Government Success: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Builds a Digital Foundation for Citizen-Focused Services
How modernizing core systems with Microsoft and HSO is driving faster service delivery, improved data access, and greater transparency for Florida’s citizens
About
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is one of the most citizen-facing agencies in the state, managing everything from licensing and permitting to inspections, environmental programs, and consumer protection. Its broad mission spans more than a dozen divisions, each with unique processes and systems. To improve how the agency serves the public and responds to legislative demands, FDACS launched a long-term digital transformation initiative—guided by Microsoft and implemented in partnership with HSO.
Challenge
- Outdated legacy systems (Access, Oracle, Salesforce, Excel) caused delays, duplication, and data silos
- Manual, paper-based processes led to inefficiencies
and frequent errors across divisions - Citizens experienced inconsistent service and had to
navigate disconnected systems - New legislative requirements, including Foreign Principal Registration, required improved data tracking
- A prior modernization effort had failed, and FDACS needed a partner that could quickly rebuild trust and
deliver value - The solution had to be phased, cost-effective, and scalable across different business areas
Solution
Microsoft recommended HSO to take over the project and design a plan built on Microsoft’s secure government cloud. The team introduced a phased, repeatable model using:
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 to support case management, licensing, permitting, and inspections
- Microsoft Power Platform to accelerate development, automate manual workflows, and reduce complexity
- Microsoft Azure to unify data across divisions and power enterprise-wide reporting
- A modular architecture that allowed multiple divisions to move forward in parallel, without dependency
bottlenecks - Hands-on training and enablement to equip FDACS teams with the skills to own and extend the platform over time
Results
- 13 live systems deployed across multiple divisions, replacing legacy tools and manual processes
- Improved public access through modern portals for permitting, renewals, payments, and case tracking
- Streamlined operations thanks to automation, consistent UI, and cleaner data handling
- Increased visibility using Microsoft Power BI and Azure-based reporting for real-time insights
- Sustained progress: new divisions continue to come online, supported by structured task orders and managed services
What's Next
- Launching a consolidated citizen portal to provide unified access across services
- Continuing modernization in inspections, forestry, aquaculture, and environmental programs
- Expanding the Azure-based data platform to improve analytics and decision support
- Scaling managed services to support enhancements
and long-term sustainability
Setting the Standard in Government Modernization
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is proving that meaningful transformation in government is possible—with the right foundation. By taking a collaborative, phased approach and partnering with HSO and Microsoft, FDACS has not only modernized its operations but also created a model for other agencies across Florida’s public sector to follow.
Looking to Modernize Your Government?
Let’s talk about how HSO and Microsoft can help you build a digital foundation for citizen-focused services.