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City of Edmonton — Target Account Brief¶

To: Dan Barry, Director of Technical Business Development

From: Reed Larsen, Account Manager

Date: February 3, 2026

Classification: Active Target — Install Base Expansion

Competitive Landscape¶

SAP: Enterprise presence at City. Could position for utility billing as cross-platform play.

AI Angle: City's Gemini adoption shows appetite for AI modernization. Position AUS AI roadmap (billing analysis, customer service automation, document processing) as complementary — domain-specific AI for utility operations vs. generic LLM.

Playbook¶

Phase 1 — Reconnaissance (Now - 60 Days)

Confirm CIS arrangement: confirm if EPCOR is handling all direct billing or if any wiggle room for city operations
Confirm incumbent vendor via public records or network
Secure warm introduction to Stacey Padbury or Stephen Cheung's teams

Phase 2 — Initial Contact (Q2 2026)

Discovery meeting with operational stakeholder
Validate pain, quantify impact, identify champion
Lead with AI modernization angle — they're already bought in on the concept
Build relationships before competitor catches wind

Phase 3 — Budget Positioning (Q3 2026)

Arm champion with business case materials
Time energy transition: focus resources here during budget season

Phase 4 — Execution (Q4 2026 - Q3 2027)

Influence RFP requirements where possible
Strong demonstration, relevant references
Close and transition to implementation team

Risk Matrix¶

Risk	Mitigation
EPCOR controls billing infrastructure	May need to target other city operations instead.
Long procurement cycle	Start early. Maintain tempo throughout.
New leadership settles on different priorities	Move fast while window is open. New execs want quick wins.

Bottom Line¶

Edmonton is a high-value target with confirmed pain however a strong established external corporate solution to utilities management that does things in house - there may be a appetite there however would be a uphill fight. Targeting city controlled operations is probably the best approach.

Ready to brief further or coordinate with RSD on approach.

City of Red Deer — Target Account Brief¶

To: Dan Barry, Director of Technical Business Development

From: Reed Larsen, Account Manager

Date: February 3, 2026

Classification: Active Target — Greenfield Displacement

Mission Overview¶

Red Deer (pop. 115,000, third largest in Alberta) is running Tempest Development Group for utility billing — a BC-based legacy vendor with minimal Alberta footprint. City just emerged from a $17-19M budget shortfall in 2025 and approved a leaner 2026 budget. They're in cost-control mode but have stabilized finances. Window for modernization pitch: demonstrate ROI and operational efficiency gains.

Incumbent: Tempest Development Group (confirmed via MyCity portal URL: mycity.reddeer.ca/tempest/)

Objective: Initial discovery Q2-Q3 2026. Position for FY2027 capital budget consideration. Target contract award 2027-2028.

Target Actors¶

Name	Role	Function	Priority
Tara Lodewyk	City Manager	Economic buyer, final approval	LATE STAGE
Lisa Perkins	GM, Corporate & Employee Services	Budget authority, strategic initiatives	PRIMARY
Gaetano Mazzuca	CIO	Technical evaluation, vendor gate, IT strategy	PRIMARY
Sarah Tittemore	GM, Community Services	Stakeholder for citizen-facing services	SECONDARY
TBD	Manager, Utility Billing Service Centre	Operational lead, daily pain	CHAMPION CANDIDATE

Note: Lisa Perkins has acted as interim City Manager — significant internal influence. Harvard-trained, strategic planning background. She'll want to see business case rigor.

BANT Summary¶

Factor	Assessment	Notes
Budget	MODERATE	Just closed $17-19M gap. 2026 capital budget is $63.9M. Cost-conscious but stabilizing.
Authority	MAPPED	Decision flows through Corporate Services (Perkins) → IT (Mazzuca) → City Manager → Council.
Need	HIGH	Legacy Tempest system. Limited vendor support in Alberta. Aging infrastructure.
Timeline	18-24 MO	Standard municipal cycle. Must be in budget talks by Q3 2026 for FY2027.

