Managed Workforce Solutions for Dynamic Commissioning and Go-Live Operations

Situation

Our Supply Chain Automation client was supporting multiple material handling fulfillment centers when project delays created critical resource shortages across several active sites. With existing staffing suppliers fully tapped out, the client urgently needed 28 Commissioning/Controls Engineers within 1-2 weeks to support nine locations across multiple shifts to avoid paying penalties to their customer for delays, having sold compressed schedules. The challenge was further compounded by rapidly changing customer priorities, site schedules, and resource requirements. As deployment timelines shifted, resources often needed to be redeployed between locations with little notice while accommodating varying site-specific onboarding and startup requirements. Beyond technical expertise, the client needed a partner capable of rapidly recruiting, onboarding, deploying, and managing a geographically dispersed workforce at scale. By positioning our ability to deliver a comprehensive managed services solution, including workforce management, governance, reporting, travel coordination, resource deployment, and technology readiness, the client entrusted us with full responsibility for recruiting, screening, selecting, onboarding, and deploying resources. The client also needed a partner that could provide the consultants with fully configured laptops, including required software such as Rockwell 5000 v35, to ensure resources arrived onsite ready to support commissioning and startup activities from day one.

Solution

We provided a fully managed Commissioning & Controls Engineering workforce solution, supplying engineers who integrated directly with client site leadership and project teams. Our engineers supported:

• System startup and commissioning
• Reliability, performance, volume, and acceptance testing
• Software validation and system integration
• Go-live and post-go-live support
• Technical troubleshooting and issue resolution
• Customer acceptance activities

We assumed responsibility for:

• Recruiting, screening, selecting, and deploying resources
• Pre-start onboarding and deployment readiness
• Laptop provisioning and software licensing
• End-of-Shift (EOS) reporting
• Performance management and workforce oversight
• 24/7 travel coordination
• Utilization, burn-rate, and financial reporting
• Quarterly business reviews and escalation management

A key contributor to the engagement’s success was our structured communication and governance framework. Regular operating cadences, defined escalation paths, EOS reporting, performance reviews, and resource planning meetings enabled us and Client to proactively manage changing site priorities, staffing needs, and deployment schedules. To support rapid mobilization, we leveraged our internal travel team to coordinate resource redeployments and quickly adapt to shifting customer schedules. Our IT team provisioned all consultant laptops with required software, including Rockwell Studio 5000 v35 and Nitro PDF, ensuring resources arrived onsite fully prepared and productive from day one.

Result

Our Managed Services approach transformed a critical resource shortage into a successful deployment program, enabling the rapid deployment and ongoing management of 28 Commissioning & Controls Engineers across nine material handling fulfillment centers within 1-2 weeks. By combining workforce management, governance, communication planning, travel coordination, reporting, and fully provisioned laptops equipped with required PLC software, Oxford successfully adapted to shifting customer priorities and resource demands while keeping critical commissioning, startup, testing, and go-live activities on track. By combining specialized commissioning/controls expertise, rapid workforce scalability, and disciplined program governance, we became an extension of our client’s commissioning/controls organization during a critical phase of their client’s deployments.