diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 48010ca..336b7fc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -22,8 +22,11 @@ explicit frozen states, previews, retirement, and atomic producer publication.
 Origin discovery retains each provider's source mode, structured health, and
 declared pushdown support. Live previews preserve the provider's effective row,
 serialized-byte, and elapsed-time limits and its redacted diagnostics.
-Producer modules can append a bounded tabular result or create a new static
-datasource through an idempotent capability. The publication ledger retains the
+Producer modules can append a bounded inline tabular result or pin a larger
+durable artifact through the same idempotent capability. Artifact references
+declare a backend, locator, SHA-256 checksum, schema, fingerprint, row and byte
+counts; the installed provider verifies integrity and serves bounded reads.
+The publication ledger retains the
 producer run, output materialization, provenance, and replay identity. On
 PostgreSQL, a transaction-scoped advisory lock serializes each tenant, producer,
 and idempotency identity before any output side effect, so retries from multiple
@@ -37,8 +40,9 @@ materialization provenance. The supported contract is documented in
 
 The contracts already model database, HTTP/REST, directory, file, feed,
 document, binary, directory, and stream sources so providers can be added
-without changing consumers. Larger durable artifact-backed publications remain
-a later storage-provider slice.
+without changing consumers. Storage modules contribute artifact backends
+through the provider-neutral `datasources.artifactBackends` capability; the
+Datasources module never imports their internals.
 
 See [docs/CONCEPT.md](docs/CONCEPT.md) for ownership and lifecycle details.
 
diff --git a/docs/QUALITY_POLICY.md b/docs/QUALITY_POLICY.md
index fb2a32f..ca468d5 100644
--- a/docs/QUALITY_POLICY.md
+++ b/docs/QUALITY_POLICY.md
@@ -96,6 +96,26 @@ This makes concurrent retries from separate API or worker nodes converge on the
 same publication and materialization rather than relying on a late uniqueness
 failure after output rows have already been persisted.
 
+## Durable artifact publications
+
+Outputs larger than the inline row and byte limits use an immutable artifact
+reference. The reference pins its backend and locator together with SHA-256
+checksum, schema, datasource fingerprint, row count, byte count, media type,
+and optional resume checkpoint. Datasources persists that reference as the
+materialization payload and asks the installed Core-contract artifact backend
+to verify it before creating catalogue state. Reads remain bounded and are
+re-authorized by Datasources before reaching the backend.
+
+Schema rules are evaluated by Datasources. Content-level rules such as
+uniqueness or range require producer evidence bound to the exact payload
+checksum and current quality-policy hash, including all evaluated rule IDs.
+Missing or explicitly deferred evidence produces a `review_required`
+publication and an immutable, addressable materialization, but it does not
+replace the Datasource's current state. Valid warnings produce
+`published_with_warnings`; failed evidence blocks the publication without a
+catalogue side effect. These terminal states are preserved for Dataflow and
+Workflow handoffs instead of being collapsed into generic success.
+
 Approval authority, approval expiry, and retention/deletion execution remain
 separate work under `govoplan-datasources#2`. Until those contracts are added,
 no JSON flag is treated as an approval and no stage is deleted automatically.
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 73991f3..5b776df 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
 [project]
 name = "govoplan-datasources"
-version = "0.1.18"
+version = "0.1.19"
 description = "Governed datasource catalogue, staging, and materialization lifecycle for GovOPlaN."
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.12"
diff --git a/src/govoplan_datasources/__init__.py b/src/govoplan_datasources/__init__.py
index 47c27e5..9c78b7b 100644
--- a/src/govoplan_datasources/__init__.py
+++ b/src/govoplan_datasources/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 """GovOPlaN Datasources module."""
 
-__version__ = "0.1.18"
+__version__ = "0.1.19"
diff --git a/src/govoplan_datasources/backend/manifest.py b/src/govoplan_datasources/backend/manifest.py
index b0786ca..6bb5827 100644
--- a/src/govoplan_datasources/backend/manifest.py
+++ b/src/govoplan_datasources/backend/manifest.py
@@ -7,10 +7,12 @@ from govoplan_core.core.access import (
     CAPABILITY_AUTH_PRINCIPAL_RESOLVER,
 )
 from govoplan_core.core.datasources import (
+    CAPABILITY_DATASOURCE_ARTIFACT_BACKENDS,
     CAPABILITY_DATASOURCE_CATALOGUE,
     CAPABILITY_DATASOURCE_LIFECYCLE,
     CAPABILITY_DATASOURCE_ORIGINS,
     CAPABILITY_DATASOURCE_PUBLICATION,
+    datasource_artifact_backend_provider,
 )
 from govoplan_core.core.module_guards import (
     drop_table_retirement_provider,
@@ -55,12 +57,13 @@ from govoplan_datasources.backend.service import (
     STAGE_WRITE_SCOPE,
     SqlDatasourceProvider,
 )
+from govoplan_datasources.backend.payloads import ExternalArtifactPayloadBackend
 
