diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6936c48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# Vendored cas-contracts schemas are hashed byte-for-byte — store exactly, no EOL conversion.
+tests/contracts/** -text
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index b13aa8d..2f13bd6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ jobs:
       - name: Verify dependency consistency
         run: python -m pip check
 
+      - name: Contract compatibility (pinned cas-contracts v1.1)
+        # Consumer-side gate: fails red if autogen's pinned CAS contract version
+        # or the vendored v1.1 schema release drifts. See
+        # tests/test_contract_compatibility.py for the validated contract surface.
+        run: python -m pytest tests/test_contract_compatibility.py -q --tb=short
+
       - name: Run full test suite
         run: python -m pytest -q --tb=short
 
diff --git a/autogen_dashboard/session_runner.py b/autogen_dashboard/session_runner.py
index 17c7239..8dabbb5 100644
--- a/autogen_dashboard/session_runner.py
+++ b/autogen_dashboard/session_runner.py
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@
 from autogen_starter.config import Settings
 from autogen_starter.providers import ProviderConfigError, collect_provider_statuses, create_model_client
 from maf_starter.approval_policy import (
-    ApprovalScope,
     classify_validation_commands,
     classify_write_operations,
     is_execution_approved,
@@ -54,8 +53,6 @@
     AutoAnswerRecord,
     RunOrchestrationState,
     RunStagePauseKind,
-    SpecialistHandoff,
-    SpecialistState,
     StageName,
     StageSummary,
     specialist_role_for_stage,
diff --git a/maf_starter/provider_fallback.py b/maf_starter/provider_fallback.py
index 11752bd..758b1ec 100644
--- a/maf_starter/provider_fallback.py
+++ b/maf_starter/provider_fallback.py
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ async def get_final_response(self):
     AnthropicClient = None
 
 from maf_starter.config import Settings, activate_run_scope, reset_run_scope
-from maf_starter.execution_profile import CLOUD_SAFE_PROFILE, LOCAL_PROFILE, ExecutionProfile
+from maf_starter.execution_profile import LOCAL_PROFILE, ExecutionProfile
 from maf_starter.routing_policy import RoutingPlan, build_routing_plan
 from maf_starter.routing_types import CapabilityChange, ChainStep, RouteAttempt
 
diff --git a/maf_starter/routing_policy.py b/maf_starter/routing_policy.py
index a504fa3..9a55749 100644
--- a/maf_starter/routing_policy.py
+++ b/maf_starter/routing_policy.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 from agent_framework import Message
 
 from maf_starter.config import Settings
-from maf_starter.routing_types import CapabilityChange, ChainStep, RouteAttempt, RouteLane, parse_chain_steps
+from maf_starter.routing_types import CapabilityChange, ChainStep, RouteAttempt, RouteLane
 
 
 SIMPLE_KEYWORDS = (
diff --git a/maf_starter/team_factory.py b/maf_starter/team_factory.py
index d68a53c..8e5e903 100644
--- a/maf_starter/team_factory.py
+++ b/maf_starter/team_factory.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 from agent_framework import WorkflowBuilder
 
