diff --git a/scripts/templates/transfer/MANIFEST.md b/scripts/templates/transfer/MANIFEST.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9751b71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/templates/transfer/MANIFEST.md
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# Agent System Manifest
+Export name: {{EXPORT_NAME}}
+Export date: {{EXPORT_DATE}}
+Generated by: Agent Factory export-system.sh
+
+## Components
+
+| Type | File | Checksum (SHA256, first 16) |
+|------|------|---------------------------|
+| agent | .claude/agents/pipeline-runner.md | a1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8 |
+| skill | .claude/skills/my-pipeline/SKILL.md | b2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9 |
+| hook | .claude/hooks/pre-tool-use.sh | c3d4e5f6a7b8c9d0 |
+| settings | .claude/settings.json | d4e5f6a7b8c9d0e1 |
+| automation | automation/run-pipeline.sh | e5f6a7b8c9d0e1f2 |
+| context | CLAUDE.md | f6a7b8c9d0e1f2a3 |
+
+## Requirements
+
+| Requirement | Value |
+|-------------|-------|
+| Claude Code version | 1.x or later |
+| MCP servers | (list any required MCP servers, e.g. GitHub, Slack) |
+| Tools | Bash, Read, Write, Glob, Grep |
+| Environment | ANTHROPIC_API_KEY |
+
+## Notes
+
+Replace all `{{PLACEHOLDER}}` variables after import.
+See transfer/README.md for import instructions.
diff --git a/scripts/templates/transfer/README.md b/scripts/templates/transfer/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..05bf4c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/templates/transfer/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+# Import / Export System
+
+Portable packaging for agent systems. Export a working agent system from one
+project and import it into another, with automatic placeholder substitution.
+
+## Export
+
+Pack your current agent system into a tarball:
+
+```bash
+bash scripts/templates/transfer/export-system.sh my-project-name
+# Creates: agent-system-my-project-name-2026-04-11.tar.gz
+```
+
+### What is included
+
+| Included | Excluded |
+|---------|---------|
+| `.claude/agents/` | `.env` (secrets) |
+| `.claude/skills/` | `*.local.*` files |
+| `.claude/hooks/` | `audit.log` |
+| `.claude/settings.json` | `cost-events.jsonl` |
+| `hooks/` | `memory/` (machine-specific state) |
+| `automation/` | `.git/` |
+| `scripts/` | |
+| `CLAUDE.md` | |
+
+## Import
+
+Extract a tarball into a new project directory:
+
+```bash
+# Dry run first: inspect without extracting
+tar -tzf agent-system-my-project-name-2026-04-11.tar.gz
+
+# Import (will stop if files conflict)
+bash scripts/templates/transfer/import-system.sh agent-system-my-project-name-2026-04-11.tar.gz
+
+# Import and overwrite existing files
+bash scripts/templates/transfer/import-system.sh agent-system-my-project-name-2026-04-11.tar.gz --force
+```
+
+The import script will:
+1. Read `MANIFEST.md` and verify the archive
+2. Check for conflicts with existing files (stops unless `--force`)
+3. Extract all files
+4. Replace `{{PROJECT_DIR}}` and `{{PROJECT_NAME}}` placeholders
+5. Make `.sh` files executable
+6. Validate agent frontmatter and hook syntax
+
+## Customization after import
+
+1. **Update `CLAUDE.md`** — replace project-specific context, goals, and constraints
+2. **Add secrets** — create `.env` with `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...`
+3. **Review hooks** — check that paths in hook scripts match your environment
+4. **Run `/agent-factory:status`** — verify all components load correctly
+5. **Run `/agent-factory:evaluate`** — check capability coverage
+
+## Manifest
+
+Each export includes `MANIFEST.md` listing every file with a SHA256 checksum
+(first 16 hex characters). Use this to verify file integrity after transfer.
+
+Template manifest: `scripts/templates/transfer/MANIFEST.md`
diff --git a/scripts/templates/transfer/export-system.sh b/scripts/templates/transfer/export-system.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e53f02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/templates/transfer/export-system.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Agent Factory — export-system.sh
+# Packages an agent system into a portable tarball with checksums.
+# Usage: bash export-system.sh <export-name>
+# Bash 3.2 compatible.
