Overview
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) plans, builds, operates, and maintains the state highway system — one of the largest transportation networks in the country, spanning roughly 80,000 centerline miles across 25 districts. Headquartered in Austin, it is a heavy edge and field organization: traffic management centers, roadside ITS and sensor infrastructure, signals, cameras, connected-vehicle pilots, and a large back-office data and applications estate.
Its capital program runs through the annually updated Unified Transportation Program (UTP), a 10-year 'road map' that the draft 2026 edition put at roughly $101.6B — the third straight year above $100B. On the technology side, TxDOT's Information Technology Division supports more than 700 IT professionals and the agency has moved aggressively on AI: its AI Strategic Plan, launched December 2024 and updated in February 2026, frames AI as a 'force multiplier' embedded in workflows under a 'human-led, AI-supported' governance model.
For a Dell SLG seller, TxDOT is an infrastructure-, edge-, and data-rich account whose buying runs through TxDOT's own procurement plus DIR Cooperative Contracts, gated by TX-RAMP and TxDOT's internal IS-RAMP requirements.
How this account buys
- IT buying center: CIO Anh Selissen's Information Technology Division (700+ IT professionals) spanning security, operations, applications, data governance, and traffic-technology operations.
- Funding shapers: the Texas Transportation Commission adopts the 10-year UTP and approves major contracts; ITS/traffic-technology dollars ride the capital program, not a standalone IT line.
- Approval gates: TxDOT's CISO reviews and approves technology proposals; TX-RAMP plus TxDOT's own IS-RAMP requirements apply to anything that touches TxDOT data.
- Fastest vehicle: DIR Cooperative Contracts for catalog IT hardware/software; larger program-specific buys run through TxDOT's own agency procurement.
Where Dell Can Play
- Confirm Dell's DIR Cooperative Contract coverage and reseller scope for TxDOT, and identify TxDOT's own agency procurement path for larger program-specific buys.
- Lead with AI-infrastructure, data-platform, and edge-compute messaging tied directly to TxDOT's AI Strategic Plan (pilots-to-operations) and its 'human-led, AI-supported' governance model.
- Map the ITS / connected-vehicle / traffic-technology buildout (the $264M+ in the draft 2026 UTP) to edge, ruggedized, sensor-data, and real-time-processing solutions.
- Engage CIO Anh Selissen's IT Division early and clear TX-RAMP plus TxDOT's internal IS-RAMP security requirements before pursuing any cloud / as-a-service deal.
- Track the adopted (final) 2026 UTP versus the draft, and the Texas Transportation Commission's approvals, to time forecasts and major program pursuits.
Budget & Fiscal
TxDOT's scale shows up in its capital program, not a small IT line. The draft 2026 UTP was about $101.6B over 10 years (roughly $7.5B of it new funding), and Governor Abbott has separately framed a broader transportation investment of over $146B. Embedded in the capital plan is a meaningful traffic-technology / ITS component — the kind of sensor, edge, and data infrastructure a compute and storage vendor maps to.
$101.6B
Draft 2026 UTP (10-yr)
Third consecutive year above $100B; ~$7.5B of new funding
$138B
Total transportation investment
Broader plan figure cited by Gov. Abbott
$264M+
Traffic-tech in draft 2026 UTP
New traffic-management technology / ITS projects (per GovTech, Jul 2025)
- The UTP is updated annually and approved by the Texas Transportation Commission — figures shift between draft and adopted versions, so confirm against the final adopted UTP before forecasting.
- TxDOT is a large direct technology spender in its own right (700+ IT pros, statewide ITS/edge), distinct from DIR, which is the procurement path rather than the end customer.
Initiatives & Priorities
AI Strategic Plan — pilots to operations
Launched Dec 2024 and updated Feb 2026, TxDOT is moving AI from isolated pilots into everyday operations under a 'human-led, AI-supported' model. It has evaluated 200+ use cases via a Readiness Scorecard, with live examples like AI incident detection in Austin. Strong fit for AI-infrastructure, data-platform, and edge-compute conversations.
AI Data EdgeConnected & autonomous vehicles / ITS
TxDOT runs a Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Task Force and a growing intelligent-transportation-systems footprint — roadside sensors, traffic management centers, signal tech, and connected-vehicle pilots. The draft 2026 UTP earmarks $264M+ in new traffic-management technology. This is an edge, sensor-data, and real-time-processing buildout.