-from maf_starter.agent_factory import build_agent, build_agent_for_model
+from maf_starter.agent_factory import build_agent_for_model
 from maf_starter.config import Settings, load_settings
 from maf_starter.orchestration import (
     CANONICAL_STAGE_NAMES,
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index d1bfa6f..8856013 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ autogen-agentchat>=0.7.5,<0.8.0
 autogen-core>=0.7.5,<0.8.0
 autogen-ext[anthropic,ollama,openai]>=0.7.5,<0.8.0
 fastapi>=0.115,<1.0
+jsonschema>=4.23,<5.0
 openapi-spec-validator>=0.7,<1.0
 pydantic>=2.0,<3.0
 pytest>=8.0,<10.0
diff --git a/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/common.schema.json b/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/common.schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..60ab249
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/common.schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
+  "$id": "https://schemas.coding-autopilot.dev/v1.1/common.schema.json",
+  "title": "CAS Common Definitions v1.1",
+  "$defs": {
+    "actor": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["id", "type"],
+      "properties": {
+        "id": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 256 },
+        "type": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "enum": ["human", "agent", "service", "workflow"]
+        },
+        "displayName": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 256 }
+      }
+    },
+    "traceContext": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["traceparent"],
+      "properties": {
+        "traceparent": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "pattern": "^[\\da-f]{2}-[\\da-f]{32}-[\\da-f]{16}-[\\da-f]{2}$"
+        },
+        "tracestate": { "type": "string", "maxLength": 512 }
+      }
+    },
+    "lifecycleMetadata": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "required": [
+        "correlationId",
+        "promptId",
+        "runId",
+        "repo",
+        "actor",
+        "timestamp",
+        "schemaVersion",
+        "traceContext"
+      ],
+      "properties": {
+        "correlationId": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 128 },
+        "promptId": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 128 },
+        "runId": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 128 },
+        "repo": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "pattern": "^[A-Za-z0-9_.-]+/[A-Za-z0-9_.-]+$"
+        },
+        "actor": { "$ref": "#/$defs/actor" },
+        "timestamp": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time" },
+        "schemaVersion": { "const": "1.1.0" },
+        "traceContext": { "$ref": "#/$defs/traceContext" }
+      }
+    },
+    "evidence": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["kind", "uri"],
+      "properties": {
+        "kind": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 64 },
+        "uri": { "type": "string", "format": "uri" },
+        "sha256": { "type": "string", "pattern": "^[\\da-f]{64}$" }
+      }
+    },
+    "phaseId": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "enum": [
+        "understand",
+        "research",
+        "analyze",
+        "plan",
+        "risk-assessment",
+        "implement",
+        "verify",
+        "review",
+        "improve",
+        "document",
+        "update-memory",
+        "finished"
+      ]
+    },
+    "executionBatch": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "enum": ["discovery", "design", "change", "assurance", "closure"]
+    },
+    "phaseStatus": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "enum": [
+        "pending",
+        "ready",
+        "running",
+        "passed",
+        "failed",
+        "invalidated",
+        "rolled-back",
+        "waiting",
+        "terminal"
+      ]
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/manifest.json b/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/manifest.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c0bd518
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/manifest.json
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+{
+  "version": "1.1.0",
+  "schemas": [
+    {
+      "id": "https://schemas.coding-autopilot.dev/v1.1/common.schema.json",
+      "path": "common.schema.json",
+      "sha256": "078026d60c219658fe0fc5cf7c4f786acdcf0c492121f7d688d5078b33ca25af"
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "https://schemas.coding-autopilot.dev/v1.1/phase-execution-request.schema.json",
+      "path": "phase-execution-request.schema.json",
+      "sha256": "927ffda5ba809e58627ba25b3275355644b510b0ae1c76f446aa7b7f291f08fd"
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "https://schemas.coding-autopilot.dev/v1.1/phase-execution-result.schema.json",
+      "path": "phase-execution-result.schema.json",
+      "sha256": "1d353e20cf6338c2de4a9bec0bad83ca0dec6c9feb5434c5e6264fdc075e7c25"
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "https://schemas.coding-autopilot.dev/v1.1/phase-verification-result.schema.json",
+      "path": "phase-verification-result.schema.json",
+      "sha256": "ec5b97a2bf75892530442f666d23a8b6dbb8f13bda0efe49553d3f64cd41b995"
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "https://schemas.coding-autopilot.dev/v1.1/sdlc-lifecycle-event.schema.json",
+      "path": "sdlc-lifecycle-event.schema.json",
+      "sha256": "bd955637761679d3b6e8ee09fb7b693b1d0362615b0865204c5ae3bacb3809dc"
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "https://schemas.coding-autopilot.dev/v1.1/sdlc-profile.schema.json",
+      "path": "sdlc-profile.schema.json",
+      "sha256": "f4974e911e7cb88191c1a331470c8cd7a79d1c7311c963dd70cd9c8f524ebe45"
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/phase-execution-request.schema.json b/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/phase-execution-request.schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a9b9ab7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/phase-execution-request.schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
+  "$id": "https://schemas.coding-autopilot.dev/v1.1/phase-execution-request.schema.json",
