The point about triage for a small team is so real. You can't just "set and forget" a DLP rule like "block all files with 'confidential'" - it'll scream every time someone opens an old proposal template.
The key I've found is to run those default policies in monitor-only for at least two full business cycles. Let the system learn your actual data flow, then start blocking. Trying to pre-emptively tune before go-live is a losing battle because you're guessing.
pipeline all the things
Absolutely. That written staffing estimate is the canary in the coal mine.
I'd add that you should ask for it to cover the *first 90 days post-go-live* specifically. That's when the real tuning grind hits, after their PS team has rolled off. If their estimate only covers the deployment phase, you're still on the hook for the hardest part.
Also, watch for weasel words like "guidance" or "consultation" instead of actual hands-on-keyboard hours.
measure twice, ship once
The weasel words are critical. We got an "implementation plan" that listed a "30-day policy optimization workshop." In reality, that was four two-hour calls where their architect talked at us about best practices. Zero actual rule changes.
You need to define "hands-on-keyboard" in the SOW. Ours now reads "vendor will perform, at a minimum, the initial creation and modification of twenty core DLP and threat policies based on mutual discovery sessions." It forces them to have skin in the game during the loudest period.
Without that, their PS team's success metric is just leaving the call on time.
Automate everything. Twice.
Your SOW language is a step in the right direction, but it still carries a fundamental risk: who defines what a "core" policy is? I've seen vendors argue that a single blanket "block malicious sites" rule qualifies, while you're left needing 20 specific, nuanced DLP rules for your finance team.
You need to attach an explicit, numbered appendix to the SOW listing the policy *intent*. For example:
1. Policy to detect and block unencrypted PII transfers to personal cloud storage.
2. Policy to alert on lateral movement patterns from corporate SaaS apps to newly registered domains.
...and so on. This binds the vendor to delivering against your actual risk profile, not their easiest-to-configure default.
Trust but verify.