Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know before placing an order. If the answer to your question isn't here, it probably belongs on this page. Email and let me know.
What we cover, and what we don't
Do you cover races outside Michigan?
No. Every product is built on Michigan-specific public records infrastructure, drawing on sources such as LARA corporate filings, MiCOURT case records, MiTN campaign finance, MERTS lobbying disclosures, and county parcel and deed records. Specific sources vary by product and by subject. Federal sources (FEC, IRS 990, Senate LDA) are included when a subject has federal exposure, but the core research is Michigan-only. If your race is in another state, I'll refer you elsewhere rather than produce a thin report.
Can I commission a report on myself or my own campaign?
Yes. This is called a vulnerability audit: the same Conflict Dossier methodology applied to you, so you know what opponents, journalists, or PACs will find in your public records before they do. Priced at the standard Conflict Dossier rate for your office level.
Who can buy these reports?
Progressive Michigan candidates, campaign committees, party committees, caucus PACs, consultants, PACs, ballot committees, and allied political organizations. Also nonpartisan accountability work: nonprofits, journalists, and watchdog organizations. See below for who I decline.
Who do you decline to work with?
Two kinds of engagements.
First: clients asking for anything other than what the public record shows. I do not fabricate narratives, strip context, or produce material designed to mislead. If a client is looking for opposition material the records don't support, this isn't the service. Every finding in every deliverable is traceable to a primary source that you or anyone else can independently verify.
Second: Republican candidates and committees, and any campaign or organization advancing authoritarian, racist, xenophobic, or bigoted politics. This is a values decision and it is not negotiable.
Can I order a dossier on a sitting officeholder, lobbyist, or organization?
Yes. The Conflict Dossier works on any Michigan subject in the public record: sitting officeholders not currently in a race, individuals (lobbyists, attorneys, advocates, executives), and organizations (PACs, nonprofits, law firms, PR firms, trade associations). The intake form asks you to pick the subject type so the report is framed correctly. Non-candidate dossiers drop the electoral sections and add governance, filing-history, and network-exposure analysis instead.
Pricing matches the tier table by scale, not by office. A local lobbyist or small org fits the City tier; a statewide lobbyist or statewide organization fits the County / judicial tier; a national PAC or major dark-money vehicle fits Michigan House or higher. The District Brief and Donor Network Analysis are campaign-specific and don't apply to non-candidate subjects.
Is this legal advice?
No. Conflict-of-interest flags cite relevant statutes and case law, but the reports are research products, not legal opinions. If you need a legal determination, take the findings to an attorney.
What you receive
What's in each deliverable?
Every engagement produces a PDF report, a plain-text copy of the report, chart exports (SVG and PNG), and structured data files (CSV). Detailed contents for each product are on the individual product pages. Sample PDFs using fabricated subjects are linked from every product page. Review one before ordering.
What if the public record is thin? Do I still pay full price?
Yes. The price reflects the scope of research performed, not the volume of findings produced. A "clean" report (where a candidate has no meaningful conflicts, no court history, and unremarkable finances) is as valuable as a report full of flags: it's independent confirmation, with citations, that there is nothing to find. You will still receive a complete deliverable with every section, including the null findings.
How is the deliverable delivered?
As a download link (a single zip containing the PDF, data files, and chart exports) sent to the email address on your order. Files are hosted on a short-lived secure link and are also attached directly when total size permits.
Do you keep a copy of my report?
I retain the underlying research artifacts and the final PDF for one year in case you need a re-send or a reissued copy. I do not share, resell, or reuse your report or the research narrative for any other client.
Can the same subject be researched for two different clients?
Yes. Two clients who independently commission research on the same subject will receive separate, independently produced reports. I will not tell either client that the other exists.
Timelines
How long does a report take?
Standard turnaround is 5 business days from receipt of a complete intake form. Campaign Intelligence Packages and multi-subject orders take 7 business days. Turnaround for each product is stated on the product page.
Do you offer rush delivery?
Yes, on all products, for a 50% surcharge on the base price.
- Individual products (Conflict Dossier, District Brief, Donor Network): 2 business days.
- Campaign Intelligence Package: 3 business days.
When does the clock start?
When the intake form is submitted with all required fields and payment is confirmed. If anything is missing or ambiguous, I'll email once to clarify and the clock starts when you reply.
After delivery
Do you offer revisions?
No. The deliverable is final on delivery. The scope is fixed and written on the product page, and every claim is cited to a primary source that you can independently verify.
What if there's an error in the report?
Errata are always corrected at no cost, regardless of when they're found. If a citation points to the wrong record, a finding misreads a source, or a factual claim contradicts the record it cites, that's a defect in the product and I fix it.
If the underlying public record itself changed after my retrieval date (a case was expunged, a filing was amended, a parcel was transferred), that's a new research event. See "Do you offer updates as new records surface?" below.
What if I want to expand the scope after delivery?
Adding a subject, adding a district, or adding a new analytical angle is a new order, priced at the standard rate for that product and office level.
Do you offer updates as new records surface?
Yes. An update pass re-runs every source in the original deliverable against the current state of the record and produces a delta report. Updates are priced at 40% of the original product price. Common during long campaign cycles where new filings post on a rolling basis.
How payment works
How do I pay?
Payment is handled through Stripe. You'll receive a secure payment link after submitting the intake form. Credit card, debit card, and ACH are all supported. Receipts and invoices are issued automatically.
Can I get a W-9 or an itemized invoice?
Yes to both. A W-9 is available on request. Every payment produces an itemized Stripe invoice with line items, tax handling, and RegionPulse LLC details for your books.
How should a campaign expense this?
In Michigan, opposition research and vulnerability audits are ordinary and necessary campaign expenditures and are reportable on the standard MiTN schedule. The Stripe invoice itemizes the line items in the format the Bureau of Elections expects. Federal campaigns follow the equivalent FEC rules. This is general guidance. Your treasurer or compliance counsel makes the final call.
Is this an in-kind contribution if a third party pays?
Usually yes, if a third party commissions a report and provides it to a candidate, that's an in-kind contribution subject to normal contribution limits and reporting. If you're uncertain, talk to your treasurer before ordering on someone else's behalf.
What's your refund policy?
Full refund if you cancel before production begins (typically within 24 hours of order, before I've started retrieval). Once production has begun, orders are non-refundable: the research labor has already been performed.
Your identity and your order
Will you disclose that I was your client?
No. Client identity is confidential. I do not publish, share, or reference client names in marketing, case studies, or to other clients.
Do you talk to the subject during research?
No. Research is entirely based on public records. The subject is never contacted, interviewed, or notified. They will have no way of knowing a report was commissioned.
Is this website tracking me?
No. This site runs no analytics, no cookies, no tracking pixels, and no third-party scripts. Intake form submissions are the only data collected, and only for the purpose of fulfilling your order.
Ask and I'll add it here
Every question I get by email that belongs on this page gets added to this page. The fastest way to get a self-serve answer for the next buyer is to ask the question that isn't covered.
info@regionpulse.com