diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 96c110a..fac41dc 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ repos:
               [.]flake8[.]cython$|
               meta[.]yaml$|
               setup[.]cfg$
+      - id: verify-alpha-spec
   - repo: https://github.com/rapidsai/dependency-file-generator
     rev: v1.15.1
     hooks:
diff --git a/conda/environments/all_cuda-118_arch-x86_64.yaml b/conda/environments/all_cuda-118_arch-x86_64.yaml
index 10fbcc9..213e9e3 100644
--- a/conda/environments/all_cuda-118_arch-x86_64.yaml
+++ b/conda/environments/all_cuda-118_arch-x86_64.yaml
@@ -13,11 +13,11 @@ dependencies:
 - cuda-nvtx
 - cuda-version=11.8
 - cudatoolkit
-- cudf==24.12.*
-- cugraph==24.12.*
+- cudf==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
+- cugraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - cupy>=12.0.0
 - cython>=3.0.0
-- dask-cudf==24.12.*
+- dask-cudf==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - dglteam/label/th21_cu118::dgl
 - doxygen
 - graphviz
@@ -33,18 +33,18 @@ dependencies:
 - pydantic
 - pydata-sphinx-theme
 - pyg::pyg
-- pylibcugraphops==24.12.*
-- pylibraft==24.12.*
-- pylibwholegraph==24.12.*
+- pylibcugraphops==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
+- pylibraft==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
+- pylibwholegraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - pytest
 - pytest-benchmark
 - pytest-cov
 - pytest-xdist
 - pytorch-cuda=11.8
 - pytorch::pytorch>=2.0,<2.2.0a0
-- raft-dask==24.12.*
+- raft-dask==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - recommonmark
-- rmm==24.12.*
+- rmm==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - scikit-build-core>=0.10.0
 - scipy
 - setuptools>=61.0.0
diff --git a/conda/environments/all_cuda-121_arch-x86_64.yaml b/conda/environments/all_cuda-121_arch-x86_64.yaml
index f58fb71..2ca88f8 100644
--- a/conda/environments/all_cuda-121_arch-x86_64.yaml
+++ b/conda/environments/all_cuda-121_arch-x86_64.yaml
@@ -14,11 +14,11 @@ dependencies:
 - cuda-nvtx-dev
 - cuda-profiler-api
 - cuda-version=12.1
-- cudf==24.12.*
-- cugraph==24.12.*
+- cudf==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
+- cugraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - cupy>=12.0.0
 - cython>=3.0.0
-- dask-cudf==24.12.*
+- dask-cudf==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - dglteam/label/th21_cu121::dgl
 - doxygen
 - graphviz
@@ -38,18 +38,18 @@ dependencies:
 - pydantic
 - pydata-sphinx-theme
 - pyg::pyg
-- pylibcugraphops==24.12.*
-- pylibraft==24.12.*
-- pylibwholegraph==24.12.*
+- pylibcugraphops==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
+- pylibraft==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
+- pylibwholegraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - pytest
 - pytest-benchmark
 - pytest-cov
 - pytest-xdist
 - pytorch-cuda=12.1
 - pytorch::pytorch>=2.0,<2.2.0a0
-- raft-dask==24.12.*
+- raft-dask==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - recommonmark
-- rmm==24.12.*
+- rmm==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - scikit-build-core>=0.10.0
 - scipy
 - setuptools>=61.0.0
diff --git a/conda/environments/all_cuda-124_arch-x86_64.yaml b/conda/environments/all_cuda-124_arch-x86_64.yaml
index 82dba1c..b88c0db 100644
--- a/conda/environments/all_cuda-124_arch-x86_64.yaml
+++ b/conda/environments/all_cuda-124_arch-x86_64.yaml
