Six commitments. Every engagement.
You own the contracts
Every carrier agreement is between the carrier and the Tribe or tribal enterprise. Konative is agent-of-record working for you, not the carrier. We negotiate on your behalf, but we never sit between you and your network.
You own the data
Network documentation, quotes, and inventory live in your systems. We keep copies only with permission. Data sovereignty means your data stays under your jurisdiction — full stop.
You can walk away anytime
No exclusivity, no lock-in, no termination fees. If we stop being useful, fire us and keep everything — the contracts, the documentation, the carrier relationships.
Our economics are transparent
Suppliers pay us a commission — typically 15 to 20 percent of monthly recurring charges, the industry standard. You pay us nothing. We'll disclose our commission on any deal; ask us.
We don't grant-farm
We don't take percentages of grant awards, we don't write grants for fees, and the federal money never touches our hands. Funding help is free; we earn only when carriers compete for your business.
We show up
In person — at TribalNet, at regional convenings, before the deal and after it. A partner you only see at contract signing isn't a partner.
The bar for outside partners is high. It should be.
Indian Country has seen outside consultants extract fees and disappear. A March 2026 federal False Claims Act suit over $2.1 million in alleged fraudulent billing on a tribal broadband project is only the latest reminder. Skepticism toward outside partners isn't cynicism — it's pattern recognition.
That's why we lead with the commitment instead of the pitch. Every item above is checkable: read a contract, ask for a commission disclosure, or try to find the termination fee. There isn't one.
Alongside — never against
Konative works alongside — never against — Native-owned and tribally-focused organizations. They do funding, builds, and advocacy; we do multi-carrier procurement and lifecycle management. Together the Tribe gets the whole stack.
AMERIND Critical Infrastructure
Tribally-owned, focused on Tribal broadband advocacy and infrastructure programs.
Tribal Ready
Native-focused broadband data and funding-readiness advisors.
MuralNet
Nonprofit helping Tribal Nations build and operate their own community networks.
NTUA — Navajo Tribal Utility Authority
Tribally-owned utility whose 550+ mile fiber backbone and Shiprock data center show what tribal ownership builds.
FAQ
Who signs the carrier contracts — Konative or the Tribe?
The Tribe or tribal enterprise, always. Every carrier agreement is between the carrier and your organization. Konative acts as agent-of-record working on your behalf — we negotiate and manage the relationship, but we are never a party that sits between you and your network. If Konative disappeared tomorrow, every contract, every circuit, and every service would still be yours.
How does Konative actually get paid?
Suppliers pay us a commission when they win your business — typically 15 to 20 percent of monthly recurring charges, which is the industry-standard technology brokerage model. You pay us nothing: no advisory fee, no retainer, no percentage of anything. And we will disclose our commission on any specific deal — just ask.
What happens to our data if we stop working with Konative?
Nothing changes, because it was yours all along. Network documentation, quotes, and inventory live in your systems; we keep copies only with your permission. Data sovereignty means your data stays under your jurisdiction — ending the relationship doesn't require an export, a handover negotiation, or a request. You already have everything.
Does Konative take a percentage of grant awards or charge for funding help?
No. We don't grant-farm: we don't take percentages of awards, we don't write grants for fees, and federal money never touches our hands. Our funding-window help — like the free TBCP Round 3 and NEGP navigator — costs nothing. We benefit only if, once you're funded, you choose to run your carrier procurement through us, and even then the suppliers pay us, not you.
Do you compete with Native-owned organizations like AMERIND or Tribal Ready?
No — we work alongside them. AMERIND Critical Infrastructure, Tribal Ready, MuralNet, and tribally-owned telecoms like NTUA cover funding strategy, network builds, advocacy, and operations. Konative's lane is multi-carrier procurement and lifecycle management: making the carrier market compete for your business and managing those services over time. Different jobs, same team, and the Tribe gets the whole stack.
What does 'no lock-in' mean in practice?
No exclusivity clause, no minimum term on our relationship, and no termination fee — ever. If we stop being useful, fire us and keep everything: the contracts (they're already in your name), the documentation (it's already in your systems), and the carrier relationships. The only thing that ends is our involvement.
Hold us to it.
In writing.
Fifteen minutes. Bring your hardest questions about contracts, data, and commissions. Grant help is free and separate — use the funding navigator if you need the Sept 17 window.