diff --git a/docs/generalized-terraform-product-architecture.md b/docs/generalized-terraform-product-architecture.md
index de17343..94610e6 100644
--- a/docs/generalized-terraform-product-architecture.md
+++ b/docs/generalized-terraform-product-architecture.md
@@ -225,19 +225,21 @@ lambda/
 #### How it works (design intent for `app.py`)
 
 ```python
-# 1. Read template_repo from CFN props (before TfRunRequest is constructed)
-template_repo = normalized.get("template_repo")   # e.g. "template-s3-bucket"
+# 1. Read template_repo + optional ref from CFN props
+template_repo     = normalized.get("template_repo")       # e.g. "template-s3-bucket"
+template_repo_ref = normalized.get("template_repo_ref", "")  # e.g. "v2.0.0"; empty = default branch
 if not template_repo:
     raise ValueError("template_repo is required")
 
-# 2. Fetch handler.py from GHE via the raw contents API
+# 2. Fetch handler.py from GHE via the contents API, at the pinned ref
 github_org  = os.environ.get("GITHUB_ORG_NAME", "SCT-Engineering")
 github_api  = os.environ.get("GITHUB_API", "https://github.e.it.census.gov/api/v3")
-handler_url = f"{github_api}/repos/{github_org}/{template_repo}/contents/handler.py"
+ref_param   = f"?ref={template_repo_ref}" if template_repo_ref else ""
+handler_url = f"{github_api}/repos/{github_org}/{template_repo}/contents/handler.py{ref_param}"
 # ...fetch with Authorization header, base64-decode the content...
 
 # 3. Load the module dynamically
-import types, importlib
+import types
 mod = types.ModuleType("_handler")
 exec(compile(handler_source, "handler.py", "exec"), mod.__dict__)
 
@@ -245,6 +247,7 @@ exec(compile(handler_source, "handler.py", "exec"), mod.__dict__)
 if not (callable(getattr(mod, "handle", None)) and getattr(mod, "PRODUCT_TYPE", None)):
     raise ValueError(f"{template_repo}/handler.py must define PRODUCT_TYPE and handle()")
 normalized = mod.handle(normalized)
+# template_repo_ref is preserved in normalized; CodeBuild receives it as TEMPLATE_REPO_REF
 tf_req = TfRunRequest(**normalized)
 ```
 
@@ -259,6 +262,32 @@ auditable (every template repo change is a PR in the SCT-Engineering org).
 **Adding a new product type requires only creating a new template repo with a `handler.py`.
 No Lambda code changes, no Lambda redeployment, no registry entries.**
 
+#### Version pinning
+
+The `template_repo_ref` property pins the exact git ref (tag, branch, or SHA) that both
+the Lambda and the Proposer CodeBuild use. This is how template repo changes are gated
+from production use.
+
+| Value | Behaviour |
+|-------|-----------|
+| `v2.0.0` (SemVer tag) | Lambda fetches `handler.py` at that tag; Proposer clones and checks out that tag. **Recommended for production.** |
+| `main` (branch) | Always latest; appropriate for development and testing. |
+| `abc1234` (SHA) | Exact commit; maximally stable but requires manual update. |
+| *(absent / empty)* | GHE API returns the default branch; same as `main`. |
+
+**The ref is set as a static string in the CFN product template — it is not a
+user-facing form parameter.** Bumping to a new version is an operator action:
+
+1. Tag the template repo: `git tag v2.0.0 && git push origin v2.0.0`
+2. Update `template_repo_ref` in `service-catalog/{product_type}-product-template.yaml`
+3. Run `tf apply` in `deploy_products/` with a bumped `version` key — this creates a new
+   SC provisioning artifact. Existing provisioned products are unaffected until they are
+   updated or re-provisioned.
+
+Because `template_repo_ref` flows through the Lambda to the CodeBuild `TEMPLATE_REPO_REF`
+env var, the Lambda and the Proposer always run the **exact same version** of `handler.py`
+and the Jinja2 templates — there is no split-brain risk between the two.
+
 ### 5. CloudFormation product template
 
