---
name: cto-case-stage6-real-governed-refresh-prd
tier: local
status: draft
owner: jp
source: .sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-FIRST-REAL-GOVERNED-WORKFLOW-PASS-EVIDENCE.md
created: 2026-06-01
last_reviewed: 2026-06-01
lifecycle_classification: planning
core_promotion_status: not-promoted
description: Child-local PRD for refreshing Stage 6 candidate-default evidence against the first real governed Stage 5 pass.
---

# CTO Case Stage 6 Real Governed Refresh PRD

Local planning SOT only. Not a Core Protocol. Not active Core authority.

## Problem Statement

Stage 6 candidate-default comparison was validated before the first real governed Stage 5 Case execution passed. That was useful, but the CTO Product Surface now has stronger evidence: `CTO-WORK-049` validated a real approved owned-repo task through the CTO Harness Case seam. Candidate-default readiness should be refreshed against that real pass before any later default discussion.

## Solution

Create a bounded Stage 6 refresh route. The route imports the `CTO-WORK-049` pass report and Stage 5 proof, compares them against the existing Stage 6 candidate-default criteria, records whether Case still qualifies as candidate-default evidence, and keeps runtime default activation false. The refresh is evidence-only; it does not mutate target repositories or promote Core authority.

## Scope

- Require `CTO-WORK-049` pass evidence as the refresh input.
- Require Harness Evidence Interface artifacts, not conversational claims.
- Compare the real Stage 5 pass against Stage 6 criteria: report shape, event validity, allowed-path compliance, failure closure, artifact completeness, forbidden-action closure, and operator acceptance.
- Preserve existing fake, Codex, and Pi lane rationale where applicable.
- Record candidate-default refresh output as child-local evidence only.
- Keep runtime default activation false.
- Keep Core promotion, target mutation, push, merge, deploy, close, PR open, issue close, public publication, vendor-source mutation, and unowned repository mutation out of scope.

## Non-Goals

- Do not make Case the default backend.
- Do not create a new backend seam.
- Do not rerun an unapproved real target mutation.
- Do not replace Stage 6 comparison evidence with a single happy-path result.
- Do not build Hermes WebUI behavior in this slice.
- Do not promote CTO artifacts into Core.

## Acceptance Criteria

- [ ] Refresh requires `CTO-WORK-049` to be validated.
- [ ] Refresh consumes the real pass report path and Stage 5 proof path from `CTO-FIRST-REAL-GOVERNED-WORKFLOW-PASS-EVIDENCE.md`.
- [ ] Refresh verifies report shape, event validity, allowed-path compliance, failure closure, artifact completeness, forbidden-action closure, and operator acceptance.
- [ ] Refresh records fake, Codex, and Pi comparison status where applicable or blocked with rationale.
- [ ] Refresh records `runtime default activation: false`.
- [ ] Refresh records no target mutation, push, merge, deploy, close, PR open, issue close, public publication, vendor-source mutation, or unowned repository mutation.
- [ ] Local CTO validator checks this PRD and issue artifact.

## Validation

Planning validator: `python3 tools/validate_cto_child.py`.

Future Hermes focused validator should be a small Stage 6 refresh command that reads existing evidence and writes a comparison artifact without mutating a target repository.

The refresh command must run read-only without mutating a Target Repository.

## Risks

- A refresh artifact may be mistaken for default activation unless the false runtime-default field is explicit.
- A single real pass can strengthen Stage 6 evidence but cannot replace failure matrix coverage.
- Re-running real mutation without new approval would violate the governed workflow route.
- Missing comparison-lane rationale can make candidate-default status look stronger than the evidence supports.

## Dependencies

- `CTO-WORK-049` first real governed workflow execution is validated.
- `CTO-WORK-043` Stage 6 candidate-default comparison remains validated.
- Harness Evidence Interface remains active.
- Stage 5 proof and pass report remain available.
- Existing operator acceptance remains recorded.

## Challenge Notes

Accepted feedback: The useful next slice is an evidence refresh, not default activation, because the real governed Stage 5 pass happened after the original Stage 6 comparison.

Accepted feedback: The refresh must be read-only over existing artifacts. Re-running Case against the target would require a new approval packet.

Rejected feedback: Building Hermes WebUI now is too broad for this slice because the missing proof is candidate-default evidence freshness, not visualization capacity.

Rejected feedback: Promoting this into Core now is premature because CTO remains child-local planning and runtime default activation remains false.

## Success Definition

This slice succeeds when CTO has a validated child-local PRD and issue route for refreshing Stage 6 candidate-default evidence against the first real governed Stage 5 Case pass, without authority drift or new target mutation.