CDD Public Policy Factors

Given the material influence of governments and interventionist activities (stimulants, constraints, and growing disruptions to the rules of commerce), many of Matters Graph's commercial Diligence assignments include dedicated tracks that take a valuable deep dive into the related (but distinct) public federal, state and municipal legislative and regulatory issues that can positively, or negatively, impact the prospects of the commercial enterprise.

Complementing our traditional commercial Diligence primary research, Matters Graph employs a unique angle and integrated analysis that explores the key public policy factors with a Commercial Due Diligence mindset (i.e., surfacing the matters that count from a commercial perspective, and not just those that are legally or regulatorily most interesting).

Common core issues examined include:

  1. Prospects for legislation that can introduce tax advantages, government awards, or other stimulants, such as allowing, disallowing, or making more or less difficult the sale of a given good or service into domestic, local, or foreign markets
  2. The character and shape of potential/"rumored"/pending legislation
  3. The character and shape of potential/"rumored"/pending regulatory activity and intensity
  4. Intensions of legislators sitting on relevant committees
  5. Interpretation of existing legislation and regulations
  6. Target company performance in inspections, certification, or other regulatory activity
    1. Performance relative to competitors and peer firms, and perspectives on how to interpret performance against norms and regulatory expectations

Matters Graph's Public Policy Factors operate across all sectors and cover the full spectrum (Federal, State, and Municipal; legislative, regulatory, and executive office) of impact on the commercial prospects of target companies and their markets.

With our headquarters in Washington, DC, Matters Graph taps into an extensive network of active lobbyists, national and international trade associations, attorneys, and public policy and affairs professionals "in the know"—a network built over many years and covering an array of industries/sectors.

Across most major industries and topic areas, we know those who are knowledgeable or those who can point us to those who are knowledgeable. This network reaches deeply into Federal, State, and municipal-level staff and elected officials, and Matters Graph strengthens it with strong primary research skills that help us connect with individuals who are new to their roles and to Matters Graph.

Our Public Policy Factors primary and secondary research enables investment committees to assess core issues associated with investments that have dependencies on government policy.

Recent Matters Graph Commercial Diligence projects, early-and late-stage, each with dedicated remits examining Public Policy factors include:

  1. Energy markets regulation
    1. Commodities trading
    2. Community solar
    3. District Energy
    4. Oil and gas equipment and instrumentation
    5. Pipeline construction and maintenance
    6. Underground infrastructure inspection services
    7. Residential utilities safety and compliance
  2. Labor classification and wage questions
    1. Contingent labor staffing platform – labor considerations
    2. GIG workers – labor compliance - Freelance/Gig labor online marketplace
  3. Environmental policy, circular economy, and waste Management
    1. Cullet (glass containers) recycling and processing services
    2. Contract packaging - site-level environmental regulatory performance
    3. Recycle waste collection
    4. Used cooking oil
  4. Built environment policy and regulation
    1. Fire detection systems – Commercial
  5. Government procurement
    1. Government contracting – government staffing services and disadvantages in core markets given set-asides
    2. Federal, state, and municipal contracting (equipment and services)
    3. FOIA business process management solutions
    4. Public sector civil penalty administration outsourcing
    5. Public sector recruitment and HR advisory services
  6. Industrial safety
    1. Manufacturing execution systems, evolving requirements
    2. Marine safety equipment and services
  7. Regulated markets
    1. Sports data aggregation and services
    2. State-authorized gaming (roadside, etc.)
  8. Financial services compliance and risk management software
  9. Education
    1. State-based education
    2. Student safety - transportation services
  10. among many others

Projects extending beyond secondary research and interpretations of legislation and regulations, and include primary interviews with key actors such as:

  1. Executive branch personnel
  2. Government research arms
  3. Legislative aids
  4. Legislators
  5. Lobbyists
  6. Regulators – policy writers
  7. Regulators – inspection and compliance personnel and leadership
  8. National and international trade association executives
  9. …among others

Note: Matters Graph does not participate in lobbying activity. While Matters Graph offers a comprehensive set of Commercial Due Diligence capabilities [link here], our Public Policy Factors analysis brings a further unique angle to many Commercial Due Diligence and value generation planning exercises.

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