Assess whether management can run this without the founder after a TSA that
August 31, 2026
SITUATION In a family-office reviewing a manufacturing target, QoE add-backs the seller marked 'normalized' is the evidence after a TSA that expires before replacement systems exist. Working-capital true-up analyst has to pick Proceed or Reprice for this M&A Due Diligence People and Contracts close using QoE add-backs the seller marked 'normalized'.
DECISION Working-capital true-up analyst in a family-office reviewing a manufacturing target must choose Proceed / Reprice / Walk / Hold using QoE add-backs the seller marked 'normalized' after a TSA that expires before replacement systems exist.
HYPOTHESES TO TEST 1. QoE add-backs the seller marked 'normalized' reads as Proceed once a TSA that expires before replacement systems exist is lined up to the same M&A Due Diligence population. 2. QoE add-backs the seller marked 'normalized' is closer to Reprice after a TSA that expires before replacement systems exist; Proceed would over-claim this People and Contracts extract. 3. Walk is still live in QoE add-backs the seller marked 'normalized' for working-capital true-up analyst in a family-office reviewing a manufacturing target. 4. QoE add-backs the seller marked 'normalized' is missing the fact working-capital true-up analyst needs after a TSA that expires before replacement systems exist; stop this M&A Due Diligence close.
ANALYSIS REQUIRED 1. Tie quality-of-earnings, working-capital, and contingent items in QoE add-backs the seller marked 'normalized' to management can run this. 2. Name the document working-capital true-up analyst still needs before signing. 3. Test whether a TSA that expires before replacement systems exist is a diligence gap, a price chip, or a walk-away. 4. For this M&A Due Diligence People and Contracts file, read QoE add-backs the seller marked 'normalized' against a TSA that expires before replacement systems exist and write the one fact that would move management can run this for working-capital true-up analyst.
RECOMMENDATION Choose Proceed / Reprice / Walk / Hold on this M&A Due Diligence / People and Contracts packet (QoE add-backs the seller marked 'normalized' after a TSA that expires before replacement systems exist). Lead with the M&A Due Diligence option QoE add-backs the seller marked 'normalized' can support after a TSA that expires before replacement systems exist, then the two facts that force it, then the Monday action for working-capital true-up analyst in a family-office reviewing a manufacturing target.
COMMAND RETURNS - Bottom-line M&A Due Diligence option on management can run this, then the evidence in QoE add-backs the seller marked 'normalized', then the action for working-capital true-up analyst - Hypothesis scorecard against QoE add-backs the seller marked 'normalized': supported / rejected / untestable - Regulatory or exam hook People and Contracts would cite - People and Contracts finding in QoE add-backs the seller marked 'normalized' that a second reviewer can re-perform
Explore more
More M&A Due Diligence prompts
- Assess whether regulatory approval is a timing risk or a deal risk (4c153c)
- Assess whether earnings quality supports the bid price (d79852)
- Assess whether working capital should be a walk-away (9e399a)
- Assess whether management can run this without the founder (dca174)
- Assess whether earnings quality supports the bid price (6f6020)
Explore related decision areas
- Assess whether loss development requires a rate or a restriction (f77f80)Insurance Underwriting
- CMMC implementation lead must resolve whether the SBIR data-rights assertionsGovernment RFP
- Assess whether related-party revenue is arm's-length from manualForensic Accounting
See governed multi-model AI on your own prompt
Compare GPT-5, Claude, and Gemini side by side, with human review and a decision record built in.

