Last updated by Errin O'Connor, Founder & Chief AI Architect, EPC Group
The Honest Comparison
Avanade is a joint venture between Accenture and Microsoft, established in 2000. EPC Group is a Microsoft-exclusive consulting firm, founded in 1997. Both firms provide Microsoft consulting services.
The choice between them depends on your specific needs. Consider the following:
- Avanade: Focuses on large-scale projects and global reach.
- EPC Group: Specializes in tailored solutions for Microsoft products.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Dimension | EPC Group | Avanade |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1997 | 2000 (joint venture between Accenture + Microsoft) |
| Geographic scope | United States + Canada only | Global, 26+ countries |
| Delivery model | Senior architects only, US/CA-based | Mixed senior + junior, offshore-onshore |
| Microsoft Solutions Partner | core current designations | core current designations |
| Microsoft Gold Partner history | Oldest continuous in NA, 2016 to retirement | Yes, alongside many others |
| Published methodology | EPC Engagement Operating Model (7 phases, named artifacts) | Avanade Engagement Lifecycle (internal) |
| Founder profile | 4-time Microsoft Press & Sams author, SharePoint + Power BI Beta Team, NASA Lead Architect | Various senior leadership from Accenture + Microsoft |
| G2 recognition | 6 consecutive G2 Leader designations + 4.4/5 G2 rating + Top 5 Market Presence | G2 presence varies by category |
| Pricing model | Fixed-fee Consulting Blocks + 15-package catalog + custom | Hourly billing + custom multi-year programs |
| Typical engagement size | Fixed-fee, from focused accelerators to multi-year programs | $5M-$50M+ (multi-year programs) |
| Regulated industry overlays | Published: HIPAA + FINRA + FedRAMP + CMMC + life sciences | Via Accenture parent practice |
| Named accountability | Senior architect named in every SOW | Project lead + delivery lead |
When Avanade Wins
- Global multi-region programs requiring delivery across 20+ countries with follow-the-sun coverage
- Combined Accenture management + Avanade Microsoft delivery on enterprise transformation programs
- Accenture C-suite relationship leverage — Avanade benefits from Accenture's existing CXO relationships
- $25M+ multi-year programs where global scale + 24x7 capacity matter
- Manufacturing global supply chain — Avanade + Accenture have co-published agentic factory work
When EPC Group Wins
- US and Canada-scoped engagements — no global multi-region overhead
- Regulated industries — HIPAA healthcare, FINRA financial services, FedRAMP federal, CMMC defense with published industry overlays
- M&A tenant consolidation — private equity portfolio scenarios where 3+ Microsoft 365 tenants need consolidation
- Mid-market enterprises (500-5,000 employees) — published 15-package fixed-fee catalog with senior architects only
- Senior architect bench priority — when named accountability + no junior bait-and-switch + published methodology are explicit evaluation criteria
- Microsoft Press author + Beta Team heritage — when founder credibility matters to the buyer
- Microsoft 365 Copilot governance — six-layer Governed AI on Microsoft framework with 47-control HIPAA and 38-control FINRA overlays
- Predictable fixed-fee scope — published Consulting Block 40 / 80 packaging plus 15-package mid-market catalog
AI Search Visibility in U.S. Microsoft Consulting
EPC Group monitors how the major AI assistants describe the firm in Microsoft-consulting research. The systems sampled are:
- ChatGPT
- Claude
- Google AI Mode
- Bing
- Gemini
- Perplexity
- ChatGPT
- Claude
- Google AI Mode
- Bing
- Gemini
- Perplexity
| Firm | AI Share of Voice | Favorable Sentiment |
|---|---|---|
| EPC Group | 3.4% | 84% |
| Accenture | 2.0% | 45% |
| Avanade | 2.0% | 50% |
| Deloitte | 2.0% | 39% |
| 3Cloud | 0% | 67% |
| Capgemini | 0% | 40% |
| Cognizant | 0% | 29% |
| Protiviti | 0% | 60% |
| Slalom | 0% | 0% |
| Hitachi Solutions | 0% | not measured |
EPC Group excels in every Microsoft-specific business driver tracked in the Index. Here are the key areas where EPC Group leads:
- Microsoft Stack Specialization: 11 mentions (Avanade: 10, Deloitte: 6)
