EPC Group is a Microsoft specialist founded in 1997 providing enterprise AI consulting for Fortune 500 and regulated-industry clients. We design AI governance frameworks, deploy Microsoft Copilot and Azure OpenAI, and provide Virtual Chief AI Officer (vCAIO) services for organizations that need accountable AI leadership.
By Errin O'Connor, Founder & Chief AI Architect, EPC Group
EPC Group provides enterprise AI solutions using the Microsoft ecosystem. Our services include:
With Microsoft expertise since 1997, we support every AI initiative effectively.
EPC Group is a Microsoft specialist with experience since 1997. We offer enterprise AI consulting for Fortune 500 companies and clients in regulated industries.
EPC Group covers the full Microsoft AI stack — from governance and strategy through deployment and adoption.
EPC Group builds AI governance on four pillars. Each covers a distinct risk area.
Microsoft AI specialists offer measurable advantages over generalist Global Systems Integrators (GSIs). EPC Group's advantages are specific.
| | EPC Group (Microsoft Specialist) | Generalist GSI | |---|---|---| | Platform knowledge | Deep Microsoft ecosystem expertise | Broad but shallow | | Deployment speed | Pre-built accelerators, 200+ implementations | Custom-built each time | | Cost | Lower overhead than Big 4; savings passed to clients | Higher overhead, higher rates | | Compliance depth | HIPAA, FedRAMP, SOC 2, CMMC from day one | Compliance as add-on |EPC Group focuses on compliance-heavy industries where AI governance is as important as AI capability.
A vCAIO (Virtual Chief AI Officer) gives organizations executive-level AI leadership without hiring a full-time C-suite role. EPC Group vCAIO retainers operate at three levels.
Enterprise AI consulting includes several key areas:
This consulting includes both technical and organizational tasks. Technical tasks involve deployment and integration. Organizational tasks cover policy, oversight, and adoption. These elements are crucial for managing AI responsibly at an enterprise scale.
A Virtual Chief AI Officer (vCAIO) is an outsourced AI executive. They guide your AI strategy, governance, and deployment program. EPC Group offers vCAIO retainers at three levels:
AI Readiness Assessments cost between $25,000 and $75,000. These assessments take 4 to 6 weeks to complete.
Copilot deployment packages range from $50,000 to $150,000. Additionally, vCAIO retainers start at $5,000 per month for advisory services.
Full AI governance implementations are fixed-fee and typically take 12 to 24 weeks.
We deploy several Microsoft solutions to enhance productivity and security. These include:
In 2026, several important frameworks will guide AI regulations:
EPC Group focuses exclusively on Microsoft. We do not work across multiple platforms.
Our pre-built accelerators are based on over 200 Microsoft AI implementations. This experience enables us to deliver solutions faster for our clients.
Moreover, our lower overhead allows us to offer competitive rates, which we pass directly to our clients.
Talk to an EPC Group AI architect about your Copilot deployment, governance framework, or vCAIO requirements. Call (888) 381-9725 or request a 30-minute discovery call.
30-40%
Faster Time to Value
vs. generalist consulting firms
20-30%
Lower Project Costs
specialist efficiency vs. Big 4
200+
Microsoft Implementations
across Fortune 500 enterprises
Comprehensive AI consulting services spanning the entire Microsoft AI ecosystem, from strategy through implementation to ongoing optimization.
End-to-end Copilot deployment across M365, Power Platform, and Security. Includes readiness assessment, governance setup, phased rollout, training, and adoption optimization.
Learn moreEnterprise AI governance frameworks for HIPAA, SOC 2, FedRAMP, and EU AI Act compliance. Policy design, risk management, audit trails, and responsible AI implementation.
Learn moreFractional C-level AI leadership providing strategy, board reporting, vendor evaluation, roadmap execution, and team capability development.
Learn moreCustom AI application development on Azure AI Foundry. RAG pipelines, multi-model orchestration, fine-tuning, and production deployment with enterprise security.
Learn moreDesign and implement multi-model AI architectures that route queries to optimal models based on task, cost, latency, and compliance requirements.
Learn moreAI-enhanced analytics with Microsoft Fabric. Machine learning integration, Copilot in Power BI, predictive analytics, and AI-powered data engineering.
Learn moreEvery enterprise AI project follows our effective methodology. We focus on business outcomes, governance, and measurable ROI.
We do not create AI proofs of concept that never reach production. Our approach is built for enterprise-grade delivery from the very start.
We begin every engagement with a thorough understanding of your business objectives, current technology landscape, data maturity, and regulatory environment. This phase produces a prioritized AI roadmap with clear business cases, risk assessments, and resource requirements for each initiative. The roadmap is designed to deliver quick wins within 60 days while building toward transformational outcomes over 12-18 months.
Before deploying AI capabilities, we establish the governance, security, and infrastructure foundations that ensure sustainable, compliant AI operations. This includes AI usage policies, data governance alignment, security configuration, and monitoring frameworks. Organizations that skip this phase inevitably face compliance incidents and data exposure risks that are far more expensive to remediate after the fact.
With strategy defined and foundations in place, we execute AI deployments in phased waves. Each deployment follows a consistent pattern: pilot group validation, feedback collection, optimization, and broader rollout. For custom AI applications, we use agile development sprints with production deployment gates that include security review, performance testing, and governance sign-off.