@@ -14,11 +14,11 @@ dependencies:
 - cuda-nvtx-dev
 - cuda-profiler-api
 - cuda-version=12.4
-- cudf==24.12.*
-- cugraph==24.12.*
+- cudf==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
+- cugraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - cupy>=12.0.0
 - cython>=3.0.0
-- dask-cudf==24.12.*
+- dask-cudf==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - dglteam/label/th21_cu121::dgl
 - doxygen
 - graphviz
@@ -38,18 +38,18 @@ dependencies:
 - pydantic
 - pydata-sphinx-theme
 - pyg::pyg
-- pylibcugraphops==24.12.*
-- pylibraft==24.12.*
-- pylibwholegraph==24.12.*
+- pylibcugraphops==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
+- pylibraft==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
+- pylibwholegraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - pytest
 - pytest-benchmark
 - pytest-cov
 - pytest-xdist
 - pytorch-cuda=12.1
 - pytorch::pytorch>=2.0,<2.2.0a0
-- raft-dask==24.12.*
+- raft-dask==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - recommonmark
-- rmm==24.12.*
+- rmm==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - scikit-build-core>=0.10.0
 - scipy
 - setuptools>=61.0.0
diff --git a/dependencies.yaml b/dependencies.yaml
index c0a5f13..a25f04f 100644
--- a/dependencies.yaml
+++ b/dependencies.yaml
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ files:
   all:
     output: [conda]
     matrix:
+      # CUDA versions match PyTorch releases, not RAPIDS
+      # ref: https://pytorch.org/get-started/locally/
       cuda: ["11.8", "12.1", "12.4"]
       arch: [x86_64]
     includes:
@@ -279,7 +281,7 @@ dependencies:
           - &numpy numpy>=1.23,<3.0a0
       - output_types: [pyproject]
         packages:
-          - &cugraph cugraph==24.12.*
+          - &cugraph cugraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
   python_run_cugraph_pyg:
     common:
       - output_types: [conda, pyproject]
@@ -312,7 +314,7 @@ dependencies:
     common:
       - output_types: [conda]
         packages:
-          - cugraph==24.12.*
+          - cugraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - pytorch::pytorch>=2.0
           - dgl>=1.1.0.cu*
           - &tensordict tensordict>=0.1.2
@@ -320,7 +322,7 @@ dependencies:
     common:
       - output_types: [conda]
         packages:
-          - cugraph==24.12.*
+          - cugraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - pytorch::pytorch>=2.0
           - *tensordict
           - pyg>=2.5,<2.6
@@ -390,7 +392,7 @@ dependencies:
     common:
       - output_types: conda
         packages:
-          - &pylibwholegraph_unsuffixed pylibwholegraph==24.12.*
+          - &pylibwholegraph_unsuffixed pylibwholegraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
       - output_types: requirements
         packages:
           # pip recognizes the index as a global option for the requirements.txt file
@@ -403,19 +405,19 @@ dependencies:
               cuda: "12.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - pylibwholegraph-cu12==24.12.*
+              - pylibwholegraph-cu12==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - matrix:
               cuda: "11.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - pylibwholegraph-cu11==24.12.*
+              - pylibwholegraph-cu11==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - {matrix: null, packages: [*pylibwholegraph_unsuffixed]}
 