 
 MODULE_ID = "datasources"
 MODULE_NAME = "Datasources"
-MODULE_VERSION = "0.1.18"
-DATASOURCE_INTERFACE_VERSION = "0.1.0"
+MODULE_VERSION = "0.1.19"
+DATASOURCE_INTERFACE_VERSION = "0.2.0"
 
 ARCHITECTURE = ModuleArchitectureDeclaration(
     layer="data_reporting_integration",
@@ -85,7 +88,7 @@ ARCHITECTURE = ModuleArchitectureDeclaration(
     ),
     known_limits=(
         "Governance references are stable provider-neutral refs; dedicated selectors depend on the owning optional modules.",
-        "Quality and freshness policies are stored and snapshotted but enforcement remains provider-specific.",
+        "External artifact content validation depends on an installed payload backend and checksum-bound producer evidence.",
     ),
     supported_authority_modes=(
         "native_authoritative",
@@ -182,7 +185,19 @@ def _router(context: ModuleContext):
 
 
 def _provider(context: ModuleContext) -> SqlDatasourceProvider:
-    return SqlDatasourceProvider(registry=context.registry)
+    provider = datasource_artifact_backend_provider(context.registry)
+    backends = (
+        tuple(
+            ExternalArtifactPayloadBackend(backend)
+            for backend in provider.artifact_backends()
+        )
+        if provider is not None
+        else ()
+    )
+    return SqlDatasourceProvider(
+        registry=context.registry,
+        payload_backends=backends,
+    )
 
 
 def _dsar_provider(context: ModuleContext) -> DatasourcesDsarProvider:
@@ -240,6 +255,7 @@ manifest = ModuleManifest(
         CAPABILITY_AUTH_PRINCIPAL_RESOLVER,
         CAPABILITY_AUTH_PERMISSION_EVALUATOR,
         CAPABILITY_DATASOURCE_ORIGINS,
+        CAPABILITY_DATASOURCE_ARTIFACT_BACKENDS,
     ),
     provides_interfaces=(
         ModuleInterfaceProvider(
@@ -500,7 +516,10 @@ manifest = ModuleManifest(
                 "Authority mode states whether GovOPlaN, an external system, a synchronized projection, an overlay, or a linked reference "
                 "controls the data. The authoritative source, owner, steward, responsible organization/function, schema owner, privacy "
                 "profile, retention policy, transfer agreement, legal basis, holds, correction procedure, purposes, official keys, and "
-                "known limits provide discoverable institutional context. Freshness and quality policies are typed JSON contracts retained "
+                "known limits provide discoverable institutional context. A retention-policy reference identifies the owning Policy rule; it "
+                "does not itself delete materializations, override legal holds, or prove that a scheduler is active. A transfer-agreement "
+                "reference records the governed agreement for external exchange; it does not grant connector credentials, recipient access, "
+                "or authority to export classified rows. Freshness and quality policies are typed JSON contracts retained "
                 "with materialization evidence. Datasources enforces the declared bounded tabular stage rules and schema policy; origin-specific "
                 "or consumer-specific controls still remain with the provider or consuming control that declares support. Metadata "
                 "visibility never grants row access."
@@ -527,6 +546,8 @@ manifest = ModuleManifest(
                     "datasources.field.publication-state",
                     "datasources.field.freshness-policy",
                     "datasources.field.quality-policy",
+                    "datasources.field.retention-policy",
+                    "datasources.field.transfer-agreement",
                 ],
             },
         ),
@@ -540,7 +561,11 @@ manifest = ModuleManifest(
                 "promotion. Updates compare the detected schema with the current target and classify each change as compatible, warning, or "
                 "breaking. Diagnostics expose counts and bounded row numbers, never field values. The policy version and hash, diagnostics, and "
                 "schema diff are copied into immutable materialization provenance when promotion succeeds. Producer publication applies the same "
-                "gate before any catalogue effect, retains validation evidence on the immutable output revision, serializes a publication identity across PostgreSQL worker nodes before replay lookup, and emits a transactional terminal event. Approval and retention execution "
+                "gate before any catalogue effect, retains validation evidence on the immutable output revision, serializes a publication identity across PostgreSQL worker nodes before replay lookup, and emits a transactional terminal event. Large outputs may instead supply a "
+                "durable provider-neutral artifact reference with a pinned locator, SHA-256 checksum, declared schema, fingerprint, and size. "
+                "The configured payload backend verifies the artifact and provides bounded reads. Content-level rules require checksum- and "
+                "policy-bound producer evidence; absent evidence creates an immutable review-required materialization without changing the "
+                "Datasource's current state. Warning and review-required outcomes are preserved for Workflow handoffs. Approval and retention execution "
                 "are not inferred from arbitrary JSON flags and remain separate governed lifecycle work."
             ),
             layer="available",
@@ -572,6 +597,7 @@ manifest = ModuleManifest(
                 "limitations": [
                     "Referential rules currently use a bounded embedded value set rather than reading another protected Datasource.",
                     "Approval authority and automatic retention execution are not part of the current stage contract.",
+                    "Artifact bytes remain owned by their payload backend; Datasources stores an immutable reference and integrity evidence.",
                 ],
             },
         ),
diff --git a/src/govoplan_datasources/backend/payloads.py b/src/govoplan_datasources/backend/payloads.py
index 0570549..58a4065 100644
--- a/src/govoplan_datasources/backend/payloads.py
+++ b/src/govoplan_datasources/backend/payloads.py
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ from sqlalchemy import delete, func, insert, select
 from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
 
 from govoplan_core.core.datasources import (
+    DatasourceArtifactBackend,
+    DatasourceArtifactReference,
+    DatasourceField,
     DatasourceUnavailableError,
     DatasourceValidationError,
 )
@@ -116,6 +119,91 @@ class DatabaseRowsPayloadBackend:
         )
 
