When your agency starts its largest construction program ever, you need real solutions, not a disconnected and outdated software stack.
For years, the Texas Military Department (TMD) relied on a patchwork of tools to manage projects. “We were using whatever the A&E had,” said Dedra Dahl, Design and Project Management Branch Manager for TMD. “Prolog with one firm, Procore with another, SharePoint with someone else.” Internally, project managers juggled spreadsheets to fill in all the gaps.
That approach worked when they were overseeing a handful of projects. But as more funding came in and project volume soared, the inefficiencies started piling up.
“It became more important to own our information,” Dedra said. “Especially as we realized we needed to manage more projects with the same number of people.”
That realization led TMD to implement Projectmates.
How the Texas Military Department Rolled Out Construction Management Software Successfully
Dedra and her team knew that rolling out a new project management platform wouldn’t be quick or easy. “We were so busy, it was hard to find time to meet with our implementer,” she recalled. But once they started the implementation process, they worked through it module by module.
They took a phased approach, training their internal team first, then bringing on A&Es and contractors. Some adopted it faster than others. Dahl said interestingly, it was the inspectors, not the tech-savvy young PMs as you’d expect, who really found value in Projectmates first. “They fully committed,” Dedra said. “They were using inspection reports right away and just ran with it.”
How Projectmates Helped TMD Speed Up Construction Payment Processing
The turning point came when TMD moved payment processing into Projectmates. That’s when Dedra said she saw how powerful it could be.
By centralizing contracts, change orders, and invoices, the team gained clear visibility into billing, review timelines, and approval bottlenecks. They ditched the inbox scavenger hunts and knew exactly where every pay app stood.
“It didn’t change our budgets,” Dedra said, “but the time savings, that’s what made the difference.” It also helped smooth relationships with contractors. Instead of submitting a pay app and waiting in the dark, GCs could log in and track payment progress in real time.
That visibility turned into leverage. “I showed one contractor how using Projectmates could get them paid two weeks faster,” she said. “Once I laid out the timeline, they were on board.”
How Projectmates Improved Collaboration Across Departments at TMD
Beyond the construction team, other branches inside TMD quickly saw the value. Staff from real estate, environmental, and resource management now have access to Projectmates, eliminating delays and reducing the number of back-and-forth emails.
One example stood out. A newly hired environmental team member was tasked with writing air quality reports for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Instead of needing a working group or a series of emails, he pulled photos and reports directly from Projectmates and completed everything on his own.
“He didn’t need to ask anyone,” Dedra said. “He just found what he needed.”
That kind of independence is spreading. “People keep asking to be added,” she said. “They want to look up information themselves, without having to bug the PMs.”
Even TMD leadership is in on it. Their Executive Director uses the Projectmates mobile app during meetings with top military officials. “He can pull up real-time project data right from his phone,” Dedra said. “He loves that.”
How Projectmates Supports Audit Readiness for Public Sector Construction Projects
For TMD, audit readiness isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s essential. With both state and federal funding, their projects are under constant scrutiny.
“We get audited all the time,” Dedra said. “That was one of the reasons we went looking for [construction] project management software in the first place.”
Before Projectmates, the team scrambled to find information, hoping it lived in the right SharePoint folder or on someone’s desktop. Now, everything’s timestamped, traceable, and organized. If an auditor asks for documentation, they can find it fast, without tracking down a project manager.
“We haven’t been audited since we rolled out Projectmates,” she said. “But it’s coming. And I have high hopes we’ll impress them when it does.”
How TMD Scaled Its Construction Program Without Hiring More Staff
As more projects flow into their pipeline, TMD hasn’t had to hire a massive new team. They’ve simply given their existing team better tools. Projectmates helped them:
- Reduce spreadsheet and email dependency.
- Speed up invoice approvals and payments.
- Improve transparency for contractors and stakeholders.
- Enable cross-departmental collaboration.
- Position themselves for faster, cleaner audits.
Projectmates Helps Government Agencies Take Control of Construction Programs
With more projects, stricter regulations, and rising expectations, public sector Owners like the Texas Military Department can’t afford to manage construction the old way.
Projectmates helped them modernize their workflows, centralize their data, and create a stronger foundation for growth, without sacrificing control.
That shift, Dedra said, changed everything.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The Texas Military Department (TMD) chose Projectmates to eliminate a fragmented mess of spreadsheets and third-party tools. They needed clearer visibility, faster payments, better audit readiness, and a way to scale project oversight—without adding headcount.
Yes. By digitizing pay applications and approval workflows, TMD significantly reduced payment turnaround time. Contractors now get paid up to two weeks faster, thanks to clearer processes and real-time tracking.
Absolutely. Team members from TMD’s environmental, real property, and resource management branches have access to Projectmates. It allows them to retrieve photos, reports, and updates independently—improving collaboration without increasing meeting time.
Yes. One of the main reasons TMD adopted Projectmates was to strengthen audit readiness. The system provides timestamped documentation, centralized records, and quick reporting, helping agencies prepare for both state and federal audits.
Yes. Projectmates includes mobile apps for both iOS and Android that enable field teams and leadership to view real-time data on the go. TMD’s Executive Director even uses it during meetings with top military officials to answer questions immediately.
