Microsoft Azure is the second-largest public-cloud provider and the natural choice for organisations heavily invested in the Microsoft ecosystem (Active Directory, Microsoft 365, Dynamics, GitHub). Azure's enterprise commercial vehicle is the Microsoft Customer Agreement (MCA) or the legacy Enterprise Agreement (EA), often paired with a Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC) for committed spend in exchange for discounts.
Azure proposals tend to be the most negotiable of the three hyperscalers when the customer already has a strong Microsoft footprint — bundle pricing across Azure + M365 + Dynamics often beats hyperscaler list pricing on the cloud-only line. The standard MCA contains specific clauses worth scrutinising: in-writing EU data residency commitments, the price escalator capped at CPI + 3% (negotiable to 5% flat), and the audit rights via Microsoft's Service Trust Portal.
POCsheet flags Azure-specific clauses against industry baselines and your playbook, with verbatim source citations for every claim.