+  "title": "PhaseExecutionRequest",
+  "type": "object",
+  "allOf": [
+    { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/lifecycleMetadata" },
+    {
+      "type": "object",
+      "required": ["kind", "profileVersion", "phase", "batch", "goal", "constraints"],
+      "properties": {
+        "kind": { "const": "PhaseExecutionRequest" },
+        "profileVersion": { "type": "string", "const": "v1.1" },
+        "phase": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/phaseId" },
+        "batch": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/executionBatch" },
+        "goal": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 5000 },
+        "constraints": {
+          "type": "array",
+          "items": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 1000 }
+        },
+        "validatedInputs": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string" } },
+        "priorEvidence": { "type": "array", "items": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/evidence" } },
+        "requiredOutputSchema": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 256 },
+        "requiredArtifacts": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 256 } },
+        "successCriteria": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 1000 } },
+        "verifier": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 256 },
+        "failureBehavior": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 5000 },
+        "rollbackBehavior": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 5000 },
+        "memoryCandidateFields": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 256 } },
+        "humanEscalationConditions": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 1000 } }
+      }
+    }
+  ],
+  "unevaluatedProperties": false
+}
diff --git a/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/phase-execution-result.schema.json b/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/phase-execution-result.schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..db58ea3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/phase-execution-result.schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
+  "$id": "https://schemas.coding-autopilot.dev/v1.1/phase-execution-result.schema.json",
+  "title": "PhaseExecutionResult",
+  "type": "object",
+  "allOf": [
+    { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/lifecycleMetadata" },
+    {
+      "type": "object",
+      "required": ["kind", "phase", "status", "promptDigest"],
+      "properties": {
+        "kind": { "const": "PhaseExecutionResult" },
+        "phase": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/phaseId" },
+        "batch": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/executionBatch" },
+        "status": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/phaseStatus" },
+        "promptDigest": { "type": "string", "pattern": "^[\\da-f]{64}$" },
+        "artifacts": { "type": "array", "items": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/evidence" } },
+        "output": { "type": "object" },
+        "promptMetadata": { "type": "object" },
+        "sanitizedPrompt": { "type": "string", "maxLength": 50000 },
+        "verifier": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 256 },
+        "checkpoint": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 256 }
+      }
+    }
+  ],
+  "unevaluatedProperties": false
+}
diff --git a/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/phase-verification-result.schema.json b/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/phase-verification-result.schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..90b6819
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/phase-verification-result.schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
+  "$id": "https://schemas.coding-autopilot.dev/v1.1/phase-verification-result.schema.json",
+  "title": "PhaseVerificationResult",
+  "type": "object",
+  "allOf": [
+    { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/lifecycleMetadata" },
+    {
+      "type": "object",
+      "required": ["kind", "phase", "verifier", "outcome"],
+      "properties": {
+        "kind": { "const": "PhaseVerificationResult" },
+        "phase": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/phaseId" },
+        "verifier": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 256 },
+        "outcome": { "enum": ["passed", "failed", "inconclusive"] },
+        "invalidatedPhaseIds": {
+          "type": "array",
+          "items": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/phaseId" },
+          "uniqueItems": true
+        },
+        "evidence": { "type": "array", "items": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/evidence" } },
+        "reason": { "type": "string", "maxLength": 5000 }
+      }
+    }
+  ],
+  "unevaluatedProperties": false
+}
diff --git a/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/sdlc-lifecycle-event.schema.json b/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/sdlc-lifecycle-event.schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0d7d8bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/sdlc-lifecycle-event.schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
+  "$id": "https://schemas.coding-autopilot.dev/v1.1/sdlc-lifecycle-event.schema.json",
+  "title": "SdlcLifecycleEvent",
+  "type": "object",
+  "allOf": [
+    { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/lifecycleMetadata" },
+    {
+      "type": "object",
+      "required": ["kind", "eventType", "phase"],
+      "properties": {
+        "kind": { "const": "SdlcLifecycleEvent" },
+        "eventType": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 128 },
+        "phase": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/phaseId" },
+        "batch": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/executionBatch" },
+        "status": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/phaseStatus" },
+        "message": { "type": "string", "maxLength": 5000 },
+        "evidence": { "type": "array", "items": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/evidence" } }