 
+class ExternalArtifactPayloadBackend:
+    """Adapts a Core artifact backend to persisted Datasources payload rows."""
+
+    def __init__(self, backend: DatasourceArtifactBackend) -> None:
+        self._backend = backend
+        self.backend = backend.backend
+
+    def read_rows(
+        self,
+        session: Session,
+        payload: DatasourcePayloadRecord,
+        *,
+        offset: int,
+        limit: int,
+    ) -> Sequence[Mapping[str, object]]:
+        return self._backend.read_rows(
+            session,
+            tenant_id=payload.tenant_id,
+            artifact=_artifact_from_payload(payload),
+            offset=offset,
+            limit=limit,
+        )
+
+    def verify(
+        self,
+        session: Session,
+        payload: DatasourcePayloadRecord,
+    ) -> None:
+        self._backend.verify(
+            session,
+            tenant_id=payload.tenant_id,
+            artifact=_artifact_from_payload(payload),
+        )
+
+    def delete(
+        self,
+        session: Session,
+        payload: DatasourcePayloadRecord,
+    ) -> None:
+        self._backend.delete(
+            session,
+            tenant_id=payload.tenant_id,
+            artifact=_artifact_from_payload(payload),
+        )
+
+
+def _artifact_from_payload(
+    payload: DatasourcePayloadRecord,
+) -> DatasourceArtifactReference:
+    metadata = dict(payload.metadata_)
+    raw_schema = metadata.get("artifact_schema")
+    schema = tuple(
+        DatasourceField(
+            name=str(item.get("name") or ""),
+            data_type=str(item.get("data_type") or "unknown"),
+            nullable=bool(item.get("nullable", True)),
+        )
+        for item in raw_schema
+        if isinstance(item, Mapping)
+    ) if isinstance(raw_schema, Sequence) and not isinstance(
+        raw_schema, (str, bytes)
+    ) else ()
+    return DatasourceArtifactReference(
+        backend=payload.backend,
+        locator=str(payload.locator or ""),
+        checksum=payload.checksum,
+        row_count=payload.row_count,
+        byte_count=payload.byte_count,
+        schema=schema,
+        fingerprint=str(metadata.get("publication_fingerprint") or ""),
+        media_type=payload.media_type,
+        checkpoint=dict(payload.checkpoint_),
+        metadata={
+            str(key): value
+            for key, value in metadata.items()
+            if key not in {"artifact_schema", "artifact_validation"}
+        },
+        validation=(
+            dict(metadata.get("artifact_validation"))
+            if isinstance(metadata.get("artifact_validation"), Mapping)
+            else {}
+        ),
+    )
+
+
 class PayloadBackendRegistry:
     def __init__(
         self,
@@ -363,6 +451,7 @@ __all__ = [
     "DATABASE_ROWS_BACKEND",
     "DatabaseRowsPayloadBackend",
     "DatasourcePayloadBackend",
+    "ExternalArtifactPayloadBackend",
     "PayloadBackendRegistry",
     "create_database_rows_payload",
     "create_external_payload_reference",
diff --git a/src/govoplan_datasources/backend/service.py b/src/govoplan_datasources/backend/service.py
index ff9854c..3f6170a 100644
--- a/src/govoplan_datasources/backend/service.py
+++ b/src/govoplan_datasources/backend/service.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ from govoplan_core.audit.logging import audit_event
 from govoplan_core.auth import ApiPrincipal, has_scope
 from govoplan_core.core.datasources import (
     DatasourceAccessError,
+    DatasourceArtifactReference,
     DatasourceDescriptor,
     DatasourceError,
     DatasourceField,
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ from govoplan_core.core.datasources import (
     DatasourceOriginReadRequest,
     DatasourcePublicationRequest,
     DatasourcePublicationResult,
+    DatasourcePublicationStatus,
     DatasourceReadRequest,
     DatasourceReadResult,
     DatasourceStage,
@@ -46,6 +48,7 @@ from govoplan_datasources.backend.payloads import (
     DatasourcePayloadBackend,
     PayloadBackendRegistry,
     create_database_rows_payload,
+    create_external_payload_reference,
     payload_for_materialization,
     validate_payload_size,
 )
@@ -72,9 +75,11 @@ class _PreparedPublication:
     producer_module: str
     producer_run_ref: str
     idempotency_key: str
-    rows: tuple[dict[str, Any], ...]
+    rows: tuple[dict[str, Any], ...] | None
+    artifact: DatasourceArtifactReference | None
     schema: tuple[DatasourceField, ...]
     fingerprint: str
+    row_count: int
     byte_count: int
     request_hash: str
 
