My contribution
- Conducted product and services discovery, determined licensing needs, and prepared negotiation positions.
- Coordinated legal, PMO, VMO, cybersecurity, networking, customer, field/grid, supply chain, consultants, and Microsoft stakeholders.
- Managed negotiation logistics and contract processing under a tight deadline.
Outcome
Secured a five-year Microsoft E5 licensing agreement under budget while supporting compliance and the long-term technology roadmap.
Overview
This project renewed Ameren’s Microsoft Enterprise Agreement covering all Microsoft software and services in use across the company. The objective was to secure cost-effective licensing while maximizing agreement benefits, providing the rights to use and consume the full Microsoft E5 solution set over a five-year term.
Delivery & Scale
- Delivery Method: Waterfall with Organizational Change Management
- Scale: more than 1000 employees directly involved; small org-wide change
- Agreement: 5-year Microsoft E5 Licensing
Scope
- Renewal of the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement covering all Microsoft software & services
- Product and services discovery; definition of desired capabilities
- Contract preparation, negotiation, execution, and handoff for ongoing license management
- Organizational change management communications and stakeholder alignment
- Signed Microsoft Enterprise Agreement as the primary deliverable
Timeline
- • Planning & discovery — January 2021
- • Product & services determination — Jan–Mar 2021
- • Contract preparation — March–April 2021
- • Negotiations & processing — April–June 2021
- • Agreement signed — June 25, 2021
- • Ongoing license maintenance and additions — post-signing
Stakeholders
- Legal, Project Management Office, Vendor Management Office
- Cybersecurity, Networking
- Customer, Field & Grid, Supply Chain
78 Ameren team members contributed inputs across product usage, requirements, and risk posture.
Project Team & Partners
- Project Manager (my role)
- Licensing/Commercial Lead
- OCM & Communications Lead
- Security & Compliance Advisor
- Technical SMEs for product capability validation
- Vendor advisors: ClearEdge (licensing strategy)
- Partner representatives: Microsoft account & solution specialists
Challenges & Mitigations
- Expiring agreement created a tight timeline: front-loaded resourcing, clarified urgency, and established a rapid decision cadence.
- Complex product mix across business units: structured discovery workshops and demos with Microsoft to align on needs.
- Negotiation leverage: partnered with ClearEdge to model scenarios and drive an under-budget outcome.
Results
- Secured a 5-year Microsoft E5 Enterprise Agreement
- Renewal completed on an accelerated timeline
- Achieved an under-budget outcome while meeting capability needs
- Established ongoing license governance for additions and true-ups
- Documented best practices for large-scale licensing renewals