+
+set -e
+
+EXPORT_NAME="${1:-agent-system}"
+DATE=$(python3 -c "import datetime; print(datetime.date.today().strftime('%Y-%m-%d'))")
+OUTPUT_FILE="agent-system-${EXPORT_NAME}-${DATE}.tar.gz"
+STAGING_DIR="/tmp/agent-export-$$"
+MANIFEST_FILE="${STAGING_DIR}/MANIFEST.md"
+
+# Determine project root (directory containing .claude/)
+PROJECT_ROOT="$(pwd)"
+if [ ! -d "${PROJECT_ROOT}/.claude" ]; then
+  echo "ERROR: No .claude/ directory found in $(pwd)" >&2
+  echo "Run this script from your project root." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "[export] Starting export: ${EXPORT_NAME}"
+echo "[export] Date: ${DATE}"
+echo "[export] Output: ${OUTPUT_FILE}"
+
+mkdir -p "${STAGING_DIR}"
+
+# Collect files — explicit inclusions only
+collect_files() {
+  local dir="$1"
+  local dest="$2"
+  if [ -d "${PROJECT_ROOT}/${dir}" ]; then
+    mkdir -p "${STAGING_DIR}/${dest}"
+    cp -r "${PROJECT_ROOT}/${dir}/." "${STAGING_DIR}/${dest}/" 2>/dev/null || true
+    echo "[export] Collected: ${dir}"
+  fi
+}
+
+collect_files ".claude/agents"  ".claude/agents"
+collect_files ".claude/skills"  ".claude/skills"
+collect_files ".claude/hooks"   ".claude/hooks"
+collect_files "hooks"           "hooks"
+collect_files "automation"      "automation"
+collect_files "scripts"         "scripts"
+
+# Copy settings.json if it exists
+if [ -f "${PROJECT_ROOT}/.claude/settings.json" ]; then
+  mkdir -p "${STAGING_DIR}/.claude"
+  cp "${PROJECT_ROOT}/.claude/settings.json" "${STAGING_DIR}/.claude/settings.json"
+  echo "[export] Collected: .claude/settings.json"
+fi
+
+# Copy CLAUDE.md if it exists
+if [ -f "${PROJECT_ROOT}/CLAUDE.md" ]; then
+  cp "${PROJECT_ROOT}/CLAUDE.md" "${STAGING_DIR}/CLAUDE.md"
+  echo "[export] Collected: CLAUDE.md"
+fi
+
+# Remove excluded files from staging
+echo "[export] Removing excluded files"
+rm -f "${STAGING_DIR}/.env" 2>/dev/null || true
+find "${STAGING_DIR}" -name "*.local.*" -delete 2>/dev/null || true
+find "${STAGING_DIR}" -name "audit.log" -delete 2>/dev/null || true
+find "${STAGING_DIR}" -name "cost-events.jsonl" -delete 2>/dev/null || true
+find "${STAGING_DIR}" -name ".git" -prune -o -print | grep "\.git$" | xargs rm -rf 2>/dev/null || true
+rm -rf "${STAGING_DIR}/memory" 2>/dev/null || true
+
+# Generate MANIFEST.md with checksums
+echo "[export] Generating manifest"
+
+COMPONENT_ROWS=""
+find "${STAGING_DIR}" -type f | sort | while read -r fpath; do
+  rel="${fpath#${STAGING_DIR}/}"
+  checksum=$(python3 -c "import hashlib; print(hashlib.sha256(open('${fpath}','rb').read()).hexdigest()[:16])")
+  filetype="other"
+  case "$rel" in
+    .claude/agents/*) filetype="agent" ;;
+    .claude/skills/*) filetype="skill" ;;
+    .claude/hooks/*|hooks/*) filetype="hook" ;;
+    .claude/settings.json) filetype="settings" ;;
+    automation/*) filetype="automation" ;;
+    CLAUDE.md) filetype="context" ;;
+  esac
+  echo "| ${filetype} | ${rel} | ${checksum} |" >> "${MANIFEST_FILE}.rows"
+done
+
+cat > "${MANIFEST_FILE}" << MANIFEST
+# Agent System Manifest
+Export name: ${EXPORT_NAME}
+Export date: ${DATE}
+Generated by: Agent Factory export-system.sh
+
+## Components
+
+| Type | File | Checksum (SHA256, first 16) |
+|------|------|---------------------------|
+MANIFEST
+
+if [ -f "${MANIFEST_FILE}.rows" ]; then
+  cat "${MANIFEST_FILE}.rows" >> "${MANIFEST_FILE}"
+  rm "${MANIFEST_FILE}.rows"
+fi
+
+cat >> "${MANIFEST_FILE}" << MANIFEST
+
+## Requirements
+
+| Requirement | Value |
+|-------------|-------|
+| Claude Code version | 1.x or later |
+| MCP servers | List any required MCP servers here |
+| Tools | List any required tools (Bash, WebSearch, etc.) |
+| Environment | List required env vars (ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, etc.) |
+
+## Notes
+
+Add any project-specific setup notes here.
+MANIFEST
+
+echo "[export] Manifest written"
+
+# Create tarball
+cd "${STAGING_DIR}"
+tar -czf "${PROJECT_ROOT}/${OUTPUT_FILE}" .
+cd "${PROJECT_ROOT}"
+
+# Cleanup
+rm -rf "${STAGING_DIR}"
+
+echo "[export] Done: ${OUTPUT_FILE}"
+echo "[export] Size: $(du -sh "${OUTPUT_FILE}" | cut -f1)"
diff --git a/scripts/templates/transfer/import-system.sh b/scripts/templates/transfer/import-system.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5949df1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/templates/transfer/import-system.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Agent Factory — import-system.sh
+# Imports an exported agent system tarball into the current project.
+# Usage: bash import-system.sh <tarball> [--force]
+# Bash 3.2 compatible.
