Case Studies
Tampa Bay Water (TBW) – Information Technology Strategic Plan
TBW engaged EPIC to craft an IT Strategic Plan aligning architecture, operations, and staffing with its mission of reliably delivering clean, safe water to 2.5M residents across six member governments.
Introduction
Tampa Bay Water (TBW) is the regional wholesale drinking water utility serving more than 2.5 million residents across six member governments.
To ensure its technology investments advance the mission of delivering clean, safe water now and for future generations, TBW engaged EPIC to develop a comprehensive Information Technology Strategic Plan—aligning IT enterprise architecture, operations, and staffing with the Agency’s corporate strategy.
Challenge
TBW sought a clear, actionable roadmap to:
- Assess IT maturity across enterprise architecture, applications, infrastructure, operations, and staffing
- Align initiatives and spend with corporate goals tied to reliable water production
- Standardize processes for design, development, procurement, and maintenance
- Identify risks and opportunities (stability, security, sustainability) and prioritize the highest‑value actions
- Establish a repeatable planning cadence (initial plan and periodic refreshes)
Solution
EPIC partnered closely with TBW leadership and stakeholders to produce an executable strategy, using a proven consulting framework.
Five‑Step Strategic Planning Approach
- Discovery & Research: Interviews, data collection, and current‑state analysis
- Assessment: EPIC’s 10‑Tier evaluation across key IT domains (enterprise architecture, business & technical apps, infrastructure, operations, governance, security, staffing, and more)
- Findings & Alignment: Synthesize maturity gaps, risks, and improvement opportunities; map to Agency goals
- Recommendations: Actionable initiatives with scope, sequencing, resource needs, and success measures
- Roadmap & Governance: Phased plan, timelines, and an execution/oversight model including a Top‑Ten priority actions list
Scope of Work
- Reviewed enterprise/technical architecture and application portfolios
- Evaluated IT processes for design, development, procurement, and maintenance; proposed target processes
- Assessed organization structure and staffing; documented business and IT trends impacting TBW
- Ensured recommendations remained tightly aligned to Agency goals and mission
Planning Cadence
- Initial IT Strategic Plan delivered: August 2014
- Strategic Plan Refresh authorized: 2019
- Refreshed IT Strategic Plan delivered: June 2021
Solution highlights
- Five‑Step Strategic Planning Approach
- Scope of Work
- Planning Cadence
Insights
100%
Of initiatives explicitly tied to Agency objectives (reliability, safety, regulatory, cost stewardship)
30–50%
Reduced portfolio prioritization & approval time
100%
Of high/critical items with enterprise risk register and mitigation plans established
Results
- Actionable strategy: A clear, phased roadmap and Top‑Ten priority actions to advance reliability, security, and value
- Enterprise alignment: Initiatives and investments explicitly mapped to TBW’s mission of reliable, safe water production
- Operational clarity: Current‑state gaps, risks, and process improvements documented across architecture, apps, and operations
- Sustained planning cadence: Initial plan (2014) and refreshed plan (2021) enable ongoing governance and course correction
- Foundation for value: Identified opportunities to streamline systems, strengthen resilience, and focus resources where they matter most
Polk County Utilities
EPIC conducted thorough needs analysis and process mapping, always eager to troubleshoot, provide solutions, and collaborate effectively with all stakeholders.
Seminole County Environmental Services Division
Our partnership with EPIC Engineering & Consulting Group has modernized Seminole County Environmental Services, improving efficiency, data integrity, and project workflows.
City of Orlando
EPIC has been a trusted partner in our digital transformation. With Simplify i3, we eliminated duplicate data, reduced spreadsheets, and streamlined operations in a cloud-based system.
Talk to an expert about your challenge today
contact us