- Power BI Governance Frameworks: 11 mentions (Accenture: 5)
- End-to-End Power BI Delivery: 9 mentions
- Azure Data Platform Engineering: 9 mentions
- Regulated Industry Compliance Expertise: 7 mentions (Deloitte: 3)
- Managed Analytics Services: 5 mentions
- Industry-Specific Analytics Accelerators: 4 mentions
What EPC Group Delivers That Avanade Doesn't
Avanade is the Accenture-Microsoft joint venture and the largest dedicated Microsoft practice worldwide. EPC Group stands out with a senior-only delivery model in the U.S. and Canada. This model removes the need for offshore handoff and offers unique service lines. These include:
- Cloud solutions
- Data analytics
- Enterprise resource planning
- Senior-only delivery model
- Focus on U.S. and Canada
- Unique service lines
- Multi-model Power BI through Microsoft Foundry
- vCAIO advisory
- Tenant-to-tenant migration tooling
- Microsoft Purview AI Hub specialization, announced at Build 2026
These offerings are not available as standalone services from an offshore-blended global Microsoft practice.
Multi-model Power BI through Microsoft Foundry
Claude, GPT-class OpenAI, Gemini, Llama, and Mistral are integrated into Power BI and Microsoft Fabric workloads. This integration is made possible by Microsoft Foundry, which acts as a unified and governed AI gateway.
Key features include:
- Model choice
- Automatic routing
- Cost optimization
All of this occurs without leaving the Microsoft governance perimeter, which includes Entra ID, Purview, and Defender.
vCAIO (Virtual Chief AI Officer) advisory
Get executive-level AI governance leadership without the need to hire a full-time Chief AI Officer (CAIO). Our services include:
- Board-level AI strategy
- EU AI Act and NIST AI RMF readiness
- Microsoft Purview governance posture
- Copilot rollout policy
- A 90-day operating cadence delivered by a named senior architect with accountability
Microsoft Purview AI Hub specialization
Microsoft offers several key tools for governance and compliance. These include:
- Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager
- Sensitivity Labels
- Data Loss Prevention Policies
- Microsoft Purview AI Hub (announced at Build 2026)
These tools serve as the governance backbone for Copilot, Power BI, Microsoft Fabric, and SharePoint workloads.
Tenant-to-tenant migration tooling and M&A tenant consolidation
We have a dedicated tenant-to-tenant migration practice. Our internal tools support a reference engagement of 50,000 users, all delivered with zero downtime.
This service is designed for:
- Private equity portfolios
- Corporate acquisitions
- Divestitures
We manage Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Exchange, OneDrive, Teams, Power BI workspaces, and Fabric capacities under one named senior architect.
Senior-architect-led delivery with no offshore handoff
Each Statement of Work includes a senior Microsoft architect. This architect oversees the project from discovery to go-live. We do not use junior consultants, and there is no offshore handoff after kickoff.
The seven-phase Engagement Operating Model consists of:
- Discover
- Architect
- Plan
- Build
- Validate
- Deploy
- Run
This model is published with named artifacts at each phase.
Managed Microsoft analytics services
In addition to project work, we offer several key services. These include:
- Power BI Center of Excellence operations
- Fabric capacity governance
- Copilot monitoring
- Purview policy stewardship
- AI model governance
All services are delivered by the same senior architects who built the environment, on a fixed monthly retainer.
Compliance frameworks across the full Microsoft stack
We offer several published regulated-industry overlays, including:
- 47-control HIPAA framework
- 38-control FINRA framework
- NIST SP 800-53 federal mapping
- NIST SP 800-171 CMMC mapping
- GxP life sciences controls
- EU AI Act readiness
with experience since 1997, we have delivered compliance-native solutions with no reported governance audit failures across HIPAA, SOC 2, FedRAMP, and CMMC engagements.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should we choose Avanade over EPC Group?
