Monthly visibility into what changed, what worked, what drifted, and what needs attention — delivered as a written report with specific recommendations every month.
"Recurring clarity, accountability, and optimization instead of hidden workflow drift."
The problem we solve
After the build is done, the team disperses. The workflows run. Nobody reviews them. And drift accumulates — invisibly — until something breaks.
The stack works. You think. Nobody has reviewed the actual outputs, the cost trajectory, or the change history in months. You're operating blind and calling it stable.
No alerting. No drift detection. No review cadence. The failure was discovered when a client complained, not when a monitoring system flagged it. The same thing could happen again tomorrow.
Someone on the team updated a workflow without telling anyone. The change made sense at the time. Now there are downstream effects nobody connected. Without a change log and a review cycle, you learn about changes from failures.
The build team is gone. The documentation is incomplete. The original implementation logic lives in one person's memory who is no longer with the company. The stack is running on institutional knowledge that doesn't exist anymore.
"Drift is not a dramatic event. It is a series of small, unreviewed changes that compound silently until they become a visible problem. The Retainer is what catches them before that happens." — Alcoden Control Method, Oversight & Optimization Standard
Two ways to start
The Retainer has two distinct entry paths. You do not need to complete an Audit or Sprint first.
Most Retainer clients arrive here after completing the Clarity Audit or a Controlled Rollout Sprint. The Audit identified the gaps. The Sprint fixed them. The Retainer watches what was built and catches what drifts next.
The Sprint + Retainer bundle — the Alcoden Controlled Launch Package — combines both into a single agreement at $8,000–$11,000.
Your team built AI workflows 6–18 months ago. The build team has moved on. The documentation is incomplete. The workflows are running but nobody is watching them. You do not need an Audit to start the Retainer — you need someone watching the stack now.
Direct entry starts with a 2–3 hour onboarding session to map what is in scope. The Retainer begins in month one.
What you receive every month
The Retainer produces a structured monthly package — not a status update, not a summary email. A written oversight report with specific findings and recommendations.
You submit the monthly update — changes, incidents, costs, new priorities. Takes 15–20 minutes.
Alcoden runs the submission through the oversight engine — drift scoring, escalation flags, optimization identification.
Monthly report is drafted, reviewed by the Alcoden analyst, and finalized. Every report is approved before delivery.
Full written report and action plan delivered. Core tier includes a 30-minute review call. Starter is async.
If findings require implementation work, a Sprint is recommended. The Retainer continues alongside — it does not pause for a Sprint.
Scope boundary
The Retainer is an oversight and optimization service. It does not include implementation, build work, or software configuration. When findings require implementation, that is scoped as a separate Sprint engagement.
How the retainer works
Every month follows the same four-stage cycle. Consistent process produces consistent visibility.
You complete the monthly update form — changes to the stack, incidents, cost notes, new priorities, and any workflows entering or leaving scope. Takes 15–20 minutes.
Alcoden runs the submission through seven oversight dimensions including drift severity, change volume, issue recurrence, and escalation threshold. Routine months auto-route. Flagged months get human review.
The monthly oversight report is generated from the scored data, reviewed by the Alcoden analyst, and finalized. No report ships without analyst sign-off.
You receive the full report and monthly action plan. Core tier includes a 30-minute review call. Escalation signals are flagged explicitly if a Sprint is warranted.
The Retainer watches and reports. When findings require implementation — a rebuild, a fix, a new integration — the Retainer escalates into a Controlled Rollout Sprint. These are separate products. The Retainer continues alongside the Sprint; it does not pause.
When the Retainer identifies a build gap, the Sprint scopes and resolves it. The Retainer then watches what was built. This is the natural recurring loop of controlled AI operations.
Sprint clients on the Retainer receive a streamlined re-scoping process — no new onboarding required.
View Sprint details →Who this is for
The Retainer is most valuable when AI workflows are running in production and nobody with the right expertise is watching them.
Transparent, fixed pricing
Three options depending on depth of oversight and commitment preference.
The Controlled Launch Package — Sprint + 3-month Core Retainer — is available from $8,000–$11,000 as a single agreement. Ask about bundle pricing at booking.
How we compare
| What you need from ongoing oversight | Internal team monitoring | Alcoden Retainer | Freelance consultant (hourly) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Systematic drift detection every month | ✕ — rarely happens | ✓ Scored monthly | Sometimes |
| Written report with specific findings | ✕ | ✓ Every cycle | Extra charge |
| Cost and tool efficiency observations | Rarely | ✓ | Rarely |
| Explicit escalation signal when Sprint is needed | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Fixed monthly price — no hourly billing | Salary cost | ✓ $1,200–$2,400 | ✕ Hourly |
| Commissioning-grade oversight methodology | ✕ | ✓ Control Bundle v2.6 | ✕ |
| Monthly action plan with ranked priorities | Rarely | ✓ | Extra charge |
Complete the onboarding form and your first monthly report will be delivered within 30 days. No hourly billing, no scope surprises, no disappearing after the build.
Starter — $1,200/mo · Core — $2,400/mo · Month-to-month — $1,800/mo · Bundle from $8,000