NTTA board approves multiple construction, service and vendor contracts; updates debt and investment policies

The North Texas Tollway Authority board on March 12, 2025, voted to approve a series of construction, maintenance, vendor-selection and service contracts and to update the agency's debt and investment policies.

The actions approved include requests to advertise construction projects, selection of vendors for design and construction support, final contract awards for maintenance and pavement rehabilitation, and renewals of professional services contracts. Board members voted on each item separately; most motions carried unanimously.

Why it matters: The contracts span routine system upkeep and multi-million-dollar capital programs that NTTA funds from its capital improvement and reserve maintenance accounts. The vendor awards and contract approvals will move work into procurement, negotiation and construction phases and preserve cash and debt targets the board reviews annually.

What the board approved and key details

- Request to advertise: construction services for Dallas North Tollway LBJ interchange pavement and drainage rehabilitation. Budget estimate: $1,640,000; contract term: eight months; funding: Reserve Maintenance Fund. Motion to advertise carried (8-0).

- Construction contract approval: replacement of trailblazer signs on President George Bush Turnpike (PGBT), Beltline to I-78/Garland. Budget estimate: $600,000. Motion carried unanimously.

- Vendor selection (recommended vendors only): construction management and materials testing services for Chisholm Trail Parkway main lanes (FM 1187 to US 67). Recommended construction management vendors: 1836 Engineering and Roba Kisner; recommended material-testing vendors: Beyond Engineering and Testing and Textura Engineering. Estimated budgets: South job $7,640,000; North job $8,160,000 for construction management; testing estimates $2.7M and $2.97M. Board approved recommended vendors (9-0); final contracts will return in May for approval.

- Collection agency contracts (final approval): primary and secondary collection agency services (contingency fee structure). Primary recommended vendors: Harris & Harris, Transworld Systems and Penn Credit Corporation. Secondary recommended: Credit Control Services, F.H. Conn & Associates and Southwest Credit Systems. Work authorization not to exceed $12,500,000 for the remainder of the year; staff estimates ~$75M in collections from these efforts this portion of the year and ~$150M total across collection vendors for the year. Motion carried (9-0).

- Customer service support and business continuity (final contract approval): recommended vendors Harrison, Harris and I Corps USA; estimated remainder-of-year expense not to exceed $8,400,000; funded from Operations & Maintenance Fund, Enterprise Fund and Capital Improvement Fund. Motion carried (9-0).

- Asset management software final contract approval: recommended vendor Woolpert, Inc., for an asset lifecycle management solution (license, implementation, GIS integration) with a contract amount of approximately $6,600,000 over seven years; funding from Reserve Maintenance Fund and Operations & Maintenance Fund. Motion carried (9-0).

- Construction contract approvals: Dallas North Tollway at I-35 queue-warning system (low bid ~ $1,200,000; two-year contract; Capital Improvement Fund); PGBT shoulder rehabilitation (Midway to I-78; low bidder Regal Inc., ~ $4,800,000; seven-month term; Reserve Maintenance Fund); Sam Rayburn Tollway pavement rehabilitation (26 locations; low bidder Palmer Hall Construction, ~ $400,000; six-month term; Reserve Maintenance Fund). Each motion carried unanimously.

- PCI (Payment Card Industry) audit services renewal: BDO Alliance, three-year renewal not to exceed $438,150; funded from Operations & Maintenance Fund. Motion carried (9-0).

- Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) implementation (exempt sole-source): contract with Information Logistics to integrate NTTA with FEMA's IPAWS and the vendor's HelpAlerts platform to geofence and send targeted roadway emergency alerts to drivers. Contract: just under $500,000 for four years; funded from Capital Improvement Fund. Motion carried (9-0).

- Interlocal agreement: material testing and inspection services with the Texas Department of Transportation for off-site prefabricated materials. Legal review completed; agreement approved (9-0).

- Annual policy reviews and updates: debt policy (added language to allow staff to evaluate and recommend debt retirement options such as defeasance, subject to Board approval and trust agreements), investment policy updates (authorized training providers and qualified financial institutions list updated) and no changes to disclosure or insider trading policies for 2025. Motion carried (9-0).

Board process and next steps

Staff indicated several of the recommended-vendor items (Chisholm Trail Parkway management and testing) will return in May for final contract negotiation and award. For construction projects where final contracts were approved, staff will move to execute contracts and begin scheduling work. For the IPAWS agreement, NTTA will pursue FEMA and Texas Department of Emergency Management approvals and develop SOPs and personnel training per FEMA requirements.

