the old york operational quality rating (OQR) is the clinical standard for business viability. Unlike traditional valuations which rely on backward-looking financial statements, the OQR Index utilizes a forward-looking diagnostic of a firm's internal infrastructure. AAA rating signals a business that is entirely system-dependent and ready for institutional-grade acquisition.

CCC-rated business sells at 1.5x EBITDA. the AAA-rated one sells at 4.5x. On a $400k profit, that is a $1.2M difference. Our audit is the insurance policy for that $1.2M gain.

unrated assets in the old york index are currently designated as 'speculative/non-investment grade until a formal OQR audit is completed

the institutional risk of non-certification

classification: market asymmetry & deal attrition assets entering the private secondary market without a formal OQR designation are subject to extreme information asymmetry. In the 2026 environment, unrated assets face a 70% higher probability of deal attrition during the final 30 days of due diligence. without a clinical audit to pre-emptively identify structural friction, "value leaks" typically result in multiple compression or total capital withdrawal by the buy-side. The OQR is the requisite instrument to stabilize the narrative and defend the clearing price.

buy-side integration

stakeholder alignment & portability The Old York OQR is engineered for seamless integration into the virtual data room workflows of:

• institutional aggregators: To validate "plug-and-play" system compatibility.

• search funds & private equity: To quantify the owner-dependency ratio prior to Letter of Intent (LOI) issuance.

• commercial lenders: To provide secondary verification of operational stability beyond traditional EBITDA-based debt coverage ratios.

• succession trustees: To ensure the preservation of multi-generational capital during principal transitions.

the OQR certification lifecycle

operational protocol: day 1-5 Diagnostic Sequence

• Day 1: Ingestion & Verification. Systematic intake of Form OQR-1 documentation. Establishment of the audit case file.

• Day 2: Structural Stress-Testing. Execution of the principal nullification simulation to measure the velocity of systemic degradation.

• Day 3: Friction Mapping. Quantitative analysis of "Quote-to-Cash" precision and labor efficiency bottlenecks.

• Day 4: Clinical Deliberation. Internal board review of the value-gap matrix. Draft of the technical roadmap.

• Day 5: Issuance of Verdict. Finalization of the serialized OQR certificate and delivery of the technical audit report.

technical deliverables

• Phase 1: Quantitative Ledger Stress-Test (Verifying Revenue Velocity).

• Phase 2: System Redundancy Audit (Founder-Dependency Extraction).

• Phase 3: Risk-Grade Certification (AAA-CCC Official Designation).

• Phase 4: VDR (Virtual Data Room) Ready Technical Report.

the OQR asset class framework

we categorize businesses not by "industry," but by "asset class." This elevates the conversation from local business to sophisticated investment.

asset class 1: agriculture & vineyards

• standard metric: capital velocity & revenue capture.

• the benchmarks: Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) efficiency and Rolling Stock Optimization.

asset class 2: trades & construction

• standard metric: Labor Efficiency & System Autonomy.

• the benchmarks: Founder Labor Extraction and Quote-to-Cash Precision.

asset class 3: main street & retail

• standard metric: Inventory Velocity & Data Captivity.

• the benchmarks: Shelf Rotation Cycles and Proprietary Audience Value.

technical report table of contents

document reference: OQR-Report-Specimen The $10,000 ingestion fee culminates in a 15–20 page technical dossier structured as follows:

• executive summary: Clinical Grade (AAA-CCC) and Risk Outlook.

• the autonomy index: A granular score on the asset’s ability to generate cash independent of the founder.

• infrastructure stress-test results: Data-driven outcomes of the 30-day absence simulation.

• the capital velocity audit: Analysis of how effectively operational effort is converted into institutional liquidity.

• the AAA bridge: A technical specification for the structural changes required to achieve maximum multiple expansion.

operational audit

How to get your Rating: We do not issue "estimated" grades. We perform a 5-Day Operational Audit as a Principal to deliver a clinical verdict.

