CPRIT begins assessment to modernize grant management platform; DIR engagement underway

CPRIT staff told the oversight committee Aug. 20 that the agency has begun a modernization assessment of its grant management platform (GMP) with the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR), a multi‑phase effort intended to migrate CPRIT off its legacy system and adopt a configurable, off‑the‑shelf GMP.

Information security officer Soma Imanicki said DIR is mapping current workflows, identifying pain points and documenting tools that users employ outside the current platform. The discovery and future‑state work will examine commercial grant management platforms used by other agencies and the potential to include artificial‑intelligence features to reduce manual workload.

Staff said initial migration costs will be significant because of data migration and configuration, but recurring operating costs are expected to decline relative to current custom maintenance. Because the supplemental appropriations that funded the project included unexpended balance authority, CPRIT will be able to carry the capital appropriation into FY26 and FY27 as the multi‑year modernization effort ramps up.

DIR and CPRIT expect to complete the assessment prior to the next oversight meeting and present a recommended procurement path and budget timeline at the November meeting.

Staff emphasized that migrating to an off‑the‑shelf GMP would let CPRIT take advantage of platform improvements shared across users, rather than waiting for bespoke enhancements to be added to the legacy system on CPRIT’s schedule.