Challenge

The tribal government faced a growing financial and operational challenge: its security devices were tied into a heavy subscription-based model. While functional, this system carried massive recurring fees that strained budgets and threatened to lock the tribe into a cycle of dependency on outside vendors.

Beyond the financial burden, the subscription model limited flexibility and innovation. Leadership and the IT team recognized that sovereignty requires not only secure systems, but also sustainable systems—ones that can be owned, controlled, and scaled without prohibitive costs. Continuing down the existing path meant sacrificing financial stewardship and independence.

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Approach

DeSoto was invited to partner with the tribe’s highly capable internal IT team to chart a better path forward. Our role was not to replace their expertise, but to bring additional perspective, analysis, and external experience to strengthen their strategy.

Together, we:

• Conducted a Cost & Risk Analysis of the existing subscription-based system, uncovering the long-term financial impact and limitations of the model.
• Co-Designed a New Security Framework that leveraged open, scalable solutions while maintaining compliance and security integrity.
• Implemented Infrastructure Enhancements that alleviated the need for costly subscriptions, while giving the IT team more direct control over configuration, monitoring, and scaling.
• Knowledge Transfer & Empowerment: Worked hand-in-hand with the IT staff to ensure the new system could be fully managed internally, strengthening tribal sovereignty over its digital environment.

This collaborative approach honored the expertise of the internal team while reinforcing the tribe’s long-term independence.

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Results

The outcome of the project was both financial and strategic:

• Massive Cost Savings: Eliminated the heavy subscription fees, freeing up budget for other critical priorities.
• Strengthened Sovereignty: The tribe now owns and controls its security infrastructure, reducing reliance on outside vendors.
• Empowered IT Team: Internal staff gained tools, training, and confidence to operate the new system sustainably.
• Enhanced Security: The new model not only reduced costs but also increased resilience and compliance, ensuring sensitive tribal data remains protected.
• Continued Partnership: The success of this initiative has strengthened the relationship between DeSoto and the tribe, paving the way for ongoing collaboration and innovation.

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