ITS Connected Vehicle EdgeInnovation & testing platforms
Programs such as the Texas Innovation Alliance (analytics and AI for smart transportation) and proposed neutral testing/proving-ground concepts position TxDOT as a public-private innovation buyer — a route for piloting compute, data, and AI solutions before scaling.
Innovation AnalyticsCybersecurity & data protection (IS-RAMP)
TxDOT operates its own Information Security Risk and Authorization Management Program (IS-RAMP) and a controls-standards catalog, with a CISO who reviews and approves technology proposals. Security and TX-RAMP posture is a gate to clear on any data-touching deal.
Cybersecurity ComplianceProcurement
TxDOT buys both through its own agency procurement and through statewide vehicles. Two early checks for any technology play: that Dell's DIR Cooperative Contracts are active and correctly scoped for TxDOT, and that any cloud / as-a-service offering meets TX-RAMP and TxDOT's internal IS-RAMP security requirements.
| Vehicle / gate | What it means for Dell |
|---|---|
| TxDOT agency procurement | TxDOT runs its own solicitations and contracts for goods, services, and IT — distinct from DIR. Larger and program-specific buys typically flow through the agency's own procurement and the Texas Transportation Commission's approvals. |
| DIR Cooperative Contracts | The statewide pre-competed vehicle TxDOT can buy IT hardware, software, and services through without running a separate RFP — a common path for technology purchases. |
| TX-RAMP / IS-RAMP certification | TX-RAMP is the statewide cloud-security gate; TxDOT additionally enforces its own IS-RAMP requirements for third parties that access, store, or transmit TxDOT data. Clear the right level before pursuing cloud / aaS deals. |
Spend Signals
GovSpend · as of Sep 21, 2026$19.9M
Dell footprint — all channels (3-yr · FY2023–2025), est.
Direct $16.7M · via resellers ~$3.2M · Bullchase ~$3.2M, GTS Technology Solutions ~$75K
Dell vs. competitors (spend, payee)
Brand footprint — all channels (est.)
Higher of two conservative lenses: product-name match · manufacturer tag. Both undercount — treat as floors.
Top IT categories
$101.3MIT Staffing Services
$51.7MSoftware
$22.2MComputers
$21.8MTechnical
$13.9MIT Based Land Surveying
$13.8MNetworking Equipment
Expiring contracts (re-compete)
| Contract | Vendor | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| UPGRADING SERVICES, SOFTWARE, HOURLY RATE | Rackspace Us Inc | Oct 14, 2026 |
| APPLICATION SOFTWARE, MICROCOMPUTER | Shi Government Solutions | Nov 30, 2026 |
| MAPPING AND GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM | Cyclomedia Technology Inc | Nov 30, 2026 |
| NETWORK COMPONENTS | General Datatech Lp | Dec 15, 2026 |
| SOFTWARE, MICROCOMPUTER, PROGRAMMING | Presidio Networked Solutions Group Llc | Dec 17, 2026 |
| SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE | Shi Government Solutions | Dec 19, 2026 |
| WIRELESS INTERNET SERVICE AND EQUIPMENT | At T Enterprises Llc | Dec 23, 2026 |
Open bids / RFPs
| Solicitation | Due |
|---|---|
| Vanderwall Facility Advisor (VFA) Connect Cloud Saas Software Solution Texas Department of Transportation | Sep 25, 2026 |
| Bluebeam Software License Texas Department of Transportation | Sep 29, 2026 |
| TopoDOT LiDAR Processing Software Texas Department of Transportation | Oct 1, 2026 |
- Payee lens (vendorSpend) counts dollars paid to each vendor; brand lens uses product-name text matching across all channels — conservative floors, and the lenses differ (Dell payee $16.7M vs $19.9M of Dell-branded items across all channels).
- Dell footprint excludes ~$2.8M from clearly non-IT vendors (fire-protection, flood-control, janitorial) whose line items matched generic terms like 'precision' and 'latitude'; Bullchase Inc is the dominant non-Dell channel for Dell-branded gear.
