Core Services
Technology risk is one of the most overlooked — and most expensive — surprises in any merger or acquisition. Fairway IT helps Chicago businesses and their advisors surface IT risks before deals close and execute clean integrations after. We keep your operations running while two businesses become one. From the first data room request to the final system consolidation, Fairway IT supports every technology dimension of a deal. of M&A Deals Uncover Unexpected IT Issues Post-Close A structured review of the target company’s IT environment — infrastructure, security, software, vendors, and compliance — delivered in a format your advisors can act on. Identify unpatched vulnerabilities, insecure configurations, endpoint gaps, and security policy failures that could become your liability the moment the deal closes. IT Integration Typically Costs More Than Initial Estimates of Deals Cite IT Integration Issues as a Top Value-Destruction Driver Assess the target’s compliance status against HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOC 2, and CMMC/NIST — so you know what remediation costs are baked into the acquisition price. A phased integration plan with clear milestones, dependencies, and ownership — plus ongoing project management support to keep the IT workstream on track and on budget. Readiness Starts With Due Diligence, Not Post-Close Planning We review the target’s IT environment — infrastructure, security, compliance, vendors, and tech debt — and deliver a risk-rated findings report your team can use. Based on due diligence findings and your business goals, we design a phased integration plan with clear milestones, resource requirements, and cost estimates. We ensure employees on both sides can work from Day 1 — email, access, communications, and critical applications fully operational at close. We execute the full IT integration — consolidating systems, migrating data, harmonizing policies, and handing off a unified, well-documented IT environment. IT due diligence covers the target company’s infrastructure, cybersecurity posture, software licensing, vendor contracts, compliance status, tech debt, and IT staffing. The goal is to surface hidden risks and costs — things like outdated systems, unresolved vulnerabilities, shadow IT, or compliance gaps — before the deal closes so they can be factored into valuation and integration planning. A thorough IT due diligence engagement typically takes two to four weeks, depending on the size and complexity of the target company. For smaller acquisitions, a focused rapid assessment can be completed in five to seven business days. Fairway IT works within your deal timeline and can prioritize the highest-risk areas when time is short. The most common issues we uncover include aging or end-of-life infrastructure, unpatched vulnerabilities, inadequate backups, missing or expired software licenses, undocumented systems, compliance gaps (especially HIPAA, PCI, or SOC 2), and IT staffing dependencies — where critical institutional knowledge lives with one or two people. Any of these can materially affect integration costs and timelines. We start with an integration blueprint built from the due diligence findings — mapping which systems will be consolidated, replaced, or kept separate, and in what order. We then execute in phases: identity and directory integration first (so employees can access what they need), followed by network consolidation, application migration, and policy harmonization. We prioritize business continuity throughout so operations aren’t disrupted. Yes. We work with private equity sponsors to assess IT environments across portfolio companies, support add-on acquisitions, and provide ongoing managed IT and cybersecurity services to portfolio companies in the Chicago area. Our standardized due diligence process and reporting make it easy to compare technology risk across potential targets and track integration progress post-close. Whether you’re preparing for due diligence, closing a deal, or 30 days into integration and already behind, Fairway IT can step in and get things on track. Let’s talk about where you are and what you need. No long-term contracts required. Just a clear picture of your options and what it costs.
M&A IT Services — Chicago, IL
Know What You’re Buying. Integrate What You Acquire.
✓ Pre-close & post-close support
✓ Deal-timeline compatible
✓ Chicago-based team
What We Cover
End-to-End M&A IT Support
50%
IT Due Diligence Assessment
Cybersecurity Posture Review
2–4×
30%
Compliance Gap Analysis
Integration Roadmap & PMO Support
Day 1
01
PROCESS
Get Started →
Pre-Close Assessment
02
PROCESS
Get Started →
Integration Blueprint
03
PROCESS
Get Started →
Day 1 Readiness
04
PROCESS
Get Started →
Integration Execution
FAQ
M&A IT Services — Frequently Asked Questions
Don’t Let IT Risk Derail Your Deal