Pipeline Compliance Services for
Operators and Contractors
Two purpose-built solutions for pipeline operators who are done patching together fragmented compliance programs. SC.ORB eliminates contractor alignment gaps. Our consulting team handles everything else.
- SC.ORB — Organizational Requirements Baseline
PIPELINE CONTRACTOR COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT, BUILT FOR PHMSA-REGULATED OPERATORS
Most pipeline compliance platforms sell you a login and disappear. We don’t. Systemic Compliance is a team of pipeline safety and PHMSA compliance experts who built SC.ORB because the industry needed a better answer — not just better software. We support operators building defensible compliance programs. We support contractors who need to stay qualified and keep working. And we’re reachable when it matters.
Core Platform Architecture
- Organizational Requirements Baseline (ORB) Your centralized, version-controlled repository of every regulatory requirement, O&M procedure, operational standard, and documentation obligation your contractors must meet. The ORB is the single source of truth for your entire compliance program — built to your specifications, not a vendor's template.
- Integrated MOC Engine Every requirement in your ORB is dynamically linked. When a procedure changes, the MOC Engine automatically identifies every downstream impact — personnel, tasks, contractors, and records — and triggers notifications to affected parties. PHMSA auditors look for systematic Management of Change. The MOC Engine makes yours bulletproof.
- Tools / Resources All tools and resources contractors need are available in real time... Replace with: Every tool, reference document, and resource your contractors need to meet your requirements is organized by element and accessible in real time. No more "I didn't know" or "I couldn't find it." Contractors have what they need. You have proof they had it.
Solving Top Operator Problems
Controlled Evaluator Pool
We manage and audit every evaluator. Only Systemic Compliance can authorize or revoke credentials, ensuring quality control.
Instant Alignment via MOC
Procedure updates instantly flag affected records, tasks, and personnel across your entire contractor community.
Contractor Alignment
Contractors prefer SC.ORB due to the consolidated, low-cost subscription model. Higher adoption, less resistance for you.
The Alignment Process
Operator Requirements
You define your requirements: O&M procedures, OQ program elements, safety standards, drug and alcohol testing protocols, and insurance thresholds. These become the foundation of your ORB — operator-specific, not generic.
Contractor Maps
Contractors map their personnel, qualifications, and procedures directly to your ORB requirements. Every gap is visible. Every alignment is documented. Nothing falls through the cracks.
SC Vets & Enforces
Systemic Compliance verifies that every contractor understands your requirements, has the tools to meet them, and maintains ongoing conformance. We conduct robust audits — not checkbox reviews — so your contractor compliance program holds up when a PHMSA auditor walks in the door.
Management of Change
When your requirements change, the MOC Engine maps every ripple effect — automatically. Changes are reviewed, approved, communicated to affected parties, and implemented with full documentation. Regulatory compliance maintained. Liability risk minimized.
Cost Efficiency - What SC.ORB Actually Saves You
Operator Advantage
Flat annual fee scaled by contractor count. Operators typically save 30%–50% savings compared to legacy platforms — and eliminate the hidden costs of managing disconnected systems, chasing records, and manually verifying contractor documentation.
Contractor Advantage
Contractors pay a single consolidated subscription instead of maintaining multiple platform memberships. That's 60%–70% cost savings — which means higher contractor adoption rates and less resistance from the contractors you depend on.
- The True Cost of Legacy Platforms
Financial Drain
Legacy platforms charge per submission — and those fees rise 8–15% every year. Add the hidden cost of managing multiple disconnected subscriptions across your contractor base and you're paying more every year for a problem that isn't getting solved.
Legal & Regulatory Risk
Generic OQ platforms assess contractors against standardized criteria — not your operator-specific requirements. When a contractor causes an incident, that distinction matters enormously. If their compliance wasn't aligned to your program, you retain 100% of the liability. SC.ORB closes that gap.
Operational Inefficiency
Your compliance team shouldn't spend their days chasing fragmented records across disconnected platforms, manually verifying contractor documentation, or rebuilding alignment from scratch every time you update a procedure. SC.ORB makes contractor compliance a byproduct of your operations — not a full-time job on top of them.
Compliance Drift
Without a systematic MOC process, every procedure update creates a window of contractor misalignment. Over time, that drift compounds — inconsistent quality, undocumented gaps, and exposure that grows with every change you make to your program. SC.ORB stops the drift.
- Co-Sourced Compliance
Your fractional compliance department for pipeline operators. For less than the cost of one seasoned compliance professional, gain access to our entire specialized team — broader expertise, greater redundancy, scalability, and built-in technology support.
