Ghost Ops Pilot · 2 slots
A fixed-scope engagement to build and harden one operational automation for your team. Build, iteration, and handoff covered in one SOW. One signed document. No surprises.
Slots remaining
2 of 2
Limited pilot capacity. Retainer pricing resumes after the slots are filled. We keep the pilot small to maintain case-study quality.
Phase 1: MVP Build
$5,000 flat
Invoiced at kickoff countersignature.
No case-study rights: $7,500
Phase 2: Iteration
$6,500/month × 2 months
Billed monthly. Written into the same SOW, not a separate engagement.
Total engagement
$18,000
base · $20,500 no case-study rights
One named operational surface. No hourly billing. No scope creep. No auto-renew.
The trade
Phase 1 is priced below our standard retainer because we're buying proof assets. In exchange for $5,000 instead of the full retainer rate for a named build, you agree to:
01
Named logo usage
On our site and pitch decks. Just your logo and company name.
02
Co-authored written case study
You hold unconditional editorial veto on every word and every number. If you decline publication, the case study doesn't ship and you keep every deliverable.
03
2-minute video case study
Recorded at the week 14 handoff. Same editorial veto. You review and approve before it goes anywhere.
Phase 2 ($6,500/month for 2 months) is billed at the low end of our standard retainer rate. The case-study trade doesn't extend to the iteration phase, since the case study is written against the MVP delivery at week 14.
Can't agree to a named logo or case study? The no-CSR variant is $7,500 (Phase 1) + $6,500/month × 2 (Phase 2) = $20,500 total. Same scope, same operating standards.
How it works
The working sequence behind every pilot.
Phase 1: Kickoff
We run a surface-alignment workshop before any work starts. Both sides sign off on what the MVP must do, what "working" means, and what the floor metrics are for your surface. SOW v3.2 countersigned. Phase 1 invoice ($5,000 or $7,500) paid.
Phase 2: MVP Build
We design, build, and deploy the automation on your stack. The goal is a production system you can use. Not a demo. Not a prototype. First outputs run in your environment under real load.
Phase 3: Iteration
Two months of tuning against real data and real edge cases. Adjustments, error handling, runbook hardening. This phase is billed monthly ($6,500/mo) and is written into the same SOW as Phase 1. It is not a follow-on engagement, not optional, and not re-negotiated.
Phase 4: Handoff + Case Study
Full operational runbook, ownership transfer, and metrics baseline. The written and 2-min video case study is produced here, co-authored with you, editorial veto intact.
Scope discipline: iteration covers tuning and hardening of the surface defined at kickoff. New surfaces or materially new requirements are scoped as a separate engagement.
How we stay accountable
Success is defined in writing before work starts. Every checkpoint is measured against what we agreed at kickoff.
| Checkpoint | What happens |
|---|---|
| Kickoff workshop | Before a line of work starts, both sides write down what the MVP must do and what "working" means for your surface. That definition is countersigned as part of the SOW. |
| MVP delivery | A production system running in your environment under real load. Not a demo. We review it together against the kickoff definition. |
| Iteration phase | Two months of tuning against real data. If something isn't hitting the mark, we hear about it and fix it before the phase closes. |
You own all deliverables from day one, regardless of what happens after the engagement. The SOW is one document covering both phases with no mid-engagement re-negotiation.
One named surface
The pilot is scoped to one operational surface. Common picks:
Treasury / Ledger Reconciliation
Multi-sig balances, yield positions, vesting schedules, on-chain exposure. Compiled into a board-ready report without the quarterly manual scramble.
Ecosystem BD Outreach
Systematic research, enriched contact lists, and multi-touch outreach to developers, protocol teams, and integration partners building on your stack.
Grant Program Tracking
Application intake, grantee status follow-up, milestone tracking, and reporting without the spreadsheet that scales badly.
Governance Operations
Proposal monitoring, delegate outreach, quorum tracking, and voter coordination across your governance cycles.
Developer Onboarding Pipeline
Hackathon interest, Discord signals, and documentation feedback tracked through a funnel and followed up at the right moment.
BD Lead Generation
Verified prospect lists against a signed ICP spec, multi-touch outreach, and reply triage while your team focuses on the conversations that matter.
Discord / Telegram Triage
Always-on triage workflows for your highest-volume support and community channels without staffing them around the clock.
Weekly Metrics Roll-Up
Automated performance reporting delivered on schedule, without the Friday afternoon scramble.
Contributor / Client Onboarding
New user, client, or node operator onboarding without founder-calendar involvement at each step.
Your surface doesn't have to be on this list. The intake call will tell you whether it fits the pilot format.
Common Questions
Limited pilot capacity.
Limited to two engagements for this wave. We're buying case studies and proof assets. Once both slots sign, future work is at standard retainer.