Introduction: The Changing Landscape of Project Controls and Estimating
In today’s increasingly competitive project management environment, companies face the challenge of delivering on time, within budget, and with the accuracy that stakeholders demand. When it comes to government contracts, this challenge becomes even more pronounced, as compliance, transparency, and accountability are paramount.
For many years, platforms like Deltek, SEER, and Unison have provided project management and cost estimating solutions that helped companies estimate costs and perform EVM and project controls. However, the landscape is rapidly shifting, with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) offering new tools and methods that enable faster, more accurate cost estimating and forecasting. ProjStream is at the forefront of this shift, offering a complete end-to-end solution that combines cost estimating, project controls, and Earned Value Management (EVM), all powered by AI.
Despite these advancements, many companies still hesitate to move away from platforms like Deltek for project controls or SEER and Unison for cost estimating. Understanding the reasons for this inertia is important, but so is understanding why the future of cost estimating lies in platforms that integrate AI-driven solutions, such as ProjStream.
ProjStream’s Competitive Advantage: AI, EVM, and End-to-End Solutions
ProjStream has several competitive advantages over traditional platforms. While Deltek provides a strong project controls system and SEER and Unison focus on cost estimating, ProjStream stands out by offering an integrated, AI-driven solution that covers the full project lifecycle—from predictive cost estimating to project controls and EVM.
- AI and Machine Learning: ProjStream’s PrecisionAI engine enables data-driven cost estimating and forecasting. By analyzing historical data, AI helps generate highly accurate estimates that improve project outcomes. The ability to continuously learn from past projects makes PrecisionAI a dynamic tool that adapts to user needs and industry trends, setting ProjStream apart from legacy systems.
- End-to-End Integration: ProjStream integrates cost estimating, project controls, and EVM into one seamless system. This holistic approach allows companies to manage all aspects of their projects in one place, reducing the need for disparate tools and improving efficiency. ProjStream’s focus on EVM helps organizations track project performance in real-time, ensuring they meet key cost and schedule goals while staying compliant with government reporting requirements.
- Cost Estimating Based on Internal Data: While platforms like SEER and Unison focus on “should-cost” estimating (estimating what something should cost based on industry standards and benchmarks), ProjStream excels at generating estimates and Basis of Estimate (BOE) justifications from a company’s internal data. This makes it ideal for contractors who need to produce cost estimates that reflect their specific labor, materials, and overhead costs, providing a more accurate picture than generic should-cost estimates.
- NLP for BOE Justifications: ProjStream leverages Natural Language Processing (NLP) to streamline the creation of BOE justifications. This automates the time-consuming process of documenting estimates, ensuring compliance and consistency without manual effort. For government contractors, this is a critical advantage, as it helps maintain traceability and transparency across projects.
Why Aren’t More Companies Switching? Understanding the Resistance
Despite the clear advantages ProjStream offers, many companies still rely on legacy systems like Deltek, SEER, or Unison. This reluctance to switch is understandable but could ultimately hinder their ability to stay competitive in an AI-driven future. Here are some reasons why companies resist change:
- Customer Inertia: Many companies are deeply embedded in their existing platforms, having invested heavily in software, training, and processes over the years. Migrating to a new system often seems costly and disruptive, even if the long-term benefits of moving to ProjStream are significant.
- Brand Recognition and Trust: Deltek, SEER, and Unison are trusted names in the project management and cost estimating space. SEER and Unison, in particular, have built strong reputations for should-cost estimating, making it difficult for companies to see the value in switching to a platform like ProjStream, which emphasizes internal data-driven estimates.
- Fear of Missing Legacy Features: Even though ProjStream offers advanced AI capabilities, companies may worry that it doesn’t include certain niche or legacy features they have come to rely on with their existing tools. The fear of losing important functionality is often a barrier to switching.
- Resistance to Workflow Changes: Especially in industries like aerospace, defense, and government contracting, companies tend to be conservative with new technology adoption. Existing workflows are deeply ingrained, and there’s often a reluctance to disrupt processes that have been in place for years.
