How we work
Every engagement at AC5 Labs follows the same shape. The same operators who scope the work also run the work. No offshore handoffs, no junior bait-and-switch, no surprise line items at the end.
The engagement
Stage 1
One discovery call (30 to 60 minutes), one walk-through of what you are trying to do, one written quote within 48 hours. Line-itemized through distribution, or fixed-fee direct. If we cannot scope it cleanly, we say so before you pay anything.
Stage 2
Cloud stood up, AI integrated, hardware imaged and shipped. Project engagements ship in 4 to 8 weeks; programs in 8 to 16. You see progress weekly. Changes are negotiated in writing; we do not bill for surprise work.
Stage 3
Recorded walk-throughs, documented runbooks, and live training for your team. AI governance posture, tenant admin procedures, and hardware lifecycle handed over in writing.
Stage 4
Optional managed support across cloud tenants, AI governance, and hardware lifecycle. One accountable partner across all three lines, with a known monthly line, optional escalation tiers, and quarterly reviews. Or hand back to your team entirely. Your call.
Security and ownership
An implementation partner that disappears tomorrow should not break your operation. Everything we stand up is in your name from day one, configured to a documented baseline, and operable by your team or any competent successor.
The economic argument
Most agencies juggle three or four vendors to do what AC5 does on one quote. The categories below are illustrative; the actual line items for your environment land in the written quote within 48 hours of the discovery call.
| Job to be done | Three vendors | One AC5 quote |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace tenant standup | Cloud reseller for licenses, separate consultant for migration, third vendor for MDM. | AC5 sources the licenses through our extensive network of distributors and OEMs, configures the tenant to your baseline, migrates mailboxes and content, and stands up MDM. One quote. |
| Copilot or Gemini rollout across a department | Microsoft or Google partner for licenses, change-management consultant for adoption, your team writes the AI policy. | AC5 sizes the rollout, sources the licenses through distribution, writes the AI policy, runs the adoption and measurement, and reviews quarterly. One quote. |
| Multi-site laptop refresh | OEM rep for the gear, separate vendor for imaging, IT staff time for asset tagging and shipping. | AC5 sources through our extensive network of distributors and OEMs, images to your security baseline, asset-tags, and drop-ships to user or site. One quote. |
| Cloud migration off legacy on-premise | AWS or Azure partner for the landing zone, separate vendor for migration, third vendor for managed support after. | AC5 stands up the landing zone in your name, runs the migration, hands over runbooks, and offers managed support if you want it. |
| AI search across agency documents | Vendor for the search platform, separate consultant for content prep, third firm for the policy and the eval. | AC5 sources the platform, preps the content, writes the policy, builds the eval harness, and tunes adoption. |
| Hardware plus software on one purchase order | Distinct quotes from a cloud reseller, an AI consultant, and a hardware reseller. Three POs to manage. | AC5 line-items all three categories on one quote through our extensive network of distributors and OEMs. One PO. |
The asymmetry that matters
Three vendors means three points of accountability, three sets of meetings, and the work-between-the-vendors that quietly becomes someone's second job. One accountable partner means one quote, one weekly check-in, and the integration is part of the engagement instead of a tax on your team.
When this argument breaks
Buyers trust the firm that knows when the answer is do not hire us.
If your rollout spans hundreds of sites and dozens of lines, a big-firm integrator with the bench depth to staff every region in parallel is the right answer. We do not run that scale. We will tell you on the call.
If your workload needs FedRAMP High, classified cloud, or a specialty regulated platform (a real medical EHR, a real legal practice system, IRS Pub 1075 with full accreditation), bring in the specialist. We will help you scope the buy.
If your team has the bandwidth to source, configure, deploy, and support cloud, AI, and hardware in-house, you may not need us at all. We are happy to be the surge partner instead of the primary, or to step aside.
In every other case, one accountable partner across cloud, AI, and hardware beats juggling three. We will tell you which case you are in on the discovery call.
30-minute discovery call. Written, line-itemized quote in 48 hours.