 The CFN template for a product type lives in `service-catalog/{product_type}-product-template.yaml`
@@ -274,6 +303,8 @@ inside the `sc-lambda-ghactions` repo. It follows the same pattern as the existi
 Properties:
   ServiceToken: !Sub "arn:${AWS::Partition}:lambda:${AWS::Region}:${AWS::AccountId}:function:sc-template-automation"
   product_type: s3_bucket
+  template_repo: template-s3-bucket
+  template_repo_ref: v2.0.0       # pinned; bump here + new SC artifact version to release
   bucket_name: !Ref BucketName
   account_name: !Ref AccountName
   aws_account_id: !Sub "${AWS::AccountId}"
@@ -283,6 +314,10 @@ Properties:
   tier: !Ref Tier
 ```
 
+`template_repo` and `template_repo_ref` are static strings — they are not user-facing
+parameters and do not appear on the SC product form. Changing them requires creating a
+new SC provisioning artifact version (managed by `deploy_products/`).
+
 ### 6. `deploy_products/` — dedicated Terraform workspace for SC product management
 
 SC portfolio and product registration lives in a **dedicated `deploy_products/` workspace**,
@@ -324,6 +359,11 @@ share_ous = [
 ]
 ```
 
+> **Version alignment:** the `version` key in `sc_products` is the **SC provisioning artifact
+> label** displayed in the SC console (e.g. `"2.0.0"`). It is independent of, but should match,
+> the `template_repo_ref` property baked into the CFN template file. Convention:
+> bump `version` in tfvars and update `template_repo_ref` in the CFN YAML at the same time.
+
 Terraform iterates `var.sc_products` with `for_each` to create the S3 object, SC product,
 provisioning artifact, and launch constraint for each entry. A single shared portfolio
 (`aws_servicecatalog_portfolio`) is created once and shared to the OUs listed in
@@ -351,8 +391,11 @@ onboard any new Terraform workload without Lambda or CodeBuild changes:
       - flat `.tf.j2` file(s) rendered by the Proposer
       - `tf-run.data`
       - `.sc-automation.yml.j2` (optional; Proposer writes a default if absent)
-- [ ] Add `service-catalog/{product_type}-product-template.yaml` to `sc-lambda-ghactions`
+- [ ] Tag the initial release: `git tag v1.0.0 && git push origin v1.0.0`
+- [ ] Add `service-catalog/{product_type}-product-template.yaml` to `sc-lambda-ghactions`,
+      setting `template_repo_ref: v1.0.0` as a static property
 - [ ] Add one entry to `var.sc_products` in `deploy_products/terraform.tfvars`
+      with `version = "1.0.0"` matching the tag
 - [ ] Run `tf apply` in `deploy_products/` — creates S3 artifact, SC product, provisioning
       artifact, launch constraint; all OU-member accounts see the new product immediately
 - [ ] Validate end-to-end via `scripts/test_service_catalog.py`
diff --git a/docs/template-management.md b/docs/template-management.md
index 0507459..64584a3 100644
--- a/docs/template-management.md
+++ b/docs/template-management.md
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ variables:                         # Extra key/value pairs injected as CodeBuild
 | `product_type` | ✅ | Routes to the correct Pydantic model and template directory |
 | `executor_project` | ✅ | CodeBuild project started by the webhook on PR merge |
 | `dry_run` | ✅ | `true` → `tf plan` only; `false` → `tf apply` |
-| `template_repo` | ✅ | GHE repo used as the Jinja2 template source |
+| `template_repo` | ✅ | GHE repo used as the Jinja2 template source; the Lambda fetches it at the ref specified by `template_repo_ref` in the CFN template |
 | `template_source_path` | ❌ | Subdirectory within `template_repo`; omit for whole-repo templates |
 | `fleet_entry` | ❌ | Relative path of this workload's entry in `terraform-sc-fleet` |
 | `variables` | ❌ | Product-type-specific overrides; merged with SSM global defaults |
@@ -308,7 +308,10 @@ Checklist when onboarding a new product type:
       - `tf-run.data`
       - `.sc-automation.yml.j2` (optional)
       **No files in the Lambda repository need to be created or modified.**
-- [ ] Add `service-catalog/{product_type}-product-template.yaml` to `sc-lambda-ghactions`
+- [ ] Tag the initial release: `git tag v1.0.0 && git push origin v1.0.0`
+- [ ] Add `service-catalog/{product_type}-product-template.yaml` to `sc-lambda-ghactions`,
+      setting `template_repo_ref: v1.0.0` as a static property in the CFN `Properties` block
 - [ ] Add one entry to `var.sc_products` in `deploy_products/terraform.tfvars`
+      with `version = "1.0.0"` matching the tag
 - [ ] Run `tf apply` in `deploy_products/` — portfolio, product, artifact, launch roles,
       and OU sharing are updated automatically; all OU-member accounts see the change immediately