When Protos Security launched our unique managed service model, the ability to match the best local vendor to each clients’ unique set of needs, reshaped the security industry. To ensure our network of vendors are held accountable and providing consistent, excellent guarding service, our cloud-based software tool unifies service levels by accurately monitoring performance in real-time and ensuring our clients are billed for actual hours worked. An extensive vetting and onboarding processes, combined with internal management procedures, ensures that oversight of our vendor network is stronger than any other in the industry. To guarantee our clients are offered the right vendor for the assignment, Protos leverages the largest nationwide security network of – over 4,000 regionally based providers and growing. Whether a client is looking for emergency, temporary or long-term security services for a national portfolio or a single site, our network offers extensive, flexible coverage.

ABOUT THE PROTOS SECURITY VENDOR NETWORK

Our Vendor Network

Since 2006, we have been building our technology platform to make security management as efficient as possible while cultivating a company based on service excellence. We have sought out vendors that repeatedly perform at high quality service levels and reward them with more opportunities for work whenever possible. For many of our vendors, Protos is their largest client, and our work is mutually beneficial. Plus, they know that we have multiple vendor options in each region, so they give Protos the most competitive pricing to pass along to our clients.

Our vendors are small to regional service providers, typically founded by former police or military. As entrepreneurs, they thrive by their business succeeding and they have vast experience with leadership across the spectrum of security. Like Protos, they have a vested interest in making sure clients are not only happy but are being heard and understood. Unlike Protos, though, many small security guarding companies do not have the administrative overhead to effectively track time/attendance and incident reporting. This is where Protos’ comprehensive cloud-based platform elevates their service capabilities, with features such as electronic work orders, timekeeping, and incident reporting. With all security vendors using our platform, we can monitor every post in real-time and accurately compile performance data. This provides the best possible combination of a local entrepreneurial spirit, backed by Protos’ ability to focus on our creating the best technology solution.

As many of our clients have discovered, we can match the best security vendor to the client’s unique needs. We also don’t need to establish a new local presence or hire more officers to expand service, so we have the ability to staff posts faster than even our largest competitors.  In the unlikely but possible event that a vendor’s performance falls short, clients have the benefit of leveraging the breadth of the Protos network and request that a vendor be replaced – if we haven’t already identified the issue and replaced the vendor before this need comes to pass. Backed by our industry-leading technology and innovation, clients receive a standardized program with full transparency, real-time updates, improved visibility and to–the–minute billing. These factors, along with our client-centric service first culture, places us heads above our competition in meeting – and often exceeding – client needs.

Our software provides incentives for quality work, both at the officer and vendor levels. One example is the way we track time, including clocking in/out and arriving as scheduled. Officers are incentivized to arrive on time because our technology ensures that they only clock in when they are within a close radius of the client site and their pay is based on this. Unlike many of our competitors, we bill for the actual minutes worked instead of the projections. Our vendors are incentivized to ensure their officers are providing the best possible service because they know that we have a large network and could replace the officer or vendor if needed.

We believe punctuality is proportional to quality… and a vendor with strong management skills will often have a high success rate in ensuring officers arrive at their post on time – among other key metrics regularly tracked. As the status of every Protos post is tracked in real-time, Protos’ Service team is able to leverage the metrics and KPI’s generated within the Protos software package (including tardy alerts, early clock outs, and the number of incident reports) and regularly follow up with vendors in order to bring performance and scheduling issues to light.  Minor vendor course corrections are encouraged, however the option of swapping out a vendor before an issue becomes a problem, is always available.

Client feedback is often solicited by Protos’ quality assurance (QA) specialists.  The results of these QA inquiries are immediately passed to the Protos Service team, the Vendor Relations Management (VRM) team, and the vendors themselves. Regarding the VRM team, each vendor in the Protos network is assigned a Vendor Relationship Manager, whose goal is to ensure their assigned vendors are ready to accept new assignments, are growing and structuring their operations in order to accept larger assignments, and regularly review KPI performance trends and client feedback directly with each vendor.  If needed, action plans to resolve and improve are addressed and always followed up on. As a result, our vendors always have a clear understanding of their performance levels and service quality trends.

This constant stream of feedback is part of the ongoing evaluation of our security vendors and why high-quality guarding companies work hard to remain a valuable vendor with Protos.

Protos has strict standards for which vendor applicants are accepted into the vendor network.  New vendors must be licensed guarding companies (if operating in a state which regulates guarding companies).   As the company of record, we are required to have their license information on file. Our system will alert us to the upcoming license expirations which, in turn, leads us to work closely with our vendors to ensure their license is renewed. Drug screening is taken very seriously at Protos.  Applying vendors must perform pre-employment drug screenings and background checks, have a program for ongoing random drug testing, agree NOT to subcontract security personnel from another company who may not be as diligent as we require.

To ensure that vendors maintain insurance policies that meet our mandatory minimum requirements, Protos tracks the expiration dates of certificates of insurance for all vendors. Expiration reminders are automatically generated prior to the expiration.  If the vendor does not forward a replacement COI, our system alerts us, and we reach out to the vendor in order to obtain the needed update. Pre-onboarding online searches, such as Google, social media, and licensing status changes, yield valuable information on a vendor company or its owners.  Performing such searches regularly allows Protos to identify red flags about the company as well as its principal leaders. Once in our network, vendors must perform at or above expectations and continually meet our strict compliance requirements, in order to remain active and in good standing.

Because Protos takes on the enforcement of license and insurance along with performing regular quality assurance tests, we can ensure the quality of security coverage for our clients is top notch, thereby limiting client risk in hiring new providers.