- Cisco brand footprint ($27.5M) far exceeds Cisco-direct payee spend ($13.4M) — much Cisco gear moves through resellers such as Netsync, Presidio, and CDW.
- Window is PO issue dates Oct 2022–Sep 2025 (hub-standard calendar window); Texas state FY runs Sep–Aug. Contract dollar values are largely unpublished in the source system.
- Competitor brand figures on this page were recomputed on 2026-08-05 after the same measurement error found in the Dell totals: the earlier method summed per-keyword buckets, so a line item naming two matched terms (e.g. “HPE ProLiant” or “Apple iPad”) was counted twice. Values here come from a single de-duplicated match over the same keyword set and supersede the earlier, overstated totals.
- Bid and contract panels refreshed 2026-09-21 from GovSpend (agencyId 6978): 3 open bids due on or after 2026-09-21 and 7 contracts ending on or after 2026-10-05 (two-week runway), IT-relevant only.
Power Structure
| Decision-maker | Why they matter |
|---|---|
| Marc D. Williams, P.E. Executive Director | Agency leader (22nd Executive Director); has publicly positioned AI as 'a strategic asset embedded in our workflows.' The top relationship for the account. |
| Anh Selissen Chief Information Officer & IT Division Director | Leads 700+ IT professionals across security, operations, applications, data governance, and traffic-technology operations; CIO since Sept 2019. Recognized CIO/State IT Leader of the Year and, in Nov 2025, appointed by Gov. Abbott to the state's Public Sector AI Systems Advisory Board (term to Sept 1, 2027) — the central technology relationship and a statewide-AI voice. |
| TxDOT IT Division — Cybersecurity / CISO Security policy, IS-RAMP, approvals | TxDOT's CISO function reviews and approves technology proposals and owns the IS-RAMP / controls-standards requirements vendors must meet. (Individual CISO name not publicly confirmed; reports up through the IT Division.) |
| Texas Transportation Commission Governing body (W. Alvin New, Acting Chair) | Five-member, Governor-appointed commission that adopts the UTP and approves major contracts and program funding. As of mid-2026 W. Alvin New is listed as Acting Chair (interim — verify current status); other commissioners: Robert C. Vaughn, Alejandro 'Alex' G. Meade III, Steven D. Alvis, Pat Gordon. |
News & Signals
Sep 2026
TxDOT's Project Nexus air-taxi pilot kicks off with Joby eVTOL test flights at Fort Worth Alliance Airport, Sept 10-14
Joby Aviation flew a five-day electric vertical takeoff and landing demonstration Sept. 10-14, 2026 between Fort Worth Alliance Airport and DFW International under TxDOT's new Project Nexus, making Texas the sixth state to test electric air taxis under the federal pilot program. Project Nexus will initially fly aircraft to gather data and validate routes, targeting air-taxi service across Dallas-Fort Worth and the rest of the Texas Triangle by 2029. For a Dell SLG seller it signals emerging edge-compute, connectivity, data-ingestion and analytics needs tied to next-gen mobility pilots — an early-engagement opening around the supporting infrastructure rather than the aircraft.
Sep 2026
TxDOT suspends Flock/ALPR camera permits in state rights-of-way at Gov. Abbott's direction
TxDOT confirmed it has suspended issuing approvals for Flock automated license plate readers and similar third-party devices in state rights-of-way, at Gov. Abbott's direction, applying to cameras approved but not yet installed; already-installed cameras (including 900+ operated by DPS) stay in place. TxDOT notes its role is limited to permitting for safe/correct installation and that it does not access the data. For a Dell SLG seller this signals a tightening surveillance-tech permitting climate that curbs new roadside camera buildout while keeping existing networks — and their data-governance, access-control, and audit-logging needs — in play across TxDOT and partner agencies.
Aug 2026
TxDOT CIO Selissen details operational AI: camera-quality monitoring, incident detection, invoice reconciliation
In an in-window Route Fifty/Google Public Sector webcast, CIO Anh Selissen described AI now running in production — assessing the quality of thousands of roadside cameras, ingesting first-responder data feeds to detect and clear crashes faster, and reconciling vendor invoices/POs that previously took months — while stressing a 'human-led, AI-supported' governance model under TRAIGA. This confirms the AI Strategic Plan is moving from pilots to scaled operations. For a Dell SLG seller, operationalized AI across a $500M+ IT estate signals demand for AI-ready compute, data platforms, storage, and security to support statewide inference and analytics workloads.