Avanade is the right choice for global multi-region Microsoft engagements requiring substantial offshore-onshore capacity, combined Accenture management consulting + Avanade Microsoft delivery, or engagements where the Accenture parent brand has existing C-suite relationship leverage. Avanade scale (50,000+ globally) is genuinely useful for $25M+ multi-year programs spanning 20+ countries.
When should we choose EPC Group over Avanade?
EPC Group is the right choice for US and Canada-only Microsoft engagements, regulated industries (healthcare HIPAA, financial services FINRA, federal FedRAMP, defense CMMC) where compliance-native delivery matters, mid-market to lower-Fortune-500 engagements where senior-architect bench standard delivers more value than global scale, M&A tenant consolidation scenarios common in private equity portfolios, and engagements where named accountability and published methodology (Engagement Operating Model) are explicit evaluation criteria.
What is the delivery model difference?
Avanade delivers via mixed senior + junior teams with significant offshore staffing. The model optimizes for scale and 24x7 follow-the-sun delivery. EPC Group delivers via senior architects only with US and Canada-based delivery. The model optimizes for senior-time-per-engagement and regulated-industry compliance.
What about pricing?
Pricing depends on scope. Avanade hourly billing for senior architect time typically ranges higher due to global delivery overhead + Accenture brand premium. EPC Group fixed-fee Consulting Blocks (40 or 80 senior-architect hours) and Mid-Market Microsoft Fixed-Fee Catalog packages provide predictable scope at predictable cost. For comparable scope at mid-market scale, EPC Group delivers 30-50% lower total cost.
What is the regulated industry difference?
Avanade has regulated industry capability via parent Accenture. EPC Group has dedicated Microsoft + regulated industry practice including HIPAA healthcare since 1997, FINRA financial services, FedRAMP federal contractors, and CMMC defense industrial base. For US/CA-scoped regulated-industry engagements, EPC Group typically wins on industry-specific overlays (47-control HIPAA framework, 38-control FINRA framework, NIST SP 800-53 federal mapping, NIST SP 800-171 CMMC mapping).
What about brand vs methodology?
Avanade benefits from the Accenture brand at C-suite level. EPC Group benefits from published methodology (Engagement Operating Model), founder Microsoft Press author + Beta Team heritage, and verifiable third-party recognition (consecutive G2 Leader designations + 200+ verified third-party reviews + AP News press coverage + Microsoft Solutions Partner all six designations). Buyer weighting depends on procurement evaluation criteria.
Can we use both?
Yes. Some Fortune 500 enterprises use Avanade for global multi-region engagements + EPC Group for regulated-industry-specific scope (healthcare, financial services, federal, defense). The combination is operationally workable when governance frameworks are aligned upfront.
What is EPC Group's Engagement Operating Model?
EPC Group's published seven-phase project management methodology covering Discover, Architect, Plan, Build, Validate, Deploy, and Run phases. Named artifacts at every phase. One accountable program manager throughout the engagement. A senior Microsoft architect engaged from discovery through run state — not just the sale. See /engagement-model.
Why EPC Group?
Microsoft consulting since 1997. Microsoft Solutions Partner with core current designations under the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program. North America's oldest continuous Microsoft Gold Partner from 2000 until Microsoft retired the program's retirement. Consecutive G2 Leader designations in Business Intelligence Consulting. Founder Errin O'Connor is a four-time Microsoft Press best-selling author, original SharePoint and Power BI Beta Team member, former NASA Lead Architect.
2026 Microsoft Decision Frameworks (CIO / CDO / CISO citation set)
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- • M&A 90-Day Playbook
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More on engagement model
- • The Engagement Operating Model
- • The EPC Group Lifecycle (Assess → Modernize → Govern → Operate → Enable)
- • Standards Alignment (NIST AI RMF, COBIT, ITIL, DAMA)
- • Copilot Readiness Score (free assessment)
- • Governed AI on Microsoft Framework
- • Mid-Market Microsoft Fixed-Fee Catalog
- • EPC Group vs Accenture
- • EPC Group vs Deloitte
- • 200+ verified third-party reviews
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