Why Public Infrastructure Leaders Are Replacing Spreadsheets with PACE for Capital Program Control

A Portfolio Manager overseeing multi-billion-dollar capital budgets for a public sector transportation agency like Caltrans shares how PACE from Frontrol transforms the management of complex capital programs and projects.

In large public infrastructure organizations such as Caltrans, leaders face the immense challenge of delivering thousands of transit, bridge, and highway projects on time, within budget, and in full compliance with regulatory standards. Traditional tools often result in fragmented data, delayed decisions, unexpected cost overruns and missed funding opportunities.

PACE, Frontrol’s collaborative Project Execution and Control platform, addresses these challenges by providing a unified, owner-centric system designed specifically for public sector capital delivery. 

 

Figure shows all projects in 10-year portfolio with project number 3 of 39 isolated on the right

 The Scale of Capital Program Management

Public agencies like Caltrans manage vast portfolios under strict funding constraints, public scrutiny, and evolving priorities. Effective oversight requires complete visibility across the full project lifecycle — from strategic planning and budgeting through execution and closeout. PACE centralizes scope, cost, schedule, risk, and resource management, replacing siloed spreadsheets with a single source of truth pane of glass.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Projects by Type

How PACE Strengthens Capital Program Delivery

PACE empowers owner organizations with purpose-built capabilities tailored to public infrastructure delivery:

  1. Strategic Portfolio Planning & Budgeting The platform enables precise prioritization, accurate cost estimating, and transparent allocation of funds from multiple sources (federal, state, and local). Portfolio managers can model funding scenarios and maintain real-time capital plans — capabilities critical for programs such as the State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP).
 
  1. Real-Time Visibility Through Executive Dashboards PACE delivers intuitive, role-based dashboards that provide instant insight into portfolio health, project status, earned value, and forecasts at completion. Leadership can quickly identify projects that are on track, at risk, or trending over budget, then drill down to granular details without chasing updates.

 


 

3. Integrated Risk, Change, and Performance Management Infrastructure projects encounter numerous uncertainties, from supply chain disruptions to regulatory changes. PACE’s built-in risk registers, automated change control workflows, and predictive analytics help teams detect issues early and respond effectively, while significantly reducing manual reporting efforts.
4. Seamless Collaboration Across Teams Whether coordinating between internal districts or external delivery partners, PACE offers document management, structured approval workflows, and integrated communication tools. This creates alignment throughout multi-year, multi-phase capital programs. 

 

Measurable Results for Public Sector Owners

Organizations using PACE report:

  • Greater budget accuracy through improved forecasting and variance analysis.
  • Faster, data-driven decision-making, that allows rapid reallocation of resources.
  • Stronger accountability with audit-ready records and transparent reporting.
  • True scalability — supporting everything from routine maintenance projects to multi-hundred-million-dollar mega-projects.

Why PACE Excels for Agencies Like Caltrans

Built specifically for owner-side needs in regulated environments, PACE offers robust financial controls, compliance features, and integration capabilities that generic project management tools cannot match. It streamlines processes while maintaining the governance standards required in public infrastructure delivery.

A Strategic Advantage for Capital Stewardship

For portfolio managers responsible for delivering essential transportation infrastructure, PACE from Frontrol turns complex program management into a streamlined, insight-driven process. It enables public agencies to focus on their core mission: providing safe, reliable, and sustainable infrastructure for the communities they serve.

Public sector leaders seeking greater control and transparency over their capital programs are encouraged to explore PACE. It serves not merely as software, but as a trusted partner in successful project delivery.

Ready to see how PACE can support your organization? Visit frontrol.com to schedule a demo tailored for owner agencies.

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𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱-𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 In the modern enterprise environment, project execution often falls into the Fragmentation

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