   depends_on_rmm:
     common:
       - output_types: conda
         packages:
-          - &rmm_unsuffixed rmm==24.12.*
+          - &rmm_unsuffixed rmm==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
       - output_types: requirements
         packages:
           # pip recognizes the index as a global option for the requirements.txt file
@@ -428,19 +430,19 @@ dependencies:
               cuda: "12.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - rmm-cu12==24.12.*
+              - rmm-cu12==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - matrix:
               cuda: "11.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - rmm-cu11==24.12.*
+              - rmm-cu11==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - {matrix: null, packages: [*rmm_unsuffixed]}
 
   depends_on_cugraph:
     common:
       - output_types: conda
         packages:
-          - &cugraph_unsuffixed cugraph==24.12.*
+          - &cugraph_unsuffixed cugraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
       - output_types: requirements
         packages:
           # pip recognizes the index as a global option for the requirements.txt file
@@ -453,19 +455,19 @@ dependencies:
               cuda: "12.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - cugraph-cu12==24.12.*
+              - cugraph-cu12==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - matrix:
               cuda: "11.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - cugraph-cu11==24.12.*
+              - cugraph-cu11==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - {matrix: null, packages: [*cugraph_unsuffixed]}
 
   depends_on_cudf:
     common:
       - output_types: conda
         packages:
-          - &cudf_unsuffixed cudf==24.12.*
+          - &cudf_unsuffixed cudf==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
       - output_types: requirements
         packages:
           # pip recognizes the index as a global option for the requirements.txt file
@@ -478,19 +480,19 @@ dependencies:
               cuda: "12.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - cudf-cu12==24.12.*
+              - cudf-cu12==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - matrix:
               cuda: "11.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - cudf-cu11==24.12.*
+              - cudf-cu11==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - {matrix: null, packages: [*cudf_unsuffixed]}
 
   depends_on_dask_cudf:
     common:
       - output_types: conda
         packages:
-          - &dask_cudf_unsuffixed dask-cudf==24.12.*
+          - &dask_cudf_unsuffixed dask-cudf==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
       - output_types: requirements
         packages:
           # pip recognizes the index as a global option for the requirements.txt file
@@ -503,19 +505,19 @@ dependencies:
               cuda: "12.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - dask-cudf-cu12==24.12.*
+              - dask-cudf-cu12==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - matrix:
               cuda: "11.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - dask-cudf-cu11==24.12.*
+              - dask-cudf-cu11==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - {matrix: null, packages: [*dask_cudf_unsuffixed]}
 
   depends_on_pylibraft:
     common:
       - output_types: conda
         packages:
-          - &pylibraft_unsuffixed pylibraft==24.12.*
+          - &pylibraft_unsuffixed pylibraft==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
       - output_types: requirements
         packages:
           # pip recognizes the index as a global option for the requirements.txt file
@@ -528,19 +530,19 @@ dependencies:
               cuda: "12.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - pylibraft-cu12==24.12.*
+              - pylibraft-cu12==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - matrix:
               cuda: "11.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - pylibraft-cu11==24.12.*
+              - pylibraft-cu11==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - {matrix: null, packages: [*pylibraft_unsuffixed]}
 
   depends_on_raft_dask:
     common:
       - output_types: conda
         packages:
-          - &raft_dask_unsuffixed raft-dask==24.12.*
+          - &raft_dask_unsuffixed raft-dask==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
       - output_types: requirements
         packages:
           # pip recognizes the index as a global option for the requirements.txt file
@@ -553,19 +555,19 @@ dependencies:
               cuda: "12.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - raft-dask-cu12==24.12.*
+              - raft-dask-cu12==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - matrix:
               cuda: "11.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - raft-dask-cu11==24.12.*
+              - raft-dask-cu11==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - {matrix: null, packages: [*raft_dask_unsuffixed]}
 
   depends_on_pylibcugraph:
     common:
       - output_types: conda
         packages:
-          - &pylibcugraph_unsuffixed pylibcugraph==24.12.*
+          - &pylibcugraph_unsuffixed pylibcugraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
       - output_types: requirements
         packages:
           # pip recognizes the index as a global option for the requirements.txt file
@@ -578,19 +580,19 @@ dependencies:
               cuda: "12.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - pylibcugraph-cu12==24.12.*
+              - pylibcugraph-cu12==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - matrix:
               cuda: "11.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - pylibcugraph-cu11==24.12.*
+              - pylibcugraph-cu11==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - {matrix: null, packages: [*pylibcugraph_unsuffixed]}
 
   depends_on_pylibcugraphops:
     common:
       - output_types: conda
         packages:
-          - &pylibcugraphops_unsuffixed pylibcugraphops==24.12.*
+          - &pylibcugraphops_unsuffixed pylibcugraphops==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
       - output_types: requirements
         packages:
           # pip recognizes the index as a global option for the requirements.txt file
@@ -603,12 +605,12 @@ dependencies:
               cuda: "12.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - pylibcugraphops-cu12==24.12.*
+              - pylibcugraphops-cu12==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - matrix:
               cuda: "11.*"
               cuda_suffixed: "true"
             packages:
-              - pylibcugraphops-cu11==24.12.*
+              - pylibcugraphops-cu11==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
           - {matrix: null, packages: [*pylibcugraphops_unsuffixed]}
 