AI value compounds over time when organizations invest in continuous optimization. We provide ongoing advisory, usage analysis, ROI reporting, and optimization sprints. As Microsoft releases new AI capabilities (which happens monthly), we evaluate relevance to your organization and recommend adoption strategies. This phase is where the specialist advantage becomes most apparent - our deep Microsoft relationships give us early access to preview features and roadmap insights.
Real enterprise AI outcomes delivered by EPC Group across healthcare, financial services, and government.
EPC Group offers flexible engagement models tailored to your organization’s AI maturity, budget, and strategic goals. Our options include:
We adjust our level of involvement to meet your specific needs.
Fixed-fee
Defined scope, timeline, and deliverables for specific AI initiatives.
$15-50K/month
Ongoing AI support, optimization, and advisory with monthly SLAs.
$10-25K/month
Strategic AI leadership at a fraction of full-time executive cost.
EPC Group was founded by Errin O'Connor, a bestselling author from Microsoft Press. He has written four books on:
For since 1997, we have delivered enterprise technology solutions.
Our clients include:
These organizations trust us with their most critical technology initiatives.
As AI changes enterprise operations, EPC Group stands at the crossroads of Microsoft platform expertise and hands-on AI implementation. Our team consists of:
We collaborate to provide AI solutions that are technically sound, governance-compliant, and embraced by users.
EPC Group stands out not only for our technical expertise but also for our focus on measurable results. Each AI project includes:
We do not claim success on deployment day. Instead, we evaluate success based on the outcomes our clients achieve 6-12 months after going live.
25+
Years Experience
200+
Enterprise Implementations
4
Published Books
Fortune 500
Client Portfolio
EPC Group provides comprehensive enterprise AI consulting including Microsoft Copilot deployment and adoption, Azure OpenAI and Azure AI Foundry development, AI governance framework design, virtual Chief AI Officer (vCAIO) services, multi-model AI architecture, Microsoft Fabric AI analytics, Purview AI governance, and custom AI application development. Our services span strategy through implementation to ongoing optimization, all within the Microsoft ecosystem.
Microsoft AI specialists like EPC Group offer three advantages over generalist GSIs (Global Systems Integrators): (1) Deeper platform knowledge - we understand the Microsoft ecosystem integration points that generalists miss, resulting in faster, more reliable deployments. (2) Faster time to value - our team has pre-built accelerators, templates, and reference architectures from 200+ Microsoft implementations. (3) Lower cost - specialist firms carry less overhead than Big 4 consultancies, passing savings to clients. Our accelerators + pre-built reference architectures compress delivery cycles versus generalist firms starting from scratch, and our specialist bench avoids Big-4 overhead pass-through.
A virtual Chief AI Officer (vCAIO) is a fractional executive who provides C-level AI leadership without the cost of a full-time hire. EPC Group's vCAIO service includes AI strategy development aligned with business objectives, board-level AI reporting and governance oversight, vendor evaluation and technology selection, AI roadmap creation and execution oversight, team building and capability development, and regulatory compliance monitoring. Organizations need a vCAIO when they are investing in AI but lack internal leadership to ensure strategic alignment, governance, and ROI accountability.
EPC Group's AI governance approach is built on four pillars: (1) Policy Framework - comprehensive AI usage policies, acceptable use standards, and approval workflows for new AI initiatives. (2) Risk Management - AI risk scoring, bias detection, security testing, and continuous monitoring for all production AI systems. (3) Compliance Integration - mapping AI governance to existing regulatory requirements (HIPAA, SOC 2, FedRAMP, EU AI Act) and audit trail documentation. (4) Organizational Structure - AI governance committees, RACI matrices, and center of excellence models that ensure accountability and scalability.
EPC Group specializes in compliance-heavy industries including healthcare (HIPAA, clinical AI, operational AI), financial services (SOC 2, risk models, regulatory reporting), government and public sector (FedRAMP, citizen services AI), education (student data privacy, learning AI), manufacturing (predictive maintenance, quality AI), and professional services (knowledge management, client service AI). Our deep regulatory expertise ensures AI deployments meet industry-specific compliance requirements from day one.
EPC Group offers three engagement models: (1) Project-Based - defined scope, timeline, and deliverables for specific AI initiatives like Copilot deployment, AI governance framework, or custom AI application development. Typical range: scoped after discovery. (2) Retainer/Managed Services - ongoing AI support, optimization, and advisory services with monthly hours and SLAs. Typically $15,000-$50,000/month. (3) vCAIO (Fractional Executive) - strategic AI leadership at a fraction of full-time cost, including board reporting, strategy development, and governance oversight. Typically $10,000-$25,000/month.
EPC Group's enterprise AI team is ready to assist your organization in using Microsoft AI effectively. We provide support throughout the entire process, including:
Our services deliver measurable outcomes, backed by:
Microsoft Gold Partner | Enterprise Experience Since 1997 | Fortune 500 Trusted
The NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0) will set the standard for US federal AI governance by 2026.
It is also increasingly important for:
The framework includes four key functions:
When implemented correctly, these functions align well with Microsoft Purview, Azure AI Foundry, and Microsoft Sentinel.
EPC Group has created a 47-control crosswalk that connects each NIST AI RMF subcategory to specific Microsoft tenant settings.
vCAIO (Virtual Chief AI Officer) services have become the leading choice for organizations launching AI programs in 2026. The typical pricing structure includes:
The cost-effectiveness compared to a full-time CAIO, which ranges from $400K to $800K fully loaded, is significant for the first 6 to 18 months.
EPC Group covers this topic across the relevant engagement portfolio. Reach the firm at contact@epcgroup.net for a 30-minute architect conversation.
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