1. Data Ingestion: We stress-test your SOPs, org charts, and workflows.

2. The Verdict: You receive your official OQR Grade (AAA-CCC).

3. The Gap Analysis: We show you the exact "Value Gap" between your current grade and a AAA exit.

methodology

• phase 1: operational friction ingestion & data verification

  The Ratings Desk initiates a systematic ingestion of proprietary operational data to identify structural points of resistance between the Principal and gross revenue capture. This phase quantifies the asset-to-owner correlation, evaluating whether the enterprise functions as a self-sustaining machine or a founder-dependent liability. We normalize operational inputs to strip away "Blue Sky" projections, establishing a baseline of verifiable system integrity.

• phase 2: systemic stress-test & continuity simulation

  We apply a proprietary stress-test model designed to measure the operational collapse-rate (OCR). By simulating a 30-day "Principal Nullification" event, the audit measures the durability of existing system architecture under zero-oversight conditions. This clinical simulation identifies the velocity of system degradation and quantifies the risk of capital loss during a management transition or institutional acquisition.

• phase 3: diagnostic verdict & index classification

  Upon completion of the ingestion period, the asset is assigned a formal OQR Index Classification ranging from AAA (Institutional-Grade) to CCC (Speculative/At-Risk). This verdict is delivered via an Official OQR Certificate, accompanied by a value-gap roadmap, a technical specification outlining the structural adjustments required to achieve Investment Grade status and maximize multiple expansion in the private market.

OQR technical ingestion list

The following documentation is required to initiate the 5-day clinical audit. All data is processed under the Old York Merchant House Non-Disclosure Protocol.

1. structural architecture & autonomy

• organizational redundancy map: A current org chart annotated with "Decision-Making Authority" (Who has the power to spend $5k+ without the Principal).

• the "shadow" SOP index: A list of the top 5 critical business processes that are currently not documented in writing.

• key-man Risk assessment: A list of employees whose 24-hour absence would cease operations.

2. financial & capital velocity

• revenue capture flowchart: A step-by-step map of how a lead becomes cash in the bank (identifying manual vs. automated touchpoints).

• the 24-month capex ledger: Records of all infrastructure investments made to reduce human labor.

• client concentration ratio: A breakdown of the top 3 clients as a percentage of gross margin (to measure "Fragility").

3. systems & friction diagnostics

• tech-stack interoperability log: A list of all software/CRMs used and whether they "talk" to each other or require manual data entry.

• quote-to-cash precision report: Data on the average time elapsed from a customer's "Yes" to the final deposit.

• the "legacy friction" list: A disclosure of any recurring operational bottlenecks that have existed for more than 12 months.

4. continuity & risk

• operational disaster recovery plan: Documentation (or lack thereof) for system restoration in the event of a total management turnover.

• vendor dependency matrix: Analysis of primary suppliers and the "Switching Cost" associated with each.

how the audit works

We don't "consult." We perform Surgical Diagnostics. As a Principal-led firm, we ingest your operational data over 5 days to stress-test three specific pillars:

1. Staff Autonomy: Can the team execute the vision in your absence?

2. System Redundancy: Are your processes "in the cloud" or "in a head"?

3. Capital Velocity: How efficiently does your infrastructure convert effort into cash?
   
   

the result: the 5-day verdict

At the end of the audit, you receive your OQR Grade and a Strategic Roadmap. We don't charge management fees or stay for months, we give you the clinical truth so you can bridge the gap to AAA exit.

Institutional-Grade Confidentiality: > Old York operates as a private principal advisory. All data ingested during the 5-Day Operational audit including financial velocity, payroll efficiency, and proprietary system architecture is protected by institutional-grade non-disclosure protocols. As we are not brokers, agents, or registered advisors, your operational diagnostics remain entirely private, secure, and outside of public record.

old york OQR is a proprietary rating system developed for the private principal market. We do not operate as accountants, financial advisors, or brokers. We provide the clinical grade. What you do with the truth is up to you

The OQR Index was developed because the private market lacks a clinical standard. While public companies have Moody’s and S&P to validate their strength, private enterprise has been left to the guesswork of brokers. old york brings the institutional-grade rating standard to the private principal market.