@@ -120,9 +125,8 @@ class SqlDatasourceProvider:
             tenant_id=api_principal.tenant_id,
             request=request,
         )
-        validation = validate_stage(
-            rows=prepared.rows,
-            schema=prepared.schema,
+        validation, publication_status = _validate_publication(
+            prepared=prepared,
             quality_policy=governance.quality_policy,
             baseline_schema=baseline_schema,
         )
@@ -138,6 +142,12 @@ class SqlDatasourceProvider:
                 "Published output failed governed quality or schema validation"
                 f"{suffix}."
             )
+        reusable_payload = self._publication_payload(
+            db,
+            tenant_id=api_principal.tenant_id,
+            actor_id=actor_id,
+            prepared=prepared,
+        )
         datasource = _publication_target(
             db,
             tenant_id=api_principal.tenant_id,
@@ -146,11 +156,14 @@ class SqlDatasourceProvider:
             prepared=prepared,
             target=target,
             governance=governance,
+            publish_as_current=(
+                request.set_current and publication_status != "review_required"
+            ),
         )
         materialization = _append_materialization(
             db,
             datasource=datasource,
-            rows=prepared.rows,
+            rows=prepared.rows or (),
             schema=[field_payload(field) for field in prepared.schema],
             fingerprint=prepared.fingerprint,
             byte_count=prepared.byte_count,
@@ -163,7 +176,15 @@ class SqlDatasourceProvider:
                 "publication_validation": validation,
             },
             metadata=dict(request.metadata),
-            set_current=request.set_current,
+            set_current=(
+                request.set_current and publication_status != "review_required"
+            ),
+            reusable_payload=reusable_payload,
+            state=(
+                "review_required"
+                if publication_status == "review_required"
+                else "published"
+            ),
         )
         publication = _create_publication_record(
             db,
@@ -173,6 +194,7 @@ class SqlDatasourceProvider:
             materialization=materialization,
             request=request,
             prepared=prepared,
+            status=publication_status,
         )
         audit_event(
             db,
@@ -180,7 +202,7 @@ class SqlDatasourceProvider:
             user_id=getattr(api_principal.user, "id", None)
             or api_principal.account_id,
             api_key_id=api_principal.api_key_id,
-            action="datasource.publication.published",
+            action=f"datasource.publication.{publication_status}",
             object_type="datasource_publication",
             object_id=publication.id,
             details={
@@ -189,7 +211,12 @@ class SqlDatasourceProvider:
                 "datasource_ref": _datasource_ref(datasource.id),
                 "materialization_ref": _materialization_ref(materialization.id),
                 "fingerprint": prepared.fingerprint,
-                "row_count": len(prepared.rows),
+                "row_count": prepared.row_count,
+                "payload_backend": (
+                    prepared.artifact.backend
+                    if prepared.artifact is not None
+                    else "database_rows"
+                ),
                 "policy_hash": validation["policy_hash"],
                 "schema_classification": validation["schema_change"][
                     "classification"
@@ -198,12 +225,52 @@ class SqlDatasourceProvider:
         )
         return DatasourcePublicationResult(
             ref=_publication_ref(publication.id),
-            status=publication.status,
+            status=cast(DatasourcePublicationStatus, publication.status),
             datasource=_datasource_dto(datasource),
             materialization=_materialization_dto(materialization),
             replayed=False,
         )
 
