DIR seeks staff and tools for cybersecurity, e‑procurement and shared services oversight

AUSTIN — The Department of Information Resources (DIR) asked the Texas Senate Finance Committee on Feb. 11 to support additional staff and technology upgrades as the state’s central technology agency faces rising demand for shared services, a stretched cyber workforce and recommendations from the Sunset review.

DIR Executive Director Amanda Crawford described DIR as a hybrid model that provides cooperative contracts, shared technology services (STS), texas.gov payments and cybersecurity functions. Crawford told the committee DIR handled more than $5 billion in governmental transactions annually and delivered roughly $700 million to providers for infrastructure, software and STS services.

LBB presented recommended funding of roughly $1.58 billion in all funds for DIR in 2026‑27, a net decrease driven primarily by one‑time cybersecurity and contingency reductions offset by increases for ongoing operations and a recommendation to add 49 FTEs as an exceptional item request. LBB said recommendations also include a rider allowing DIR to use up to $3 million per year from general revenue to exceed cybersecurity appropriations when needed.

DIR asked for additional funding for two cybersecurity lines of work during the hearing: (1) expansion and leveling of the Regional Security Operations Center (RSOC) grant program that places security operations capacity at public universities to support local governments and school districts, and (2) continued investment in statewide cybersecurity tools to improve detection, attack‑surface management and authentication protections. DIR cited successful RSOC activity at UT Austin, UTRGV and Angelo State and asked for funds to establish four more centers.

DIR also described a multi‑year effort to modernize texas.gov and its e‑procurement platform (phase 2) to reduce call‑center workload and improve transaction efficiency. Crawford said the agency had reduced its shared‑technology service fee modestly in 2023 and planned reporting riders to require DIR to publish customer agency STS spending and an STS cost‑savings analysis.

Several senators asked about staff recruitment and retention in Austin’s competitive tech labor market. DIR CFO Nick Villalpando described a mix of hybrid work for many DIR positions and said outsourcing to private vendors remained central to scaling services. Crawford noted the agency’s turnover rate excluding interagency transfers was 6.8%, lower than statewide averages, and described a focus on mission and workplace culture to retain employees.

Public‑interest groups and policy analysts later testified in favor of DIR’s cybersecurity and modernization requests during the public‑testimony portion of the hearing. The committee asked DIR for more detailed reporting and cost‑savings estimates as the budget process continues.