+
+set -e
+
+TARBALL="$1"
+FORCE="${2:-}"
+STAGING_DIR="/tmp/agent-import-$$"
+
+if [ -z "$TARBALL" ]; then
+  echo "Usage: bash import-system.sh <agent-system-*.tar.gz> [--force]" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if [ ! -f "$TARBALL" ]; then
+  echo "ERROR: File not found: $TARBALL" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "[import] Importing: $TARBALL"
+
+mkdir -p "$STAGING_DIR"
+tar -xzf "$TARBALL" -C "$STAGING_DIR"
+
+# Read MANIFEST.md
+MANIFEST="${STAGING_DIR}/MANIFEST.md"
+if [ ! -f "$MANIFEST" ]; then
+  echo "ERROR: No MANIFEST.md found in tarball — may not be a valid Agent Factory export" >&2
+  rm -rf "$STAGING_DIR"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "[import] Manifest found:"
+head -5 "$MANIFEST"
+echo ""
+
+# Check for conflicts (existing files in destination)
+CONFLICTS=""
+find "$STAGING_DIR" -type f | sort | while read -r fpath; do
+  rel="${fpath#${STAGING_DIR}/}"
+  dest="${PWD}/${rel}"
+  if [ -f "$dest" ] && [ "$FORCE" != "--force" ]; then
+    echo "[import] CONFLICT: $rel already exists"
+    CONFLICTS="yes"
+  fi
+done
+
+if [ -n "$CONFLICTS" ] && [ "$FORCE" != "--force" ]; then
+  echo ""
+  echo "Conflicts detected. Re-run with --force to overwrite, or remove conflicting files first." >&2
+  rm -rf "$STAGING_DIR"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# Extract files to project
+echo "[import] Extracting files"
+find "$STAGING_DIR" -type f | sort | while read -r fpath; do
+  rel="${fpath#${STAGING_DIR}/}"
+  dest="${PWD}/${rel}"
+  destdir="$(dirname "$dest")"
+  mkdir -p "$destdir"
+  cp "$fpath" "$dest"
+  echo "[import] Wrote: $rel"
+done
+
+# Replace {{PLACEHOLDER}} variables
+echo "[import] Replacing placeholders"
+PROJECT_DIR="$(pwd)"
+PROJECT_NAME="$(basename "$PROJECT_DIR")"
+
+find "$PROJECT_DIR/.claude" "$PROJECT_DIR/automation" "$PROJECT_DIR/hooks" \
+     "$PROJECT_DIR/CLAUDE.md" -type f 2>/dev/null | while read -r fpath; do
+  case "$fpath" in
+    *.sh|*.md|*.json|*.yml|*.yaml)
+      python3 - "$fpath" "$PROJECT_DIR" "$PROJECT_NAME" << 'PYEOF'
+import sys, re
+path, project_dir, project_name = sys.argv[1], sys.argv[2], sys.argv[3]
+try:
+    with open(path, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
+        content = f.read()
+    content = content.replace('{{PROJECT_DIR}}', project_dir)
+    content = content.replace('{{PROJECT_NAME}}', project_name)
+    with open(path, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as f:
+        f.write(content)
+except Exception:
+    pass
+PYEOF
+      ;;
+  esac
+done
+
+# Make .sh files executable
+echo "[import] Setting executable permissions"
+find "$PROJECT_DIR/.claude/hooks" "$PROJECT_DIR/hooks" "$PROJECT_DIR/automation" \
+     -name "*.sh" -type f 2>/dev/null | while read -r fpath; do
+  chmod +x "$fpath"
+  echo "[import] chmod +x: $fpath"
+done
+
+# Validate frontmatter in agent files
+echo "[import] Validating agent frontmatter"
+INVALID_AGENTS=""
+if [ -d "$PROJECT_DIR/.claude/agents" ]; then
+  for agent in "$PROJECT_DIR/.claude/agents"/*.md; do
+    [ -f "$agent" ] || continue
+    python3 - "$agent" << 'PYEOF'
+import sys, re
+path = sys.argv[1]
+try:
+    with open(path, 'r') as f:
+        content = f.read()
+    if not content.startswith('---'):
+        print(f"WARN: {path} missing YAML frontmatter")
+        sys.exit(0)
+    parts = content.split('---', 2)
+    if len(parts) < 3:
+        print(f"WARN: {path} malformed frontmatter")
+except Exception as e:
+    print(f"WARN: {path} could not be validated: {e}")
+PYEOF
+  done
+fi
+
+# Validate bash syntax on hook scripts
+echo "[import] Validating hook syntax"
+if [ -d "$PROJECT_DIR/.claude/hooks" ]; then
+  for script in "$PROJECT_DIR/.claude/hooks"/*.sh; do
+    [ -f "$script" ] || continue
+    if bash -n "$script" 2>/dev/null; then
+      echo "[import] OK: $script"
+    else
+      echo "[import] WARN: $script failed bash -n check"
+    fi
+  done
+fi
+
+rm -rf "$STAGING_DIR"
+
+echo ""
+echo "[import] Import complete."
+echo "[import] Next steps:"
+echo "  1. Review CLAUDE.md and update project-specific sections"
+echo "  2. Add your ANTHROPIC_API_KEY to .env"
+echo "  3. Run /agent-factory:status to verify the system"