   depends_on_cupy:
diff --git a/python/cugraph-dgl/conda/cugraph_dgl_dev_cuda-118.yaml b/python/cugraph-dgl/conda/cugraph_dgl_dev_cuda-118.yaml
index c1aa00c..e1075c2 100644
--- a/python/cugraph-dgl/conda/cugraph_dgl_dev_cuda-118.yaml
+++ b/python/cugraph-dgl/conda/cugraph_dgl_dev_cuda-118.yaml
@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@ channels:
 - conda-forge
 - nvidia
 dependencies:
-- cugraph==24.12.*
+- cugraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - dgl>=1.1.0.cu*
 - dglteam/label/th21_cu118::dgl
 - pandas
 - pre-commit
 - pydantic
-- pylibcugraphops==24.12.*
+- pylibcugraphops==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - pytest
 - pytest-benchmark
 - pytest-cov
diff --git a/python/cugraph-dgl/pyproject.toml b/python/cugraph-dgl/pyproject.toml
index 685367e..0e625f3 100644
--- a/python/cugraph-dgl/pyproject.toml
+++ b/python/cugraph-dgl/pyproject.toml
@@ -23,16 +23,16 @@ classifiers = [
     "Programming Language :: Python",
 ]
 dependencies = [
-    "cugraph==24.12.*",
+    "cugraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0",
     "numba>=0.57",
     "numpy>=1.23,<3.0a0",
-    "pylibcugraphops==24.12.*",
+    "pylibcugraphops==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0",
 ] # This list was generated by `rapids-dependency-file-generator`. To make changes, edit ../../dependencies.yaml and run `rapids-dependency-file-generator`.
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
 test = [
     "pandas",
-    "pylibwholegraph==24.12.*",
+    "pylibwholegraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0",
     "pytest",
     "pytest-benchmark",
     "pytest-cov",
diff --git a/python/cugraph-pyg/conda/cugraph_pyg_dev_cuda-118.yaml b/python/cugraph-pyg/conda/cugraph_pyg_dev_cuda-118.yaml
index 6fed8da..63414a6 100644
--- a/python/cugraph-pyg/conda/cugraph_pyg_dev_cuda-118.yaml
+++ b/python/cugraph-pyg/conda/cugraph_pyg_dev_cuda-118.yaml
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@ channels:
 - conda-forge
 - nvidia
 dependencies:
-- cugraph==24.12.*
+- cugraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - pandas
 - pre-commit
 - pydantic
 - pyg>=2.5,<2.6
-- pylibcugraphops==24.12.*
+- pylibcugraphops==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0
 - pytest
 - pytest-benchmark
 - pytest-cov
diff --git a/python/cugraph-pyg/pyproject.toml b/python/cugraph-pyg/pyproject.toml
index c769d4e..a251635 100644
--- a/python/cugraph-pyg/pyproject.toml
+++ b/python/cugraph-pyg/pyproject.toml
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@ classifiers = [
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12",
 ]
 dependencies = [
-    "cugraph==24.12.*",
+    "cugraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0",
     "numba>=0.57",
     "numpy>=1.23,<3.0a0",
-    "pylibcugraphops==24.12.*",
+    "pylibcugraphops==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0",
 ] # This list was generated by `rapids-dependency-file-generator`. To make changes, edit ../../dependencies.yaml and run `rapids-dependency-file-generator`.
 
 [project.urls]
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ Documentation = "https://docs.rapids.ai/api/cugraph/stable/"
 [project.optional-dependencies]
 test = [
     "pandas",
-    "pylibwholegraph==24.12.*",
+    "pylibwholegraph==24.12.*,>=0.0.0a0",
     "pytest",
     "pytest-benchmark",
     "pytest-cov",