- Perceived Implementation Complexity: Switching platforms can seem daunting. Many companies fear the time and resources required to implement a new system like ProjStream. However, ProjStream’s quickstart programs are designed to minimize disruption, ensuring a smooth transition and faster time to value.
Why Companies Need to Reevaluate: AI-Driven Cost Estimating and Forecasting
While these concerns are valid, companies that choose to stay with legacy systems are missing out on significant opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, and competitiveness. Here’s why companies should reconsider their approach:
- AI Speeds Up the Entire Process
ProjStream’s AI capabilities allow for faster cost estimating and forecasting. By automating the generation of estimates and continuously learning from historical data, AI reduces the time spent on manual calculations and data entry. Teams can focus more on high-level strategy and less on tedious administrative tasks, helping projects move faster and more smoothly. - Improved Accuracy and Predictive Power
Estimating accuracy is crucial, especially in industries where underestimating or overestimating can lead to significant financial losses. ProjStream’s AI ensures that cost estimates are not just generic benchmarks, but precise, data-driven projections based on a company’s unique historical performance. This level of accuracy builds trust with government customers and gives companies a competitive edge in winning contracts. - EVM Integration for Real-Time Performance Tracking
ProjStream goes beyond estimating by integrating Earned Value Management (EVM), providing real-time insight into project performance. EVM allows organizations to track project cost and schedule variances, ensuring they can correct course early when needed. This integration makes ProjStream a comprehensive solution for project controls, unlike SEER or Unison, which focus only on estimating. - Forecasting and Predictive Analytics to Stay Ahead
Beyond cost estimating, ProjStream’s AI capabilities extend into forecasting and predictive analytics. This allows companies to proactively manage project risks, anticipate potential delays, and allocate resources more effectively. Real-time data and forecasting provide companies with a level of control and foresight that legacy systems simply can’t match. - End-to-End Solutions Eliminate Data Silos
With ProjStream, companies don’t have to rely on separate systems for estimating, project controls, and EVM. The end-to-end solution streamlines processes, eliminates data silos, and provides a single source of truth for all project-related information. This not only improves efficiency but also reduces the risk of errors and miscommunication.
The Importance of Using Internal Data for Cost Estimating
One of the biggest distinctions between ProjStream and platforms like SEER and Unison is the ability to produce estimates based on a company’s internal data. SEER and Unison are strong tools for should-cost estimating, which can be valuable for understanding industry standards and pricing benchmarks. However, these platforms don’t account for the unique costs and operational structures of individual companies.
In contrast, ProjStream leverages a company’s own historical data to produce highly accurate, predictive cost estimates. This is particularly important when producing BOEs, where using internal data ensures that estimates reflect actual labor, materials, and overhead costs. With AI capabilities added into the mix, ProjStream helps companies refine their estimating processes further, leading to better project outcomes.
The Bottom Line: Adapt or Fall Behind
The project controls and cost estimating space is evolving rapidly, and companies that fail to adopt new technologies risk falling behind. ProjStream’s AI-driven solutions are designed to help companies speed up their estimating processes, improve accuracy, and deliver real-time project insights. Those that continue to rely on legacy systems like Deltek, SEER, or Unison could find themselves at a disadvantage as their competitors embrace the future of AI-driven project management.
With ProjStream’s combination of AI, EVM integration, and end-to-end project controls, companies can stay ahead of the curve and maintain a competitive edge. If your company isn’t moving in this direction, you may be left wondering why your competition is consistently winning more bids, delivering projects on time, and maintaining better relationships with their government customers.
Conclusion: Embrace AI and Transform Your Project Controls
Switching platforms is never an easy decision, but the advantages of moving to ProjStream are clear. With AI-driven cost estimating and forecasting, enhanced EVM integration, and a fully integrated project controls solution, ProjStream offers the tools that companies need to succeed in an increasingly competitive market. Now is the time to make the switch—before your competitors leave you behind.
