Grounding Evidence Ledger (Delivery)

Grounding Evidence Ledger (Delivery)

1. 01

   Freeze the retrieval configuration used for each client deliverable

   Record the index version, chunking parameters, and embedding model in a dated ledger entry before any output ships, so a later accuracy dispute can be traced to a specific configuration rather than a vague tool version.

2. 02

   Log every source document that entered the index with its ingestion timestamp

   A managed context engine such as Ragie handles parsing and entity extraction, but the agency still owns the record of which client files were indexed and when they were last refreshed.

3. 03

   Attach the retrieved passage set to each generated claim in the deliverable

   For every assertion in a client-facing report or agent response, store the passage IDs and similarity scores that supported it, which turns a citation into an auditable artifact instead of a footnote.

4. 04

   Separate deterministic rules from retrieved context in regulated client work

   Where a client operates under underwriting, fraud, or compliance review, route the decision through a rule layer and use retrieval only to ground the plain-language explanation, following the pattern ai·rete·rag was built around.

5. 05

   Run a weekly drift check comparing current retrieval output against the frozen baseline

   Re-query a fixed set of 20 to 30 benchmark questions and flag any answer whose supporting passages changed, which catches silent index or model updates before a client notices.

6. 06

   Escalate any drift above the agreed tolerance to the account lead within one business day

   Define tolerance in the retainer scope, for example no more than two benchmark answers changing per week, so the escalation threshold is contractual rather than a judgment call.

7. 07

   Archive the ledger at project close and carry forward the benchmark set to the next engagement

   A portable benchmark set is what lets an agency move a client between retrieval providers without renegotiating the quality bar from zero.