Fractional CIO without the MSP conflict
Independent IT leadership for growing Front Range companies: strategy, budgets, security and compliance, and honest oversight of the vendors you already pay.
What is a fractional CIO, and how is it different from an MSP's vCIO?
A fractional CIO is a part-time senior IT leader who owns your technology strategy, budget, vendors and risk. In the Denver market, most "vCIO" services are sold by managed service providers as an add-on to managed IT.
That model works, but it asks your provider to grade its own homework. Dorje Group doesn't sell managed services, so we can manage your MSP on your behalf. Retainers run $4,500 to $22,000 a month.
What you get
IT strategy and roadmap
A 12-month plan tied to business goals, not a list of tickets.
Annual IT budget
Forecast, renewals calendar and a clear view of what you're paying for and why.
MSP and vendor management
Contracts, SLAs and quarterly reviews run by someone on your side of the table.
Security and compliance roadmap
Practical controls and a staged plan for HIPAA, SOC 2 or customer security reviews.
Platform and ERP selection
Requirements, vendor shortlists and rollout planning for major systems.
Executive reporting
Plain-language reporting on risk, spend and progress for leadership and the board.
The first 90 days
Days 1–30
Inventory and risk review
Systems, contracts, spend, access and backups. A written risk register with owners.
Days 31–60
Roadmap and budget
Prioritized roadmap, renewal plan, and a reset of MSP expectations and reporting.
Days 61–90
Operate
First fixes closed, quarterly vendor reviews scheduled, and an executive dashboard in place.
Fractional CIO retainers
Advisor
About 2–4 hours a week. Senior judgment on call.
- Monthly executive working session
- Roadmap and vendor review
- Slack or email access between sessions
- Board and investor prep
Fractional
About 1 day a week. You get an owner, not an advisor.
- Owns the CIO roadmap and priorities
- Vendor, agency or MSP management
- Leads your team and hiring loops
- Monthly board-ready report
- In-person days across the Denver metro
Embedded / Interim
2–3 days a week for migrations, launches or gap coverage.
- Near-full-time leadership
- Major migrations, launches or turnarounds
- Hiring your permanent leader
- Weekly executive reporting
All retainers have a 3-month minimum, then run month to month. Billed monthly, never by the hour.
Need technology and marketing covered by one person?
The Tech + Growth retainer puts one senior leader across the CTO/CIO and CMO seats, about 1.5 days a week, for $14,000 a month. One roadmap for systems, marketing and AI, with no hand-offs between three vendors.
Frequently asked questions
Do we still need our MSP?
Usually yes. An MSP does the hands-on support work. A fractional CIO decides what the MSP should be doing, holds it to account and plans what comes next. See [fractional CTO vs. CIO vs. vCIO](/insights/fractional-cto-vs-cio-vs-vcio).
What size company needs a fractional CIO?
Typically companies big enough to have real IT spend, compliance obligations or several key vendors, but not big enough to justify a full-time CIO salary.
Can you help with HIPAA or customer security questionnaires?
Yes. We build a staged security and compliance roadmap and help answer customer and insurer security reviews. We are not auditors and don't issue certifications.
Is there a minimum term?
Three months, then month to month.