+    def _publication_payload(
+        self,
+        session: Session,
+        *,
+        tenant_id: str,
+        actor_id: str | None,
+        prepared: _PreparedPublication,
+    ) -> DatasourcePayloadRecord | None:
+        artifact = prepared.artifact
+        if artifact is None:
+            return None
+        backend = self._payload_backends.require(artifact.backend)
+        payload = create_external_payload_reference(
+            session,
+            tenant_id=tenant_id,
+            backend=artifact.backend,
+            locator=artifact.locator,
+            checksum=artifact.checksum,
+            row_count=artifact.row_count,
+            byte_count=artifact.byte_count,
+            actor_id=actor_id,
+            media_type=artifact.media_type,
+            checkpoint=artifact.checkpoint,
+            metadata={
+                **dict(artifact.metadata),
+                "publication_fingerprint": artifact.fingerprint,
+                "artifact_schema": [
+                    field_payload(field) for field in artifact.schema
+                ],
+                "artifact_validation": dict(artifact.validation),
+            },
+        )
+        try:
+            backend.verify(session, payload)
+        except Exception:
+            session.delete(payload)
+            session.flush()
+            raise
+        return payload
+
     def list_datasources(
         self,
         session: object,
@@ -1056,6 +1123,7 @@ def _append_materialization(
     metadata: Mapping[str, object] | None = None,
     set_current: bool,
     reusable_payload: DatasourcePayloadRecord | None = None,
+    state: str = "published",
 ) -> DatasourceMaterializationRecord:
     datasource = _lock_datasource_for_materialization(session, datasource)
     revision = _allocate_materialization_revision(session, datasource)
@@ -1082,7 +1150,7 @@ def _append_materialization(
         tenant_id=datasource.tenant_id,
         datasource_id=datasource.id,
         revision=revision,
-        state="published",
+        state=state,
         schema_version=max(1, int(schema_version or 1)),
         schema_=schema_payload,
         payload_id=payload.id,
@@ -1618,17 +1686,47 @@ def _prepare_publication(
         producer_run_ref=producer_run_ref,
         idempotency_key=idempotency_key,
     )
-    normalized = normalize_rows(request.rows)
-    schema = infer_schema(normalized)
-    fingerprint = fingerprint_rows(normalized, schema)
+    if (request.rows is None) == (request.artifact is None):
+        raise DatasourceValidationError(
+            "A publication requires exactly one inline row payload or durable "
+            "artifact reference."
+        )
+    artifact = request.artifact
+    if artifact is None:
+        normalized: tuple[dict[str, Any], ...] | None = normalize_rows(
+            request.rows or ()
+        )
+        schema = infer_schema(normalized)
+        fingerprint = fingerprint_rows(normalized, schema)
+        row_count = len(normalized)
+        byte_count = encoded_size(normalized)
+    else:
+        normalized = None
+        schema = _validated_artifact_schema(artifact)
+        fingerprint = _validated_sha256(
+            artifact.fingerprint,
+            label="Artifact publication fingerprints",
+        )
+        _validated_sha256(
+            artifact.checksum,
+            label="Artifact publication checksums",
+        )
+        if artifact.row_count < 0 or artifact.byte_count < 0:
+            raise DatasourceValidationError(
+                "Artifact publication sizes cannot be negative."
+            )
+        row_count = artifact.row_count
+        byte_count = artifact.byte_count
     return _PreparedPublication(
         producer_module=producer_module,
         producer_run_ref=producer_run_ref,
         idempotency_key=idempotency_key,
         rows=normalized,
+        artifact=artifact,
         schema=schema,
         fingerprint=fingerprint,
-        byte_count=encoded_size(normalized),
+        row_count=row_count,
+        byte_count=byte_count,
         request_hash=_publication_request_hash(
             request,
             normalized=normalized,
@@ -1637,6 +1735,147 @@ def _prepare_publication(
     )
 