MEDDIC Summary¶

Factor	Status	Action Required
Metrics	UNDEFINED	Quantify Tempest limitations: support response times, integration gaps, staff workarounds.
Economic Buyer	IDENTIFIED	Tara Lodewyk (City Manager). Engage late via champion.
Decision Criteria	ANTICIPATED	TCO will be critical given recent budget pain. ROI and efficiency gains front and center.
Decision Process	KNOWN	RFP required. Municipal procurement. 12-18 month cycle.
Identify Pain	SUSPECTED	Legacy system, limited vendor presence, likely integration gaps. Need discovery to confirm.
Champion	NOT YET ENGAGED	Target: Manager-level in Utility Billing or someone in Mazzuca's IT shop.

Competitive Landscape¶

Vendor	Position	Threat Level
Tempest (Incumbent)	BC-based, ~25 clients mostly in BC, 1 other Alberta client	MEDIUM — weak local support is our angle
Other Harris divisions	Unknown presence	CHECK — coordinate with RSD to avoid friendly fire
CUSI / Muni-Link	Active in municipal space	MEDIUM — may compete on RFP

Displacement Strategy: Tempest's weakness is Alberta presence. They're a BC shop. Position AUS as the utility-focused specialist with continental support infrastructure. Lead with TCO story given Red Deer's recent budget struggles.

Playbook¶

Phase 1 — Reconnaissance (Now - 90 Days)

Confirm Tempest contract terms and renewal timeline via public records or network
Research any recent IT initiatives or digital transformation plans
Identify contacts in Utility Billing Service Centre for champion development
Check for any Harris footprint in Red Deer ecosystem

Phase 2 — Initial Contact (Q2-Q3 2026)

Secure introduction to Gaetano Mazzuca (CIO) or Lisa Perkins' team
Position as exploratory: "understanding your utility operations and future plans"
Build relationships quietly before Tempest catches wind
Lead with TCO/efficiency angle — they just went through budget pain

Phase 3 — Budget Positioning (Q3-Q4 2026)

If discovery confirms pain, arm champion with business case materials
Time energy transition: focus resources during budget season
Coordinate with RSD for executive air cover if needed

Phase 4 — Execution (2027)

Influence RFP requirements where possible
Strong demonstration with Alberta municipal references
Close and transition to implementation

Risk Matrix¶

Risk	Mitigation
Budget-constrained environment	Lead with ROI/TCO. Show operational savings that offset investment.
Tempest contract lock-in	Confirm renewal timeline early. May need to play long game.
No existing relationships	Cold outreach. Leverage Alberta municipal network for warm intro if possible.
Smaller city = smaller deal	Still valuable reference account. Alberta presence matters for regional strategy.

Intel Notes¶

Tempest Background:

BC-based vendor, ~25 clients (23 BC, 1 Alberta, 1 Washington)
St. Albert was their other Alberta client (may have intel on their experience)
Legacy platform — cities have been replacing Tempest with modern CIS

Red Deer Financial Context:

2026 Operating Budget: $482.6M
2026 Capital Budget: $63.9M
Just approved 3.97% municipal tax increase
"Difficult decisions in 2025" language suggests appetite for efficiency gains

MyCity Portal:

Covers utility billing, permits, licenses, payments
Paper bill fee ($1.75/mo) introduced Nov 2023 — shows willingness to modernize billing operations

Bottom Line¶

Red Deer is a mid-size Alberta target running a weak incumbent with limited local presence. Recent budget struggles mean they'll be TCO-focused, but that's our story to tell. No existing relationships here — this is a cold approach requiring patience. Worth pursuing for Alberta market expansion and reference value.

Recommend reconnaissance phase to confirm Tempest contract status before committing significant resources.

Prepared using BANT/MEDDIC frameworks.

Sources: - Red Deer Enterprise Leadership Team - Red Deer Budget 2026 - Red Deer Utility Billing Service Centre - Red Deer MyCity Portal