Depth without overhead
Single FTE
Single Point of Failure: Knowledge exits with the individual.
Co-Sourced
Institutional Redundancy: Continuous coverage regardless of turnover.
Single FTE
Limited Depth: No one person covers every PHMSA/State requirement.
Co-Sourced
Multidisciplinary Expertise: On-demand access to specialized SMEs.
Single FTE
Fixed Capacity: Can't scale for audits, incidents, or expansions.
Co-Sourced
Scalable Surge: Absorb workload peaks without emergency hiring.
Single FTE
Manual Tracking: Spreadsheets create silos and missed deadlines.
Co-Sourced
SC.ORB Platform: Real-time visibility and compliance tracking.
Engagement Structure
Layer A: Onboarding & Baseline
One-time assessment: applicability matrix, 12-month work plan, gap assessment, corrective action roadmap.
Layer B: Recurring Support
Ongoing compliance management, regulatory monitoring, advisory access, fractional support — scaled to tier.
Layer C: Add-On / Surge
Event-driven work. All clients receive a minimum 10% discount against standard rates on surge and project work.
The Pod Staffing Model
Engagement Lead
Function: Primary POC; Fractional Compliance Manager
Value: Owns work plan, deliverables & executive relationship
Analyst | Coordinator
Function: Recurring deliverables, records QA
Value: Training, program & procedure development, audit prep
Senior SME Access
Function: Specialized technical expertise
Value: Integrity, MAOP, Environmental deep-dives
Principal Oversight
Function: Escalation & quality review
Value: Audit-readiness; safety net for complex enforcement
Service Tiers — Scaled for Complexity
Tier 1
Foundation
Best for: Small/Municipal; simple profiles
SC.ORB, quarterly touchpoints, alerts
Tier 2
Essential
Best for:Smaller Operators, limited staff
Tier 1 + monthly advisory, designated lead, rollover
Tier 3
Managed ★
Best for: Mid-to-Large (Recommended)
Tier 2 + Full CAPA, fractional manager, monthly dashboard
Tier 4
Embedded
Best for:High-risk / multi-state
Tier 3 + weekly touchpoints, full pod, mock audits
Co-Sourced vs. Full-Time Employee
| Metric | Seasoned FTE | Co-Sourced (Tier 3) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 165 hrs (single person) | ~60 hrs + full team access |
| Resource Depth | Single individual | Full Pod + SME Access |
| Technology | Extra (software licenses) | SC.ORB Included |
| Overhead / Benefits | 35%–50% burden | $0 |
| Recruitment | $17k–$30k + 6-mo ramp | $0 -- Day 1 productive |
Significant annual savings with broader expertise and no single-point-of-failure risk.
SC.ORB Platform — Included at All Tiers
Proprietary compliance management platform — the operational backbone of every engagement.
Compliance Calendar
Automated tracking and alerts for all regulatory deadlines
Action Tracking
Real-time visibility into corrective actions and task completion
Document Organization
Centralized, audit-ready repository for records and procedures
Contractor Qualification
Specialized workflows for third-party workforce compliance
Management Reporting
Transparent dashboards for program health visibility
Service Level Standards
Routine: 1-2 business days. Regulator: same-day; plan within 24 hours.
- Pipeline Compliance Consulting Services
Our consultants are former pipeline operators and PHMSA subject matter experts. We don’t offer generic compliance advice — we bring operator-specific expertise across every element of 49 CFR Parts 192 and 195, from O&M manual development to PHMSA audit representation to full PSMS implementation.
Regulatory Program Development & Updates
Whether you're building a program from scratch or bringing an aging one into current compliance, our team handles the full scope of regulatory program development — so your operational procedures are always aligned with where PHMSA expects you to be.
- O&M Manual Preparation & Updates: Aligning operational procedures with current regulatory mandates.
- MAOP Reconfirmation & Records Validation: Engineering-grade MAOP verification.
- CRM Plan Updates & Fatigue Mitigation: Comprehensive Control Room Management strategies.
- DIMP Implementation & Risk Model Updates: Distribution Integrity Management Program rewrites.
- IMP Development & Risk Assessments: Advanced Integrity Management Program architecture.
- Emergency Response & Spill Response Plan Updates: Critical preparedness documentation.
- Public Awareness (RP1162) Implementation & Effectiveness Evaluations: Program development and assessments.
- Annual Reporting Assistance: Strategic support for PHMSA Form MM-04 and related filings.