+      }
+    }
+  ],
+  "unevaluatedProperties": false
+}
diff --git a/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/sdlc-profile.schema.json b/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/sdlc-profile.schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..92a0404
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/sdlc-profile.schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
+  "$id": "https://schemas.coding-autopilot.dev/v1.1/sdlc-profile.schema.json",
+  "title": "SdlcProfile",
+  "type": "object",
+  "allOf": [
+    { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/lifecycleMetadata" },
+    {
+      "type": "object",
+      "required": ["kind", "profileId", "profileVersion", "phases", "goalBudget"],
+      "properties": {
+        "kind": { "const": "SdlcProfile" },
+        "profileId": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 128 },
+        "profileVersion": { "type": "string", "pattern": "^v1\\.1$" },
+        "goalBudget": { "type": "integer", "minimum": 1 },
+        "phases": {
+          "type": "array",
+          "minItems": 12,
+          "maxItems": 12,
+          "items": {
+            "type": "object",
+            "additionalProperties": false,
+            "required": ["id", "name", "batch", "dependencies", "verifier"],
+            "properties": {
+              "id": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/phaseId" },
+              "name": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 128 },
+              "batch": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/executionBatch" },
+              "dependencies": {
+                "type": "array",
+                "items": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/phaseId" },
+                "uniqueItems": true
+              },
+              "verifier": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 256 },
+              "requiredArtifacts": {
+                "type": "array",
+                "items": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 256 }
+              },
+              "successCriteria": {
+                "type": "array",
+                "minItems": 1,
+                "items": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 1000 }
+              },
+              "rollbackTo": { "$ref": "common.schema.json#/$defs/phaseId" },
+              "maxAttempts": { "type": "integer", "minimum": 1 }
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        "goalAttempts": { "type": "integer", "minimum": 1 },
+        "iterations": { "type": "integer", "minimum": 1 },
+        "runtimeMinutes": { "type": "integer", "minimum": 1 },
+        "modelCalls": { "type": "integer", "minimum": 1 },
+        "noProgressLimit": { "type": "integer", "minimum": 1 },
+        "repositoryOverrides": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "additionalProperties": false,
+          "properties": {
+            "promptFragments": { "type": "object" },
+            "verifierCommands": { "type": "object" },
+            "requiredArtifacts": { "type": "object" },
+            "phaseLimits": { "type": "object" }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  ],
+  "unevaluatedProperties": false
+}
diff --git a/tests/test_contract_compatibility.py b/tests/test_contract_compatibility.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a165d6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_contract_compatibility.py
@@ -0,0 +1,198 @@
+"""Consumer-side contract-compatibility check against pinned cas-contracts schemas.
+
+autogen consumes the CAS v1.1 SDLC contract family. Its dashboard/session models
+(``autogen_dashboard/schemas.py``) are an *internal* snake_case representation and
+are intentionally NOT the wire shape. The authoritative wire shape is the camelCase
+JSON Schema published by ``cas-contracts`` at ``v1.1`` (schemaVersion ``1.1.0``).
+
+This module pins the contract version autogen targets and fails CI (red check) when:
+
+* the pinned ``schemaVersion`` / ``profileVersion`` autogen emits no longer matches
+  the vendored cas-contracts release,
+* the vendored schema release has been tampered with (manifest SHA-256 drift), or
+* a representative wire payload for each contract autogen produces/consumes stops
+  validating against the pinned schema.
+
+Cross-repo reference note: cas-contracts is a *separate* repo. In this local polyrepo
+CI checks out only this repo, so we vendor the pinned ``v1.1.0`` release under
+``tests/contracts/cas-contracts/v1.1.0/`` (same convention as cas-reference-product).
+When the sibling ``../../cas-contracts`` checkout is present (local dev), we additionally
+assert the vendored copy has not drifted from the upstream source of truth.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import hashlib
+import json
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+
+import pytest
+
+jsonschema = pytest.importorskip("jsonschema")
+referencing = pytest.importorskip("referencing")
+from jsonschema import Draft202012Validator  # noqa: E402
+from referencing import Registry, Resource  # noqa: E402
+
+# The contract version autogen's models pin themselves to. These MUST stay in lockstep
+# with autogen_dashboard/schemas.py (SdlcProfileModel.profile_version, the various
+# kind/profile_version literals) and with the vendored release below.
+PINNED_SCHEMA_VERSION = "1.1.0"
+PINNED_PROFILE_VERSION = "v1.1"
+
+CONTRACT_ROOT = Path(__file__).parent / "contracts" / "cas-contracts" / f"v{PINNED_SCHEMA_VERSION}"
+UPSTREAM_ROOT = (
+    Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
+    / "cas-contracts"
+    / "registry"
+    / "releases"
+    / f"v{PINNED_SCHEMA_VERSION}"
+)
+
+
+def _load_json(path: Path) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    return json.loads(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+
+
+def _registry() -> Registry[Any]:
+    resources = []
+    for path in CONTRACT_ROOT.glob("*.schema.json"):
+        schema = _load_json(path)
+        resources.append((schema["$id"], Resource.from_contents(schema)))
+    return Registry().with_resources(resources)
+
+
+def _validate(schema_name: str, instance: dict[str, Any]) -> None:
