diff --git a/pkg/responsemeta/responsemeta.go b/pkg/responsemeta/responsemeta.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6f93f3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/responsemeta/responsemeta.go
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+package responsemeta
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"strconv"
+
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/metadata"
+)
+
+// ResponseMetadataHeaderKey defines a key in the response metadata header.
+type ResponseMetadataHeaderKey string
+
+const (
+	// RequestID is the key in the response header metadata for the request's tracking ID, if any.
+	RequestID ResponseMetadataHeaderKey = "io.spicedb.respmeta.requestid"
+)
+
+// ResponseMetadataTrailerKey defines a key in the response metadata trailer.
+type ResponseMetadataTrailerKey string
+
+const (
+	// DispatchedOperationsCount is the key in the response trailer metadata for
+	// the number of dispatched operations that were needed to perform the overall
+	// API call.
+	DispatchedOperationsCount ResponseMetadataTrailerKey = "io.spicedb.respmeta.dispatchedoperationscount"
+
+	// CachedOperationsCount is the key in the response trailer metadata for
+	// the number of *cached* operations that would have been otherwise dispatched
+	// to perform the overall API call.
+	CachedOperationsCount ResponseMetadataTrailerKey = "io.spicedb.respmeta.cachedoperationscount"
+)
+
+// SetResponseHeaderMetadata sets the external response metadata header on the given context.
+func SetResponseHeaderMetadata(ctx context.Context, values map[ResponseMetadataHeaderKey]string) error {
+	pairs := make([]string, 0, len(values)*2)
+	for key, value := range values {
+		pairs = append(pairs, string(key))
+		pairs = append(pairs, value)
+	}
+	return grpc.SetHeader(ctx, metadata.Pairs(pairs...))
+}
+
+// SetResponseTrailerMetadata sets the external response metadata trailer on the given context.
+func SetResponseTrailerMetadata(ctx context.Context, values map[ResponseMetadataTrailerKey]string) error {
+	pairs := make([]string, 0, len(values)*2)
+	for key, value := range values {
+		pairs = append(pairs, string(key))
+		pairs = append(pairs, value)
+	}
+	return grpc.SetTrailer(ctx, metadata.Pairs(pairs...))
+}
+
+// GetIntResponseTrailerMetadata retrieves an integer value for the given key in the trailer
+// metadata of a SpiceDB API response.
+func GetIntResponseTrailerMetadata(trailer metadata.MD, key ResponseMetadataTrailerKey) (int, error) {
+	values := trailer.Get(string(key))
+	if len(values) == 0 {
+		return -1, fmt.Errorf("key `%s` not found in trailer", key)
+	}
+	if len(values) != 1 {
+		return -1, fmt.Errorf("key `%s` found multiple times in trailer", key)
+	}
+
+	return strconv.Atoi(values[0])
+}