Last updated: July 22, 2026
The rule
Nothing enters the Sovereign Registry without a source. Every factual claim on a registry record, every news item in Intelligence, and every case study in the Academy carries a validated-source chip: the source name, a link to it, and the date we last verified it.
Source hierarchy
We cite primary sources first, in this order of preference:
- Federal Register — recognized-tribes lists, rulemaking, notices
- Bureau of Indian Affairs — tribal leaders directory, regional/agency data
- Charter and governing documents — §17 charters, §3 OIWA charters, constitutions, ANCSA incorporation records and SEC filings
- Federal contracting systems — SAM.gov, USASpending
- Courts and Congress — dockets, opinions, congress.gov bill records
- Agency guidance — Treasury, CMS, IHS, BIA/DOI, SBA, IRS publications
Secondary sources (press, trade publications) may inform Intelligence items and are always linked; they never substitute for primary sources on Registry records.
Last-verified dates
Every registry record shows when it was last checked against its sources. A dated record is a record about when we looked, not a guarantee the world has not changed since.
Narrative vs. cited fact
History & Context sections are written narrative grounded in the cited materials; designation statuses, charter facts, and contracting credentials are chip-cited claims. The two are visually distinct on every record.
Corrections
Verified members may suggest corrections on any record. Suggestions enter an editorial review queue; corrections accepted after editorial review update the record and its last-verified date. We use reasonable efforts to review suggestions promptly and to correct errors when better sourcing is provided. Whether and how to update any record remains an editorial decision.
Independence
The Institute accepts no advertising and no payment for placement, ranking, or favorable treatment in the Registry, Intelligence, or any tracker. Editorial decisions are made on sourcing quality alone.
Contact
Errors, source disputes, or takedown concerns: legal@tribal101.com. This page describes our editorial practices. It does not create any warranty, guarantee, or contractual commitment; see Terms of Service §§6 and 12.