 
+def _validated_artifact_schema(
+    artifact: DatasourceArtifactReference,
+) -> tuple[DatasourceField, ...]:
+    schema = tuple(artifact.schema)
+    names = [field.name.strip() for field in schema]
+    if not schema or any(not name for name in names):
+        raise DatasourceValidationError(
+            "Artifact publications require a non-empty schema."
+        )
+    if len(names) != len(set(names)):
+        raise DatasourceValidationError(
+            "Artifact publication schema field names must be unique."
+        )
+    return schema
+
+
+def _validated_sha256(value: str, *, label: str) -> str:
+    cleaned = value.strip().casefold()
+    try:
+        valid = len(cleaned) == 64 and int(cleaned, 16) >= 0
+    except ValueError:
+        valid = False
+    if not valid:
+        raise DatasourceValidationError(f"{label} must be SHA-256 values.")
+    return cleaned
+
+
+def _validate_publication(
+    *,
+    prepared: _PreparedPublication,
+    quality_policy: Mapping[str, object],
+    baseline_schema: Sequence[DatasourceField] | None,
+) -> tuple[dict[str, object], DatasourcePublicationStatus]:
+    if prepared.artifact is None:
+        validation = validate_stage(
+            rows=prepared.rows or (),
+            schema=prepared.schema,
+            quality_policy=quality_policy,
+            baseline_schema=baseline_schema,
+        )
+        status: DatasourcePublicationStatus = (
+            "published_with_warnings"
+            if validation.get("warnings")
+            else "published"
+        )
+        return validation, status
+
+    raw_rules = quality_policy.get("rules", [])
+    rules = (
+        [item for item in raw_rules if isinstance(item, Mapping)]
+        if isinstance(raw_rules, Sequence)
+        and not isinstance(raw_rules, (str, bytes))
+        else []
+    )
+    metadata_rule_types = {"required_fields", "field"}
+    metadata_policy = {
+        **dict(quality_policy),
+        "rules": [
+            dict(item)
+            for item in rules
+            if str(item.get("type") or "") in metadata_rule_types
+        ],
+    }
+    validation = validate_stage(
+        rows=(),
+        schema=prepared.schema,
+        quality_policy=metadata_policy,
+        baseline_schema=baseline_schema,
+    )
+    if validation["valid"] is not True:
+        return validation, "review_required"
+
+    evidence = dict(prepared.artifact.validation)
+    content_rule_ids = {
+        str(item.get("id") or f"rule-{index + 1}")
+        for index, item in enumerate(rules)
+        if str(item.get("type") or "") not in metadata_rule_types
+    }
+    policy_probe = validate_stage(
+        rows=(),
+        schema=prepared.schema,
+        quality_policy=quality_policy,
+        baseline_schema=baseline_schema,
+    )
+    evidence_rule_ids = {
+        str(item)
+        for item in evidence.get("rules_evaluated", [])
+        if str(item).strip()
+    } if isinstance(evidence.get("rules_evaluated"), Sequence) and not isinstance(
+        evidence.get("rules_evaluated"), (str, bytes)
+    ) else set()
+    evidence_verified = (
+        not content_rule_ids
+        or (
+            evidence.get("valid") is True
+            and str(evidence.get("policy_hash") or "")
+            == str(policy_probe["policy_hash"])
+            and str(evidence.get("payload_checksum") or "").casefold()
+            == prepared.artifact.checksum.casefold()
+            and content_rule_ids.issubset(evidence_rule_ids)
+        )
+    )
+    requested_status = str(evidence.get("status") or "verified")
+    if evidence.get("valid") is False or requested_status == "failed":
+        errors = evidence.get("errors")
+        validation["valid"] = False
+        validation["errors"] = (
+            list(errors)
+            if isinstance(errors, Sequence)
+            and not isinstance(errors, (str, bytes))
+            else [
+                {
+                    "severity": "error",
+                    "code": "quality.artifact_validation",
+                    "message": "Artifact validation evidence reports failure.",
+                }
+            ]
+        )
+        return validation, "review_required"
+
+    evidence_warnings = evidence.get("warnings")
+    if isinstance(evidence_warnings, Sequence) and not isinstance(
+        evidence_warnings, (str, bytes)
+    ):
+        validation["warnings"] = [
+            *list(validation.get("warnings", [])),
+            *list(evidence_warnings),
+        ]
+    validation["artifact_evidence"] = {
+        "verified": evidence_verified,
+        "rules_required": sorted(content_rule_ids),
+        "rules_evaluated": sorted(evidence_rule_ids),
+        "payload_checksum": prepared.artifact.checksum.casefold(),
+    }
+    if not evidence_verified or requested_status == "review_required":
+        return validation, "review_required"
+    if validation.get("warnings") or requested_status == "warning":
+        return validation, "published_with_warnings"
+    return validation, "published"
+
+
 def _validate_publication_identity(
     *,
     producer_module: str,
@@ -1730,7 +1969,7 @@ def _existing_publication_result(
         )
     return DatasourcePublicationResult(
         ref=_publication_ref(publication.id),
-        status=publication.status,
+        status=cast(DatasourcePublicationStatus, publication.status),
         datasource=_datasource_dto(datasource),
         materialization=_materialization_dto(materialization),
         replayed=True,
@@ -1746,6 +1985,7 @@ def _publication_target(
     prepared: _PreparedPublication,
     target: DatasourceRecord | None,
     governance: DatasourceGovernance,
+    publish_as_current: bool,
 ) -> DatasourceRecord:
     if target is not None:
         datasource = target
@@ -1782,9 +2022,9 @@ def _publication_target(
         provider_ref=prepared.producer_run_ref,
         schema_version=1,
         schema_=[field_payload(field) for field in prepared.schema],
-        fingerprint=prepared.fingerprint,
-        row_count=len(prepared.rows),
-        byte_count=prepared.byte_count,
+        fingerprint=prepared.fingerprint if publish_as_current else "",
+        row_count=prepared.row_count if publish_as_current else None,
+        byte_count=prepared.byte_count if publish_as_current else None,
         provenance_={
             **dict(request.provenance),
             "producer_module": prepared.producer_module,
@@ -1859,6 +2099,7 @@ def _create_publication_record(
     materialization: DatasourceMaterializationRecord,
     request: DatasourcePublicationRequest,
     prepared: _PreparedPublication,
+    status: DatasourcePublicationStatus,
 ) -> DatasourcePublicationRecord:
     publication = DatasourcePublicationRecord(
         tenant_id=tenant_id,
@@ -1868,12 +2109,19 @@ def _create_publication_record(
         request_hash=prepared.request_hash,
         datasource_id=datasource.id,
         materialization_id=materialization.id,
-        status="published",
+        status=status,
         details_={
             "fingerprint": prepared.fingerprint,
-            "row_count": len(prepared.rows),
-            "set_current": request.set_current,
+            "row_count": prepared.row_count,
+            "set_current": (
+                request.set_current and status != "review_required"
+            ),
             "frozen": request.freeze,
+            "payload_backend": (
+                prepared.artifact.backend
+                if prepared.artifact is not None
+                else "database_rows"
+            ),
             "validation": materialization.provenance_.get(
                 "publication_validation",
                 {},
@@ -1889,7 +2137,7 @@ def _create_publication_record(
 def _publication_request_hash(
     request: DatasourcePublicationRequest,
     *,
-    normalized: Sequence[Mapping[str, object]],
+    normalized: Sequence[Mapping[str, object]] | None,
     fingerprint: str,
 ) -> str:
     payload = {
@@ -1899,7 +2147,26 @@ def _publication_request_hash(
         "name": request.name,
         "source_name": request.source_name,
         "description": request.description,
-        "rows": [dict(row) for row in normalized],
+        "rows": [dict(row) for row in (normalized or ())],
+        "artifact": (
+            {
+                "backend": request.artifact.backend,
+                "locator": request.artifact.locator,
+                "checksum": request.artifact.checksum.casefold(),
+                "row_count": request.artifact.row_count,
+                "byte_count": request.artifact.byte_count,
+                "schema": [
+                    field_payload(field) for field in request.artifact.schema
+                ],
+                "fingerprint": request.artifact.fingerprint.casefold(),
+                "media_type": request.artifact.media_type,
+                "checkpoint": dict(request.artifact.checkpoint),
+                "metadata": dict(request.artifact.metadata),
+                "validation": dict(request.artifact.validation),
+            }
+            if request.artifact is not None
+            else None
+        ),
         "fingerprint": fingerprint,
         "freeze": request.freeze,
         "frozen_label": request.frozen_label,
diff --git a/tests/test_lifecycle.py b/tests/test_lifecycle.py
index e40ec06..2da7779 100644
--- a/tests/test_lifecycle.py
+++ b/tests/test_lifecycle.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ from govoplan_core.core.change_sequence import ChangeSequenceEntry
 from govoplan_core.core.datasources import (
     CAPABILITY_DATASOURCE_ORIGINS,
     DatasourceAccessError,
+    DatasourceArtifactReference,
     DatasourceField,
     DatasourceGovernance,
     DatasourceOrigin,
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ from govoplan_datasources.backend.service import (
     SqlDatasourceProvider,
 )
 from govoplan_datasources.backend.payloads import (
+    ExternalArtifactPayloadBackend,
     create_database_rows_payload,
     finalize_payload_deletion,
     mark_unreferenced_payload_for_deletion,
@@ -166,6 +168,56 @@ class FakeRegistry:
         return self.origin_provider
 
