A Checklist for Briefing HQ on a Co-Managed IT Arrangement

Regional IT leads often need to justify a co-managed arrangement to an overseas head office. This checklist covers what HQ typically wants to see before approving it.

Compliance and policy alignment

A co-managed provider can help a local office meet HQ-mandated global IT policies and compliance requirements while still working within the constraints of the local team and infrastructure. Before briefing HQ, map the specific policies the co-managed arrangement will help satisfy - endpoint monitoring standards, backup and disaster recovery requirements, or Microsoft 365 security baselines are common starting points.

A clearly defined scope document

HQ will want to see exactly what is being handed to an external provider and what remains with the local team. The managed service provider and the internal IT team jointly define scope during onboarding, and this document is usually the clearest artefact to present upward.

Cost comparison to alternatives

Present the co-managed cost against the realistic alternative - typically hiring an additional local specialist, or doing nothing and carrying the risk. A co-managed arrangement gives access to a broader team of specialists for a predictable monthly fee, which is usually the more persuasive comparison for a budget conversation.

Ongoing reporting and evidence

HQ will typically want ongoing visibility, not just a one-time approval. Agree a reporting cadence with your co-managed provider - monthly summaries, fleet health and patch compliance reports, and backup monitoring status are common asks. See how the scoping process works for how this gets built into the arrangement from day one.