Precise sync from Logic to Max and back?

This is not a real-time application, but the processing of existing MIDI tracks:

I want to play back MIDI notes in Apple Logic, send them to Max, make sophisticated processing and write them back to a new Logic track at the correct position with a precision of less than a millisecond. Since I produce negative and positive delays, I have to introduce additional latency. I would send the Logic notes a bit earlier to make room, time-wise. Depending on tempo I would have to adapt the time compensation in Max.

I can send a audio sync signal with 24 PPQ from Logic. But how do I sync Max to that, to be able to set my delays by ticks, for example? Or would sample based delays an option?

My tests show me that such a system ist not very reliable. The return from Max varies relatively much in time.

Can SMPTE help in any way?
Or am I bound to make the whole thing in RNBO and compile a plugin for Logic?

The simplest methods would perhaps be to manually align the return to a ‘start beep’. Or to write a MIDI file from Logic, process it in Max and transfer it back as file. But I would like it to be more fluid.

I would appreciate hearing some ideas on this.