diff --git a/common-contract/pdo/contracts/guardian/common/utility.py b/common-contract/pdo/contracts/guardian/common/utility.py
index a76d6a8..207d1a8 100644
--- a/common-contract/pdo/contracts/guardian/common/utility.py
+++ b/common-contract/pdo/contracts/guardian/common/utility.py
@@ -13,6 +13,14 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import jsonschema
+import os
+import random
+import string
+
+from pdo.common.key_value import KeyValueStore
+
+import logging
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------
 def ValidateJSON(instance, schema):
@@ -21,3 +29,69 @@ def ValidateJSON(instance, schema):
     except jsonschema.exceptions.ValidationError as err:
         return False
     return True
+
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------
+# Size of chunks to store per key; this is the maximum size of a
+# single key in the KeyValueStore
+__CHUNK_SIZE__ = 1024
+
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------
+def send_file(file_name, block_store = None, **kwargs):
+    """
+    Store the contents of a file in the KeyValueStore under a specified key. Sync any updated
+    blocks to the block store if specified. Returns a dictionary containing information that
+    can be used to receive the file from the KeyValueStore later.
+
+    :param file_name: Name of the file to be stored.
+    :param block_store: Optional parameter of type pdo.service_client.storage.StorageServiceClient
+
+    :return: A dictionary containing the base key, number of chunks, encryption key, and state hash.
+    """
+
+    key = ''.join(random.choice(string.ascii_letters) for _ in range(16))
+
+    kv = KeyValueStore()
+
+    chunks = (os.path.getsize(file_name) + __CHUNK_SIZE__ - 1) // __CHUNK_SIZE__
+    with open(file_name, 'rb') as fp :
+        for chunk_number in range(0, chunks) :
+            chunk = fp.read(__CHUNK_SIZE__)
+            with kv : _ = kv.set(f'{key}_{chunk_number}', chunk, input_encoding='str', output_encoding='raw')
+
+    if block_store :
+        _ = kv.sync_to_block_store(block_store, **kwargs)
+
+    file_information = dict()
+    file_information['key_base'] = key
+    file_information['chunks'] = chunks
+    file_information['encryption_key'] = kv.encryption_key
+    file_information['state_hash'] = kv.hash_identity
+
+    return file_information
+
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------
+def recv_file(file_information, file_name, block_store = None, **kwargs) :
+    """
+    Receive the contents of a file in the KeyValueStore under a specified key. Sync any updated
+    blocks from the block store if specified. Takes a dictionary containing the file information
+    as generated by `send_file`.
+
+    :param file_information: Dictionary containing the base key, number of chunks, encryption key, and state hash.
+    :param file_name: Name of the file to be received.
+    :param block_store: Optional parameter of type pdo.service_client.storage.StorageServiceClient
+    """
+    key_base = file_information['key_base']
+    chunks = file_information['chunks']
+    encryption_key = file_information['encryption_key']
+    state_hash = file_information['state_hash']
+
+    kv = KeyValueStore(encryption_key, state_hash)
+    if block_store :
+        _ = kv.sync_from_block_store(state_hash, block_store, **kwargs)
+
+    with open(file_name, 'wb') as fp :
+        for chunk_number in range(chunks) :
+            with kv : chunk = kv.get(f'{key_base}_{chunk_number}', input_encoding='str', output_encoding='raw')
+            fp.write(bytes(chunk))
+
+    return True
diff --git a/common-contract/pdo/contracts/guardian/wsgi/process_capability.py b/common-contract/pdo/contracts/guardian/wsgi/process_capability.py
index b715673..d8080a8 100644
--- a/common-contract/pdo/contracts/guardian/wsgi/process_capability.py
+++ b/common-contract/pdo/contracts/guardian/wsgi/process_capability.py
@@ -90,28 +90,32 @@ def __call__(self, environ, start_response) :
                 return ErrorResponse(start_response, "invalid JSON")
 
         except KeyError as ke :
-            logger.error('missing field in request: %s', ke)
-            return ErrorResponse(start_response, 'missing field {0}'.format(ke))
+            logger.error(f'missing field in request: {ke}')
+            return ErrorResponse(start_response, f'missing field in request: {ke}')
         except Exception as e :
-            logger.error("unknown exception unpacking request (ProcessCapability); %s", str(e))
+            logger.error(f'unknown exception unpacking request (ProcessCapability); {e}')
             return ErrorResponse(start_response, "unknown exception while unpacking request")
 
         # dispatch the operation
         try :
             method_name = operation_message['method_name']
             parameters = operation_message['parameters']
-            logger.info("process capability operation %s with parameters %s", method_name, parameters)
+        except KeyError as ke :
+            logger.error(f'missing field {ke}')
+            return ErrorResponse(start_response, f'missing field {ke}')
+
+        logger.info("process capability operation %s with parameters %s", method_name, parameters)
 
+        try :
             operation = self.capability_handler_map[method_name]
             operation_result = operation(parameters)
             if operation_result is None :
                 return ErrorResponse(start_response, "operation failed")
-
         except KeyError as ke :
-            logger.error('unknown operation: %s', )
-            return ErrorResponse(start_response, 'missing field {0}'.format(ke))
+            logger.error(f'unknown operation {ke}')
+            return ErrorResponse(start_response, f'unknown operation {ke}')
         except Exception as e :
-            logger.error("unknown exception performing operation (ProcessCapability); %s", str(e))
+            logger.error(f'unknown exception performing operation (ProcessCapability); {e}')
             return ErrorResponse(start_response, "unknown exception while performing operation")
 
         # and process the result