FirstCheck.App delivers structured, auditable risk intelligence across 13 categories and 39 databases giving operational decision-makers, compliance and operational teams, and supply chain professionals a clear picture of who they're dealing with before it matters.
Between an informal Google search and a $500 enterprise database query is where most third party decisions actually happen — inconsistently, undocumented, and without a methodology.
Informal searches miss structured databases, produce inconsistent results, and leave no formal record of what was reviewed or when. When a relationship goes wrong, the absence of documented due diligence is a serious exposure.
LexisNexis, World-Check, and Dow Jones are powerful but priced for large institutions. Most organizations are left in the gap, relying on inconsistent manual research.
Without a structured framework, due diligence quality varies by who runs it and when. FirstCheck applies consistent, auditable methodology to every report, regardless of the analyst.
No training required. No data to upload. Enter the entity, verify the match, receive your report.
Enter the entity name, jurisdiction, and any known identifiers. FirstCheck verifies the entity and presents a confirmed match before proceeding — preventing misidentification.
Structured open-source research across 39 sanctions and regulatory databases, court records, regulatory filings, and authoritative media — applied consistently to every report.
Receive a formatted background intelligence report with summary narratives, section-level risk indicators, follow-up diligence questions, form for reviewer sign-off, and a methodology statement for your governance file.
FirstCheck serves as compliance infrastructure, business intelligence, and supply chain security — not just a one-off background check.
Designed to integrate directly into your existing TPRM program as the first-level screening layer. FirstCheck provides consistent, documented due diligence at the volume your onboarding and periodic review cycles require — with every report retained as auditable compliance evidence.
FirstCheck is not just a compliance tool — it is actionable business intelligence. Whether evaluating a prospective partner, assessing a counterparty before contract execution, or screening an acquisition target, FirstCheck equips operational and executive decision-makers with structured risk intelligence.
A supply chain is only as strong as its weakest link. FirstCheck enables organizations to systematically screen every supplier, sub-supplier, and logistics partner — identifying sanctions exposure, regulatory risk, financial instability, and geopolitical vulnerability before they become disruptions.
Every FirstCheck report includes a list of information sources, an initial risk profile, a form for reviewer certification, a methodology statement, and screening results across databases. This provides a formal record for decision reviews, governance oversight, and internal and external assessments and audits.
Every FirstCheck report covers the same 13 sections — consistently, completely, with a risk indicator assigned to each.
39 sanctions and regulatory databases screened on every report — including OFAC SDN, BIS Entity List, UN Security Council, EU Consolidated, UK HM Treasury, World Bank Debarment, Interpol Red Notices, and 32 additional Tier 1 and Tier 2 databases. The complete database list is published in every report.
Every report is governed by binding research and reporting standards — not guidelines. The same methodology applies to every entity, every time.
Primary sources (government databases, court records) are distinguished from secondary sources in every finding.
Findings are corroborated across two or more independent sources. Single-source findings are labeled as such.
The same methodology applies to every entity regardless of size, prominence, or country of origin.
Current findings are distinguished from historical information. Resolved matters are presented as context, not elevated risk.
Rumors, unattributed allegations, and claims that cannot be traced to a credible source are excluded from every report.
“All findings are governed by the FirstCheck.App Integrity Standards — binding requirements applied uniformly to every report governing source transparency, cross-reference corroboration, verified findings only, analytical neutrality, content currency, and verification transparency.”
— FirstCheck.App Methodology Statement, included in every reportOver a 40-year career advising global technology and business services companies on cross-border risk, Zak Karamally has evaluated hundreds of third parties — distributors, agents, vendors, acquisition targets, and partners — across the United States and internationally.
The questions were always the same: who are we dealing with, what are the risks we're not seeing, how should we oversee them, how should we decide whether they are too high a risk? The tools available were either too informal to be defensible or too expensive to be practical for comprehensive action.
FirstCheck.App was built from that experience — structured risk intelligence that applies professional methodology to every report, every time, regardless of who runs it. It includes an initial risk assessment, suggests questions for further inquiry, and is a tool for third party governance.
Director and VP-level roles at Texas Instruments, ACS/Xerox, and Conduent, advising on global trade and business risks, including anti-corruption and bribery, third-party relationships, supply chain challenges, response to regulatory demands, review of relevant contractual and cross-border transactions, leading global teams providing oversight and managing related controls and programs.
Reviewed and onboarded distributors, agents, and partners worldwide. Commissioned external due diligence providers. Monitored and audited third parties in the field. And responded to regulator, client, and management demands involving third-party relationships.
Provided specialized expertise in cross-border M&A and JV due diligence, related contract review and adherence, regulatory interpretation, and compliance program design across high-risk jurisdictions and complex multi-party structures.
Author of Export Savvy: From Basics to Strategy and related articles. Former adjunct professor of international business and trade at the University of Texas at Dallas.
FirstCheck.App is built on 40 years of cross-border risk, operational strategy, and third-party due diligence expertise. When your report findings require professional judgment, impact assessment, or when your organization wants to enhance your TPRM program, our advisory services are available.
Request Support →Senior compliance review of any FirstCheck report with written findings and recommended next steps.
Navigate Orange or Red findings — remediation strategy, escalation guidance, and documentation support.
Build or strengthen your third-party risk management program with FirstCheck as the first-level screening layer.
Level 2 investigation beyond open-source research, including proprietary database access and direct inquiry.
Supplier and partner qualification and monitoring for supply chain resilience, regulatory risk, and geopolitical vulnerability assessment systematically applied across your entire third party network.
Third-party screening, periodic risk review, and governance methodology applied consistently with every report serving as evidence of due diligence performed.
Pre-contract due diligence, counterparty screening, regulatory exposure assessment, and consistent approach to contractual decisions and legal risk management.
Target entity performance risk and viability, credit and financial risk assessment with structured due diligence before commitment or strategic decision.
FirstCheck is currently in beta. Paid tiers and reseller licensing are coming soon.
Join organizations using FirstCheck to make better, faster third party decisions using structured methodology, consistent information sourcing, and governance documentation.