 
+class FakeArtifactBackend:
+    backend = "test_artifact"
+
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        self.verified: list[str] = []
+        self.deleted: list[str] = []
+
+    def read_rows(
+        self,
+        _session,
+        *,
+        tenant_id: str,
+        artifact: DatasourceArtifactReference,
+        offset: int,
+        limit: int,
+    ):
+        self.assert_tenant(tenant_id)
+        stop = min(artifact.row_count, offset + limit)
+        return tuple(
+            {"id": index, "result": "match"}
+            for index in range(offset, stop)
+        )
+
+    def verify(
+        self,
+        _session,
+        *,
+        tenant_id: str,
+        artifact: DatasourceArtifactReference,
+    ) -> None:
+        self.assert_tenant(tenant_id)
+        if not artifact.locator.startswith("artifact:"):
+            raise DatasourceUnavailableError("Unknown test artifact.")
+        self.verified.append(artifact.locator)
+
+    def delete(
+        self,
+        _session,
+        *,
+        tenant_id: str,
+        artifact: DatasourceArtifactReference,
+    ) -> None:
+        self.assert_tenant(tenant_id)
+        self.deleted.append(artifact.locator)
+
+    def assert_tenant(self, tenant_id: str) -> None:
+        if tenant_id != "tenant-1":
+            raise AssertionError("Artifact backend crossed a tenant boundary.")
+
+
 class DatasourceLifecycleTests(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self) -> None:
         self.engine = create_engine("sqlite:///:memory:")
@@ -185,8 +237,10 @@ class DatasourceLifecycleTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.Session = sessionmaker(bind=self.engine)
         self.session = self.Session()
         self.origins = FakeOriginProvider()
+        self.artifacts = FakeArtifactBackend()
         self.provider = SqlDatasourceProvider(
             registry=FakeRegistry(self.origins),
+            payload_backends=(ExternalArtifactPayloadBackend(self.artifacts),),
         )
 
     def tearDown(self) -> None:
@@ -667,6 +721,147 @@ class DatasourceLifecycleTests(unittest.TestCase):
             self.session.query(DatasourcePublicationRecord).count(),
         )
 