Audit Readiness & Representation
A PHMSA inspection isn't just a records review — it's a test of your entire compliance culture. We prepare your team, organize your documentation, and represent you during the inspection to ensure every finding is addressed strategically, not reactively.
- PHMSA Audit Preparation & Representation: Strategic defense during regulatory inspections.
- OQ Program Audits & Updates: Comprehensive Operator Qualification program verification.
- Contractor OQ/PSMS Alignment Audits: Third-party adherence to operator-specific standards.
- Drug & Alcohol Plan Audits: PHMSA/DOT program compliance.
- Control Room Management (CRM) Reviews: Gap analysis and regulatory alignment.
Audit/Compliance Preparation
Prepare for inspections, audits, and ensure ongoing regulatory compliance
- PHMSA Audit/Protocol Preparation
- Contractor Audits
- OQ Program Development/Review
- IMP Development Review
- Drug/Alcohol Plan Audits
- MAOP Reconfirmation and Records Validation
- Emergency Response Plan/Drills
- Damage Prevention/811 Program
- Public Awareness/Public Notification
PSMS/Risk Mitigation
Based on API RP 1173, these enhance overall safety culture and processes
- API RP 1173 (PSMS) Gap Assessments/Implementation Roadmaps
- CRM Plan Updates/Fatigue Mitigation
- MOC and Pre-Job Planning Process
- Contractor OQ/PSMS Alignment Audits
PSMS Implementation & Technical Strategy
API RP 1173 isn't a checklist — it's a management system framework. We assess where your program stands, build a realistic implementation roadmap, and help you achieve management system maturity at a pace that works for your organization.
- API RP 1173 / PSMS Gap Assessments: Roadmaps to achieve management system maturity.
- Management of Change (MOC) Build-Out: Pre-job planning and change detection processes.
- Records Verification & Data Migration: Strategic management of historical compliance data.
Field Operations & Emergency Preparedness
Compliance doesn't stop at the procedure manual. Our field operations support covers the hands-on elements of pipeline safety — from leak surveys and emergency drills to regulator inspections and damage prevention programs.
- Emergency Drills & After-Action Reports: Tabletop and full-scale exercises with evaluation.
- Leak Surveys & Emergency Plan Development: Field-level detection and response strategy.
- Regulator & Relief Valve Inspections: Technical calculations and inspection oversight.
- Damage Prevention & 811 Programs: Safety in excavation and third-party utility interactions.
O&M Support
Day-to-day pipeline operations, procedures, and routine compliance
- O&M Manual Preparation/Updates
- Leak Surveys/Emergency Plan Development
Reporting/Records Management
Data submission, verification, and migration to maintain accurate records
- Annual Reporting Assistance
- Records Verification and Data Migration Projects
- What Makes Systemic Compliance Different?
There are OQ platforms. There are compliance consultants. There are training providers. Systemic Compliance is the only firm that integrates all three — and backs them with the kind of support that’s been missing from this industry for a long time.
Platform AND People
SC.ORB is our technology. But technology alone doesn't solve compliance problems — people do. Every SC.ORB deployment is backed by our compliance team. We help you build your ORB, configure your program, onboard your contractors, and keep everything current. You're not buying software and figuring it out alone. You're working with a team that has done this before.
We Serve Contractors, Not Just Operators
Most compliance platforms are built entirely around the operator's perspective. Contractors are an afterthought — given a login, handed a task list, and left to figure it out. We built SC.ORB to be genuinely usable for contractors, because contractor adoption is what makes an operator's compliance program actually work. When contractors understand the platform, trust the process, and stay current — operators win. We help make that happen on both sides.
A Contractor Out of Compliance Can't Work
We understand the urgency. When a contractor has a compliance issue — a missing qualification, a documentation gap, a platform question they can't resolve — they're not just frustrated. They're not working. And an operator is waiting on them. Our support is built around that reality. You reach a real person who understands the industry, knows the regulations, and can help resolve the issue quickly. Not a chatbot. Not a three-day ticket queue.
Reachable When It Matters
The pipeline compliance industry has a support problem. Platforms are hard to reach, consultants are slow to respond, and nobody seems to treat urgency like urgency. We do. Operators and contractors working with Systemic Compliance have access to people who know their program and respond when it counts. That's not a feature — it's how we operate.
Compliance will be systemic — not just because of better software, but because operators and contractors have the support they need to make it work.
Ready to Fix Your Contractor Compliance Program?
Whether you’re preparing for a PHMSA audit, replacing a legacy OQ platform, or building your program from the ground up — we start by understanding your specific situation. No templates. No generic advice. Schedule a consultation with our team.