — can they audit multiple standards simultaneously?

3. Create shortlist:

   • Identify 3-5 candidate audit firms
   • Research firm reputation, specializations, and recent engagements
   • Consider Big 4, mid-tier, and boutique firms based on organization size and needs
   • Check for conflicts of interest

4. Prepare RFP:

   • Define scope — regulations, locations, systems in scope
   • Define timeline — desired audit window, report delivery date
   • Define deliverables — audit report, management letter, certificate
   • Request pricing structure — fixed fee vs. hourly, payment terms
   • Request team qualifications — lead auditor experience, certifications held
   • Request references — 2-3 comparable clients

5. Evaluation framework:

   • Score each firm against selection criteria (weighted scoring)
   • Evaluate RFP responses for completeness and quality
   • Check references — ask about responsiveness, thoroughness, communication
   • Negotiate terms — scope, timeline, pricing, re-audit clauses
   • Consider combined audits (SOC 2 + ISO 27001 with same firm for efficiency and cost savings)

6. Write the artifact to .metapowers/compliance/$ARGUMENTS/03-certify.md (append to existing) with sections:

   • Selection Criteria — weighted criteria with scoring methodology
   • Candidate Shortlist — firms under consideration with profiles
   • RFP Template — prepared RFP for distribution
   • Evaluation Matrix — scoring framework for comparing responses
   • Combined Audit Opportunities — multi-standard audit possibilities
   • Recommended Next Steps — timeline for RFP distribution, evaluation, and selection

Output

The auditor selection plan appended to .metapowers/compliance/$ARGUMENTS/03-certify.md. Present a summary to the user highlighting:

• Selection criteria and weights
• Recommended number of firms to evaluate
• Combined audit opportunities identified
• Suggested timeline for selection process