+    schema = _load_json(CONTRACT_ROOT / schema_name)
+    Draft202012Validator(schema, registry=_registry()).validate(instance)
+
+
+# Shared lifecycle metadata every v1.1 contract requires (common.schema.json#lifecycleMetadata).
+def _lifecycle() -> dict[str, Any]:
+    return {
+        "correlationId": "corr-001",
+        "promptId": "prompt-001",
+        "runId": "run-001",
+        "repo": "Coding-Autopilot-System/autogen",
+        "actor": {"id": "maf-manager", "type": "agent"},
+        "timestamp": "2026-07-03T00:00:00Z",
+        "schemaVersion": PINNED_SCHEMA_VERSION,
+        "traceContext": {
+            "traceparent": "00-4bf92f3577b34da6a3ce929d0e0e4736-00f067aa0ba902b7-01"
+        },
+    }
+
+
+def test_vendored_release_matches_manifest_hashes() -> None:
+    """The vendored pinned release must be internally consistent (tamper check)."""
+    manifest = _load_json(CONTRACT_ROOT / "manifest.json")
+    assert manifest["version"] == PINNED_SCHEMA_VERSION
+    for entry in manifest["schemas"]:
+        content = (CONTRACT_ROOT / entry["path"]).read_bytes()
+        assert hashlib.sha256(content).hexdigest() == entry["sha256"], entry["path"]
+
+
+def test_pinned_version_is_the_version_autogen_emits() -> None:
+    """autogen's models pin profileVersion v1.1 -> schemaVersion 1.1.0.
+
+    Guards against a silent bump of the vendored release without updating the models.
+    """
+    common = _load_json(CONTRACT_ROOT / "common.schema.json")
+    schema_version_const = common["$defs"]["lifecycleMetadata"]["properties"]["schemaVersion"]["const"]
+    assert schema_version_const == PINNED_SCHEMA_VERSION
+
+    request = _load_json(CONTRACT_ROOT / "phase-execution-request.schema.json")
+    profile_version_const = (
+        request["allOf"][1]["properties"]["profileVersion"]["const"]
+    )
+    assert profile_version_const == PINNED_PROFILE_VERSION
+
+
+def test_phase_execution_request_wire_payload_conforms() -> None:
+    payload = {
+        **_lifecycle(),
+        "kind": "PhaseExecutionRequest",
+        "profileVersion": PINNED_PROFILE_VERSION,
+        "phase": "implement",
+        "batch": "change",
+        "goal": "Apply the bounded change for the current work item.",
+        "constraints": ["No secrets", "Stay within budget"],
+    }
+    _validate("phase-execution-request.schema.json", payload)
+
+
+def test_phase_execution_result_wire_payload_conforms() -> None:
+    payload = {
+        **_lifecycle(),
+        "kind": "PhaseExecutionResult",
+        "phase": "implement",
+        "batch": "change",
+        "status": "passed",
+        "promptDigest": "a" * 64,
+        "artifacts": [{"kind": "patch", "uri": "cas://evidence/patch/1"}],
+        "verifier": "mutation-owner",
+    }
+    _validate("phase-execution-result.schema.json", payload)
+
+
+def test_phase_verification_result_wire_payload_conforms() -> None:
+    payload = {
+        **_lifecycle(),
+        "kind": "PhaseVerificationResult",
+        "phase": "verify",
+        "verifier": "verifier",
+        "outcome": "passed",
+        "invalidatedPhaseIds": [],
+    }
+    _validate("phase-verification-result.schema.json", payload)
+
+
+def test_sdlc_profile_wire_payload_conforms() -> None:
+    # v1.1 sdlc-profile requires exactly 12 phases — the same 12 autogen models enumerate.
+    phase_ids = [
+        "understand", "research", "analyze", "plan", "risk-assessment", "implement",
+        "verify", "review", "improve", "document", "update-memory", "finished",
+    ]
+    batch_for = {
+        "understand": "discovery", "research": "discovery", "analyze": "discovery",
+        "plan": "design", "risk-assessment": "design", "implement": "change",
+        "verify": "assurance", "review": "assurance", "improve": "assurance",
+        "document": "closure", "update-memory": "closure", "finished": "closure",
+    }
+    payload = {
+        **_lifecycle(),
+        "kind": "SdlcProfile",
+        "profileId": "cas-sdlc-v1",
+        "profileVersion": PINNED_PROFILE_VERSION,
+        "goalBudget": 17,
+        "phases": [
+            {
+                "id": pid,
+                "name": pid.replace("-", " ").title(),
+                "batch": batch_for[pid],
+                "dependencies": [] if i == 0 else [phase_ids[i - 1]],
+                "verifier": "repo-verifier",
+                "successCriteria": ["criterion met"],
+            }
+            for i, pid in enumerate(phase_ids)
+        ],
+    }
+    _validate("sdlc-profile.schema.json", payload)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(
+    not UPSTREAM_ROOT.exists(),
+    reason="sibling cas-contracts checkout not present (expected in isolated CI)",
+)
+def test_vendored_release_matches_upstream_source_of_truth() -> None:
+    """Local-only drift guard: vendored copy must equal the sibling cas-contracts release.
+
+    Skipped automatically in isolated CI where the sibling repo is not checked out.
+    """
+    for path in CONTRACT_ROOT.glob("*.json"):
+        upstream = UPSTREAM_ROOT / path.name
+        assert upstream.exists(), f"upstream missing {path.name}"
+        assert (
+            hashlib.sha256(path.read_bytes()).hexdigest()
+            == hashlib.sha256(upstream.read_bytes()).hexdigest()
+        ), f"vendored {path.name} drifted from upstream cas-contracts {PINNED_SCHEMA_VERSION}"
diff --git a/tests/test_loop_workers.py b/tests/test_loop_workers.py
index 3e7b89b..aebec48 100644
--- a/tests/test_loop_workers.py
+++ b/tests/test_loop_workers.py
@@ -72,10 +72,13 @@ def __init__(self) -> None:
                 self.fan_out = None
                 self.fan_in = None
             def add_fan_out_edges(self, source, targets):
-                self.fan_out = (source, tuple(targets)); return self
+                self.fan_out = (source, tuple(targets))
+                return self
             def add_fan_in_edges(self, sources, target):
-                self.fan_in = (tuple(sources), target); return self
-            def build(self): return self
+                self.fan_in = (tuple(sources), target)
+                return self
+            def build(self):
+                return self
 