Aug 2026
Texas Transportation Commission adopts final 2027 UTP: $138B total investment, ~$95B in projects over 10 years
The Commission approved the final 2027 Unified Transportation Program (FY2027–2036) at its August meeting — ~$95B in project funding plus ~$43B in development/routine maintenance for a ~$138B total, targeting the state's 100 Most Congested Roadways and expanding Texas Clear Lanes and rural connectivity. This converts the previously-on-file draft into an adopted, funded 10-year pipeline. For a Dell SLG seller, a decade of committed capital across highways, ITS, freight, and multimodal projects underpins sustained demand for traffic-technology, sensors, edge compute, data platforms, and the IT/cyber backbone TxDOT needs to deliver and operate them.
Jun 2026
Commission advances draft 2027 UTP (~$95B / 10-yr, ~$5B new); public comment Jul 3-Aug 3, adoption Aug 2026
The next-cycle capital envelope that supersedes the 2026 UTP as the current plan; ~$5B new funding plus continued Clear Lanes and connectivity initiatives frame downstream ITS, sensor, and field-technology spend. Track adoption in August.
May 2026
TxDOT launches SH 130 Smart Corridor (4+ mi; 33 poles / 66 sensors; cameras, LTE, fiber, AI)
One of the most advanced U.S. smart corridors: lane-level awareness feeding real-time TxDOT systems and connected/autonomous vehicles (Tesla, Waymo), with expansion planned toward Georgetown, Mustang Ridge and eventually I-35. Direct fit for edge compute, sensor-data ingest, and real-time processing.
Feb 2026
TxDOT updates AI Strategic Plan; multi-cloud exploration, Copilot to 940+ staff, Rekor AI in Austin
AI moving from pilots to embedded operations across 30+ initiatives; explicit move toward a multi-cloud, multi-platform environment and generative-AI rollout — durable demand for AI infrastructure, data platforms, and edge compute. (Plan update variously dated Jan/Feb 2026.)
Nov 2025
CIO Anh Selissen appointed to Gov. Abbott's Public Sector AI Systems Advisory Board (term to Sept 2027)
TxDOT's central technology relationship now also shapes statewide public-sector AI policy — reinforces AI as a durable, top-of-agenda buying theme and a strategic executive relationship.
Jul 2025
Draft 2026 UTP includes $264M+ in new traffic-management technology
Confirms a funded ITS / sensor / edge buildout inside the capital program — a mappable infrastructure and data opportunity.
Sources
- TxDOT — Unified Transportation Program (UTP)
- TxDOT — UTP seeks feedback on $101.6B 10-year plan
- Governor Abbott — Over $146B Texas transportation investment
- GovTech Insider — Draft 2026 UTP includes $264M+ in traffic tech
- TxDOT — Executive Director Marc D. Williams
- TxDOT — Chief Information Officer (Anh Selissen)
- TxDOT — Information Technology Division
- TxDOT — Updates AI Strategic Plan (Feb 2026)
- TxDOT — AI Strategic Plan update page
- TxDOT — Connected & Automated Vehicles Task Force
- TxDOT — Information Resources & Security Requirements (IS-RAMP)
- TxDOT — Launches operations of SH 130 Smart Corridor (May 2026)
- KVUE — SH 130 gets smart AI technology to spot crashes, hazards
- TxDOT — Inside Scoop: Transportation Commission June 2026 (draft 2027 UTP ~$95B)
- GovTech — Texas DOT Updates AI Strategic Plan (multi-cloud, Copilot, 30+ initiatives)
- Gov. Abbott — Appoints eight to Public Sector AI Systems Advisory Board (incl. Anh Selissen)
- TxDOT — Texas Transportation Commission (members / Acting Chair)
- Texas DOT — New $138 billion investment planned for Texas transportation
- Route Fifty — How the Texas transportation department has embraced AI
- Houston Public Media (Texas Tribune) — Texas freezes installation of Flock cameras along state roads
- Dallas Innovates — Air Taxi Pilot Program Takes Off at Fort Worth Alliance Airport