# Federal Register #OP1880

Federal Reserve System Requests Public Comment on Third-Party Risk Management Guide for Community Banks

**Buyer:** Federal Reserve System
**Posted:** September 15, 2026
**Respond By:** November 17, 2026
**Identifier:** OP1880
**NAICS:** 541618

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System is seeking public comment on a proposed Third-Party Risk Management Guide for traditional community banking organizations:
- Government buyer: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
- The guide is tailored for Traditional Community Banking Organizations (TCBOs) with less than $30 billion in assets
- Addresses risks from third-party relationships across eight vendor categories:
  - Core service providers
  - IT infrastructure
  - Cybersecurity
  - Payment processing
  - Loan management
  - Card processing
  - BSA/AML platforms
  - Fraud detection
- Focuses on operational resilience, system and information security, regulatory compliance, and financial resilience
- References industry standards such as SSAE 18 SOC Reports, PCI DSS, NIST, and ISO
- Covers contract negotiation, due diligence, ongoing monitoring, and transitioning to new vendors
- No specific OEMs or vendors are named; the guide is intended to be broadly applicable
- The opportunity is a request for information to improve the guide's usefulness and clarity for managing third-party risks

### Description

The Federal Reserve System has proposed a guide aimed at traditional community banking organizations to help manage risks associated with third-party relationships. The guide reflects supervisory experience and lessons learned from examining third-party risk management practices in community banking. It discusses key risks faced by these organizations in general and in relation to specific categories of third-party relationships common to them. The Board invites public comment on the guide by November 16, 2026, to improve its usefulness and clarity for managing third-party risks.

[View original listing](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/09/15/2026-18852/proposed-third-party-risk-management-guide-for-traditional-community-banking-organizations)