         builder = BuilderSpy()
         result = build_maf_fanout_workflow("dispatcher", [1, 2, 3, 4], "aggregator", builder=builder)
diff --git a/tests/test_phase1_api.py b/tests/test_phase1_api.py
index 4063ad0..4173edf 100644
--- a/tests/test_phase1_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_phase1_api.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 from autogen_dashboard.app import create_app
 from autogen_dashboard.dependencies import get_session_service
-from autogen_dashboard.schemas import RepoContext, SessionActionResponse, SessionCreateResponse, SessionDetail
+from autogen_dashboard.schemas import RepoContext, SessionDetail
 
 
 def utc_now() -> datetime:
diff --git a/tests/test_phase3_specialists.py b/tests/test_phase3_specialists.py
index 8cd9137..9951fc7 100644
--- a/tests/test_phase3_specialists.py
+++ b/tests/test_phase3_specialists.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-import os
 import shutil
 import unittest
 import uuid
diff --git a/tests/test_phase7_e2e.py b/tests/test_phase7_e2e.py
index 6622902..213bc46 100644
--- a/tests/test_phase7_e2e.py
+++ b/tests/test_phase7_e2e.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-from __future__ import annotations
-
 """Phase 7 end-to-end integration tests.
 
 Validates three Phase 7 success criteria:
@@ -7,6 +5,7 @@
   2. Local profile accepts all providers without raising.
   3. Async dispatch via WorkerBoundary.submit_async returns run_id without blocking.
 """
+from __future__ import annotations
 
 import asyncio
 import unittest
diff --git a/tests/test_workspace_contract.py b/tests/test_workspace_contract.py
index 7130462..0443b3e 100644
--- a/tests/test_workspace_contract.py
+++ b/tests/test_workspace_contract.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 import shutil
 import subprocess
-import tempfile
 import unittest
 import uuid
 from datetime import datetime, timezone