+    def test_artifact_publication_pins_large_payload_and_supports_bounded_reads(
+        self,
+    ) -> None:
+        artifact = DatasourceArtifactReference(
+            backend="test_artifact",
+            locator="artifact:monthly-output",
+            checksum="a" * 64,
+            row_count=25_000,
+            byte_count=12_000_000,
+            schema=(
+                DatasourceField("id", "integer", nullable=False),
+                DatasourceField("result", "string", nullable=False),
+            ),
+            fingerprint="b" * 64,
+        )
+
+        published = self.provider.publish_rows(
+            self.session,
+            principal(scopes=(SOURCE_WRITE_SCOPE, CATALOGUE_READ_SCOPE)),
+            request=DatasourcePublicationRequest(
+                producer_module="dataflow",
+                producer_run_ref="dataflow-run:large-output",
+                idempotency_key="large-output",
+                name="Large output",
+                source_name="large_output",
+                artifact=artifact,
+            ),
+        )
+        preview = self.provider.read_datasource(
+            self.session,
+            principal(scopes=(CATALOGUE_READ_SCOPE,)),
+            request=DatasourceReadRequest(
+                datasource_ref=published.datasource.ref,
+                offset=10,
+                limit=3,
+            ),
+        )
+
+        self.assertEqual("published", published.status)
+        self.assertEqual(25_000, published.materialization.row_count)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            [{"id": 10, "result": "match"},
+             {"id": 11, "result": "match"},
+             {"id": 12, "result": "match"}],
+            list(preview.rows),
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            ["artifact:monthly-output", "artifact:monthly-output"],
+            self.artifacts.verified,
+        )
+
+    def test_unattested_artifact_quality_rules_require_review_without_becoming_current(
+        self,
+    ) -> None:
+        published = self.provider.publish_rows(
+            self.session,
+            principal(scopes=(SOURCE_WRITE_SCOPE,)),
+            request=DatasourcePublicationRequest(
+                producer_module="reporting",
+                producer_run_ref="report-run:review",
+                idempotency_key="review-output",
+                name="Review output",
+                source_name="review_output",
+                artifact=DatasourceArtifactReference(
+                    backend="test_artifact",
+                    locator="artifact:review-output",
+                    checksum="c" * 64,
+                    row_count=2,
+                    byte_count=128,
+                    schema=(DatasourceField("id", "integer", False),),
+                    fingerprint="d" * 64,
+                ),
+                governance=DatasourceGovernance(
+                    quality_policy={
+                        "version": "unique-id-v1",
+                        "rules": [
+                            {
+                                "id": "unique-id",
+                                "type": "unique",
+                                "fields": ["id"],
+                            }
+                        ],
+                    }
+                ),
+            ),
+        )
+        record = self.session.get(
+            DatasourceRecord,
+            published.datasource.ref.removeprefix("datasource:"),
+        )
+
+        self.assertEqual("review_required", published.status)
+        self.assertEqual("review_required", published.materialization.state)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(record)
+        assert record is not None
+        self.assertIsNone(record.current_materialization_id)
+
+    def test_artifact_warning_is_a_notification_ready_terminal_state(self) -> None:
+        published = self.provider.publish_rows(
+            self.session,
+            principal(scopes=(SOURCE_WRITE_SCOPE,)),
+            request=DatasourcePublicationRequest(
+                producer_module="dataflow",
+                producer_run_ref="dataflow-run:warning",
+                idempotency_key="warning-output",
+                name="Warning output",
+                source_name="warning_output",
+                artifact=DatasourceArtifactReference(
+                    backend="test_artifact",
+                    locator="artifact:warning-output",
+                    checksum="e" * 64,
+                    row_count=1,
+                    byte_count=64,
+                    schema=(DatasourceField("id", "integer", False),),
+                    fingerprint="f" * 64,
+                    validation={
+                        "status": "warning",
+                        "warnings": [
+                            {
+                                "severity": "warning",
+                                "code": "producer.partial_match",
+                                "message": "One source used a fallback match.",
+                            }
+                        ],
+                    },
+                ),
+            ),
+        )
+        record = self.session.get(
+            DatasourcePublicationRecord,
+            published.ref.removeprefix("publication:"),
+        )
+
+        self.assertEqual("published_with_warnings", published.status)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(record)
+        assert record is not None
+        self.assertEqual(
+            "published_with_warnings",
+            record.status,
+        )
+
     def test_publication_idempotency_key_rejects_different_output(self) -> None:
         producer = principal(scopes=(SOURCE_WRITE_SCOPE,))
         base = DatasourcePublicationRequest(
diff --git a/webui/package.json b/webui/package.json
index 311bc90..3481c0c 100644
--- a/webui/package.json
+++ b/webui/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@govoplan/datasources-webui",
-  "version": "0.1.18",
+  "version": "0.1.19",
   "private": true,
   "type": "module",
   "main": "src/index.ts",
diff --git a/webui/src/features/datasources/DatasourcesPage.tsx b/webui/src/features/datasources/DatasourcesPage.tsx
index 926afd2..6326248 100644
--- a/webui/src/features/datasources/DatasourcesPage.tsx
+++ b/webui/src/features/datasources/DatasourcesPage.tsx
@@ -1017,10 +1017,10 @@ function GovernanceDialog({
             <FormField label="Privacy profile">
               <input value={draft.privacy_profile_ref ?? ""} onChange={(event) => setValue("privacy_profile_ref", event.target.value || null)} />
             </FormField>
-            <FormField label="Retention policy">
+            <FormField label="Retention policy" interfaceId="datasources.field.retention-policy" helpContextId="datasources.field.retention-policy" helpModuleId="datasources" documentation={DATASOURCE_GOVERNANCE_DOCUMENTATION}>
               <input value={draft.retention_policy_ref ?? ""} onChange={(event) => setValue("retention_policy_ref", event.target.value || null)} />
             </FormField>
-            <FormField label="Transfer agreement">
+            <FormField label="Transfer agreement" interfaceId="datasources.field.transfer-agreement" helpContextId="datasources.field.transfer-agreement" helpModuleId="datasources" documentation={DATASOURCE_GOVERNANCE_DOCUMENTATION}>
               <input value={draft.transfer_agreement_ref ?? ""} onChange={(event) => setValue("transfer_agreement_ref", event.target.value || null)} />
             </FormField>
             <FormField label="Correction procedure">