Vendor Management Policy | Keep It Cyber

Vendor Management Policy for Logistics Operations

Establish secure practices for overseeing third-party providers across your supply chain ecosystem. NIST-aligned and CMMC-ready.

NIST SP 800-171 CMMC v2 FMCSA Guidelines CTPAT Standards

What is a Vendor Management Policy?

A Vendor Management Policy establishes a structured framework for evaluating, onboarding, monitoring, and offboarding third-party service providers that access your systems or data. It defines security requirements, contractual safeguards, access controls, and ongoing oversight practices to mitigate risks from external partners across your supply chain.

The policy creates a consistent approach to vendor risk assessment (ensuring providers meet your security standards) and third-party governance (monitoring ongoing compliance), addressing the complete lifecycle of vendor relationships from initial due diligence through contract termination.

Why It Matters for Logistics Companies

Modern logistics operations rely heavily on a complex ecosystem of technology providers, carriers, and service partners. Without proper vendor controls, your organization faces:

Supply chain compromises through insecure third-party connections
Unauthorized access to sensitive shipping data and customer information
Compliance violations with NIST, CMMC, FMCSA, and CTPAT requirements
Limited visibility into vendor security practices and incident response
Contractual gaps that leave your organization legally exposed

A well-implemented Vendor Management Policy provides the framework needed to secure your extended enterprise, ensure regulatory compliance across partners, and maintain business continuity even when third-party incidents occur.

What's Typically Included

Our logistics-optimized Vendor Management Policy addresses the unique challenges faced by freight brokers, carriers, and 3PLs:

Vendor risk tiering framework (high, moderate, low) for appropriate due diligence
Security requirements for TMS, WMS, ELD, and dispatch system providers
Clear roles and responsibilities for vendor oversight
Third-party access controls and monitoring requirements
Contract clauses covering breach notification and data protection
Vendor incident response and cooperation procedures
Offboarding protocols with data return/destruction requirements
Documentation standards for regulatory compliance

Why Your Logistics Operation Needs This Policy

Comprehensive vendor management is essential for any logistics company with multiple service providers or technology partners. It's particularly critical for:

Operations relying on third-party TMS, WMS, or fleet management platforms
Organizations working with multiple carrier partners and freight agents
Cross-border carriers subject to CTPAT supply chain security requirements
Companies pursuing government or defense contracts
Logistics providers responding to customer security questionnaires

For comprehensive third-party risk management, pair this policy with an Incident Response Policy and Account Management Policy to create a complete security governance framework for your logistics ecosystem.

Available in Operational & Regulated Tiers

The Vendor Management Policy is available in our advanced compliance packages for logistics operations with complex supply chain relationships

Tier 2: Operational Logistics

$4,500 · One-time purchase

Basic vendor risk tiering framework
Standard due diligence questionnaire
Semi-annual access review process
Essential contract requirements
1-year log retention guidance
NIST & CMMC alignment

See Full Package

Tier 3: Regulated Logistics+

$8,500 · One-time purchase

Advanced vendor governance model
Comprehensive technical assessment
Quarterly security reassessment
Extended vendor monitoring protocols
Supply chain risk management
Full NIST, CMMC, CTPAT mapping

See Full Package

Compare All Policy Tiers

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about implementing a Vendor Management Policy

How do we implement this with existing vendors?

Our policy includes a phased implementation approach for existing vendors. We recommend starting with an inventory of all current providers, categorizing them into risk tiers (high, moderate, low), and then addressing high-risk vendors first. The policy includes templates for communicating new requirements to existing vendors, contract amendment language for adding security provisions, and a grandfather clause framework for managing legacy relationships. For transportation-specific platforms like TMS and ELD systems, we provide specialized assessment questions to evaluate their current security posture without disrupting critical operations.

What contractual terms should we require from logistics vendors?

The policy includes logistics-specific contract language covering critical areas such as: timely breach notification (within 24-48 hours), data protection requirements for shipment manifests and customer information, secure handling of ELD and GPS data, vendor cooperation during security incidents, data return/destruction upon termination, right-to-audit provisions, and compliance with regulatory frameworks. For TMS, dispatch systems, and other critical platforms, we recommend additional terms covering uptime guarantees, business continuity provisions, and security update processes to ensure operational resilience.

How do we assess cybersecurity posture of small carriers?

Our policy addresses this common challenge for freight brokers and 3PLs by including a simplified assessment framework specifically for small carriers and owner-operators. The assessment focuses on practical security basics like secure login practices for load boards, basic device protection for mobile devices used in operations, secure handling of BOL documents, and proper disposal of shipping information. We provide tiered requirements based on carrier size and sensitivity of freight being handled, with a streamlined questionnaire designed to be manageable for smaller transportation partners while still addressing critical security concerns.

What access controls should we implement for vendors?

The policy outlines a comprehensive framework for vendor access controls tailored to logistics environments. Key requirements include: implementing unique credentials for each vendor user (no shared accounts), enforcing multi-factor authentication for all dispatch and TMS access, creating dedicated vendor networks or VLANs where possible, implementing time-limited access for maintenance activities, maintaining detailed logs of all vendor activity, conducting quarterly access reviews, and creating explicit offboarding procedures to ensure all access is removed when contracts end or vendor personnel change.

How often should we review vendor security practices?

The policy recommends a tiered approach to vendor security reviews based on risk level: quarterly or semi-annual reviews for high-risk vendors (TMS providers, dispatch systems, load board integrations), annual reviews for moderate-risk vendors, and basic verification during contract renewals for low-risk vendors. For 3PLs and freight brokers with numerous transportation partners, we include a sampling methodology to make the review process manageable while ensuring appropriate coverage. The policy also identifies trigger events that should prompt additional reviews, such as breach notifications, significant changes to vendor services, or new regulatory requirements.

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