Paragon Management Group: Breaking the Boundaries in Public Sector Operations
Sanjay Shah, Founder and President
That’s the motto driving Paragon Management Group (PMG), as it helps reimagine vital government functions with cuttingedge technology, deep subject matter expertise and entrepreneurial spirit.
A recent public sector project demonstrated PMG’s motto. It was tasked with formulating a citywide audit policy for New York City’s health and human services programs with billions of dollars in annual funding. A report by the city’s Department of Investigation—an independent agency responsible for scrutinizing the use of taxpayer dollars and preventing abuse of power—highlighted widespread problems in the use of government funds by grantees, mostly nonprofits, and systemic vulnerabilities caused by inconsistent audit policies across multiple city agencies.
“It was a daunting project,” recalls Sanjay Shah, founder and president. “A colleague with a Princeton degree and a decade’s experience as an audit director in public agencies told us it was a fool’s errand. And in a sector where change is rare and caution is king— especially when dealing with taxpayer dollars—this was no easy task.”
But Shah and his team refused to back down.
In the first phase of the project, PMG designed a new policy framework that swiftly garnered approval from the New York City Mayor’s Office of Contracting Services, which oversees contracts for both profit and nonprofit vendors.
They recognized the transformative potential of the approach when PMG showcased it with an innovative tech solution to modernize the audit and risk management of health and human service programs.
Two game-changing deliverables solidified success—an updated, uniform cost manual and a standardized audit manual for 165 CPA firms conducting audits on behalf of the nonprofit grantees. Standardization promises to simply and fortify the city’s financial oversight mechanisms.
PMG’s team worked hand in hand with dozens of city officials to ensure the new audit approach was aligned with local, state and federal regulations and their own concerns. Shah played an active role in detailed discussions and addressed questions, suggestions and ideas raised by agencies to formulate a consistent approach across the board.
The result was a groundbreaking, riskbased audit framework complemented by electronic reporting—a significant shift in how New York City agencies manage and audit their programs. This transformation raises the bar for efficiency, transparency and accountability across the system.
Credit for the success goes to Paragon’s 360-degree expertise. A subject matter expert in federal contract oversight, forensic audits and policy implementation gave PMG a practical, grounded approach, ensuring solutions are firmly rooted in the realities of the sector. Shah’s extensive background as a chief financial officer, combined with the firm’s history of providing audit resolutions, provided the caliber needed to navigate the change with confidence.
Two game-changing deliverables solidified success—an updated, uniform cost manual and a standardized audit manual for 165 CPA firms conducting audits on behalf of the nonprofit grantees. Standardization promises to simply and fortify the city’s financial oversight mechanisms.
PMG’s team worked hand in hand with dozens of city officials to ensure the new audit approach was aligned with local, state and federal regulations and their own concerns. Shah played an active role in detailed discussions and addressed questions, suggestions and ideas raised by agencies to formulate a consistent approach across the board.
The result was a groundbreaking, riskbased audit framework complemented by electronic reporting—a significant shift in how New York City agencies manage and audit their programs. This transformation raises the bar for efficiency, transparency and accountability across the system.
Credit for the success goes to Paragon’s 360-degree expertise. A subject matter expert in federal contract oversight, forensic audits and policy implementation gave PMG a practical, grounded approach, ensuring solutions are firmly rooted in the realities of the sector. Shah’s extensive background as a chief financial officer, combined with the firm’s history of providing audit resolutions, provided the caliber needed to navigate the change with confidence.