Since 2006, Protos has been building a technology platform to make security management as efficient as possible, while cultivating a company based on service excellence.  As Protos evolved, we began providing our clients with in-person security officers and off-duty police officers through a unique, unmatched model that combines real-time performance metrics and feedback, with the power of a national network of locally owned and operated security service providers who are passionate about security.

Like you, many of our vendors are small to regional service providers, typically founded by former police or military personnel.  As entrepreneurs, your business succeeds and grows because of your experience and leadership across the spectrum of security.

Protos is the most digitally forward company in the security industry. A simple-to-use app captures clock ins and clock outs ensuring 100% accuracy in timekeeping events so that every minute worked is compensated. The transparency of this data is then shared between the vendor and the client. As ensuring positive outcomes for our clients is the fundamental principle of our vendor network philosophy, we continually seek out vendors who repeatedly perform at high quality service levels and reward them with additional opportunities for work whenever possible.

Ours is a unique relationship with a shared mission that requires partnership and an investment of time and resources. Each and every Protos employee understands that as your success is our success, we must remain attentive to your needs and challenges, always demonstrating our commitment to your efforts.  In return, Protos expects our vendors to perform at the top of their game.  Your attention punctuality, your understanding of our observe and report philosophy, your promise to review and fulfill post order requirements on every shift, and your guarantee of firearm safety, are all expected and appreciated.

Requirements to Join the Vendor Network

Protos has strict standards for which vendor applicants are accepted into the vendor network. In order to determine if you are able to meet the minimum requirements needed to join the Protos Vendor Network, please review the information below before applying.

Licensure

New vendors must be licensed guarding companies (if operating in a state which regulates guarding companies). As the company of record, we are required to have your license information on file.

Specific Insurance For Specific Work

As different types of assignments require different insurance policies, please use the chart below to identify the policy(ies) required to qualify for that category of work.

Specific Insurance for Specific Work

Type of Work Desired GL/PL with Assault & Battery Workers Compensation Auto Liability
Emergency – Unarmed X
Emergency – Armed X X
Temporary – Unarmed X
Temporary – Armed X X
Long Term or Permanent – Unarmed X X
Long Term or Permanent – Armed X X
Any Type Requiring a Vehicle X X

Insurance Policy Limits Required

As you obtain or renew the insurance policies listed above so that you can accept the type of work shown, Protos requires the following policy limits as mandatory minimum requirements. Note that the insured name on your insurance policies must match your company name as it appears on your W-9.

  • General and professional liability policies are usually written together. Protos requires that you carry both lines of coverage with policy limits at $1 million per occurrence, and $2 million in aggregate.
  • Assault and battery coverage is generally available as part of your General Liability policy. Speak with your broker to ensure that assault and battery is in fact included, and if so, at the same policy limits. If it is excluded from your GL policy, please speak with your broker to obtain either a separate policy, a rider, an excess policy, or an umbrella policy, that adds assault and battery to your coverage package – at the same $1 million per occurrence policy limits as your GL coverage.
  • Automobile liability coverage is only required for vendors who will utilize vehicles (including golf carts) at $1 million per occurrence.
  • Workers compensation coverage is typically available through a state-sponsored plan, or via individual insurance policy. If you intend to handle armed assignments of any duration, or long-term assignments of any kind, you must have a WC policy with a coverage limit of $500k. This is typically available either as a private policy from your broker, or via a state-sponsored WC plan.

Compliance Specialists will authenticate all insurance documents submitted to Protos by contacting your broker or carrier for verification.

Other Requirements

Applying vendors must agree to perform pre-employment drug screenings and background checks, have a program for ongoing random drug testing, and agree NOT to subcontract security personnel from another company who may not be as diligent as we require.

APPLICATION STEPS & WHAT TO EXPECT

  1. Fill out and submit Part 1 of the Vendor Application below if you are willing and able to comply with the requirements set forth above.
  2. Once received, your application will be reviewed in the context of geographic density, client need, and existing vendor capability, to determine if a partnership is advantageous to both parties at this time.
  3. If so, a Protos Onboarding Specialist will provide you with Part 2 of the Vendor Application, a copy of the Protos Vendor Agreement, and additional details on our insurance requirements.
Initial Vendor Questionnaire

BUSINESS DETAILS

If your company has multiple DBAs, list all and separate with commas.

ONBOARDING CONTACT

Please confirm email address

BUSINESS SERVICES

Please list all states your business operates, starting with the primary state
What Industries Do You Serve
Select all that apply
What Services Do You Provide?
Select all that apply

Security Personnel Information

Understanding that every post is unique and the hourly rate you propose for a given assignment will fluctuate, please provide the baseline average hourly rates requested below for a standard ‘8-hour x 7 days per week’ post. You will NOT be held to these rates; they are informational and allow us to get a sense of your price structure.
If you do not provide unarmed guards enter N/A
If you do not provide armed guards enter N/A

Other Questions

Any guard assigned to a Protos work order must have a negative drug screen on file with your company BEFORE arriving at our client’s location for their first shift. Do you agree to comply with this requirement?
At your discretion, do you agree to request additional random drug screening of any guards assigned to a Protos work order?
Any guard assigned to a Protos work order must have a successfully passed industry standard background check on file with your company BEFORE arriving at our client’s location for their first shift. Do you agree to comply with this requirement?
The subcontracting of any Protos work orders assigned to your company is strictly prohibited. Do you agree to comply with this requirement?