Following an examination of a registered hedge fund manager by the SEC staff, the staff typically issues a deficiency letter to the manager listing compliance shortcomings identified by the staff during the examination.  See “What Do Hedge Fund Managers Need to Know to Prepare For, Handle and Survive SEC Examinations?  (Part Three of Three),” Hedge Fund Law Report, Vol. 4, No. 6 (Feb. 18, 2011).  Quickly, comprehensively and conclusively remedying compliance shortcomings identified in a deficiency letter should be a first order of business for any hedge fund manager – that is the easy part, a point that few would dispute.  However, considerably more ambiguity surrounds the question of whether and to what extent hedge fund managers must disclose to investors and potential investors various aspects of SEC examinations – including their existence, scope, focus and outcome.  More particularly, hedge fund managers that receive deficiency letters routinely ask: must we disclose the fact of receipt of this deficiency letter or its contents to investors or potential investors?  And does the answer depend on whether potential investors have requested information about or contained in a deficiency letter in due diligence or in a request for proposal (RFP)?  The answers to these questions generally have been governed by a “materiality” standard – the same standard that, at a certain level of generality, governs all disclosure questions.  The consensus guidance has been: disclose whatever is material.  But this is more of a reframing of the question than an answer.  The practical question in this context is how to assess materiality in the interest of disclosing adequately, avoiding anti-fraud or breach of fiduciary duty claims and ensuring best investor relations practices.  A recently issued SEC order (Order) settling administrative proceedings against a registered investment adviser provides limited guidance on the foregoing questions.  This article describes the facts recited in the Order, the SEC’s legal analysis and how that analysis can inform decision-making of hedge fund managers considering whether and to what extent to disclose the existence or substance of deficiency letters to investors or potential investors.  This analysis has particular relevance for hedge fund managers seeking to grow institutional assets under management by responding to RFPs.