Speakers (first reference includes role as given in the transcript)

- Chair (unnamed), presiding officer - Elizabeth Mao, staff presenter (construction projects) - Kevin Banks, Director of Contact Center Collections (NTTA) - Amadeus Meskani, staff presenter (maintenance/asset management) - Eric/Hampell (presenter for queue-warning and IPAWS items; transcript identifies as Eric Hampell/Hampell), staff presenter - Jeff Daley, staff presenter (finance/forecasting and IPAWS briefing) - Kelly McGuire, staff presenter (debt and investment policy) - Corina Johnson, Director of Human Resources (briefing items) - Horatio Porter, Chief Financial Officer (finance briefing) - Directors voting/moving motions referenced in the meeting record: Vice Chair Haddad (also referred to as Adad in the transcript), Director Knight, Director Gravley, Director Camp, Director Michalak, Director Casada, Director Baker, Director Quesada, Director Kemp

Authorities referenced

- Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) interlocal agreement (type: interlocal agreement) referenced by item 10c - Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) IPAWS program and Texas Department of Emergency Management approvals (type: federal/state program/authorization) referenced by IPAWS item

Actions (formal motions / votes recorded in the transcript)

[Note: vote tallies and mover/second recorded per the meeting transcript. Where specific mover/second were identified in the meeting record, they are listed. Where the transcript provided tally but not roll-call votes, only the tally is recorded.]

1) motion: "Approve advertising for construction services for the Dallas North Tollway pavement and drainage rehabilitation at LBJ interchange box." mover: Director Knight; second: Vice Chair Dodd (reported as second from transcript). tally: yes 8, no 0; outcome: approved. notes: budget estimate $1,640,000; 8-month term; funding Reserve Maintenance Fund.

2) motion: "Approve construction contract for President George Bush Turnpike trailblazer sign replacement." mover: Director Casada; second: Director Michalak. tally: unanimous (recorded as unanimous); outcome: approved. notes: budget estimate $600,000.

3) motion: "Approve recommended vendors for construction management and materials testing services for Chisholm Trail Parkway (FM 1187 to US 67)." mover: Vice Chair Haddad; second: Director Walmsgans. tally: yes 9, no 0; outcome: approved (recommended vendors; final contracts to return in May). notes: CM budgets ~ $7.64M (South), $8.16M (North); testing ~ $2.7M and $2.97M; funding Capital Improvement Fund.

4) motion: "Approve final contract awards for primary and secondary collection agency services and work authorization not to exceed $12,500,000." mover: Director Gravley; second: Director Knight. tally: yes 9, no 0; outcome: approved. notes: primary vendors Harris & Harris, Transworld Systems, Penn Credit; secondary Credit Control Services, F.H. Conn & Associates, Southwest Credit Systems; staff estimate $75M collections from current authorization and $150M total collections for year.

5) motion: "Approve customer service support and business continuity contracts and work authorization not to exceed $8,400,000." mover: Director Camp; second: Vice Chair Haddad. tally: yes 9, no 0; outcome: approved.

6) motion: "Approve final contract with Woolpert, Inc. for asset management software (Trimble/Unity/DOT systems integration) not to exceed ~$6,600,000 over seven years." mover: Director Knight; second: Director Camp. tally: yes 9, no 0; outcome: approved. notes: funding Reserve Maintenance Fund and O&M Fund.

7) motion: "Approve construction contract for Dallas North Tollway at I-35 queue-warning system (low bidder Road Solutions LLC, ~ $1.2M)." mover: Director Camp; second: Director Walmsgans. tally: yes 9, no 0; outcome: approved.

8) motion: "Approve construction contract for PGBT shoulder rehabilitation (Midway to I-78; low bidder Regal Inc., ~ $4.8M)." mover: Vice Chair Dodd; second: Director Baker. tally: yes 9, no 0; outcome: approved.

9) motion: "Approve construction contract for Sam Rayburn Tollway pavement rehabilitation (low bidder Palmer Hall Construction, ~ $400,000)." mover: Vice Chair Haddad; second: Director Baker. tally: yes 9, no 0; outcome: approved.

10) motion: "Approve renewal contract with BDO Alliance for PCI audit services, amount not to exceed $438,150." mover: Director Mihalik; second: Vice Chair Haddad. tally: yes 9, no 0; outcome: approved.

11) motion: "Approve contract with Information Logistics for IPAWS integration and ongoing support (sole source), just under $500,000 for four years." mover: Director Kemp; second: Director Knight. tally: yes 9, no 0; outcome: approved.

12) motion: "Approve interlocal agreement with TxDOT for off-site prefabricated material testing and inspection services." mover: Director Quesada; second: Director Kemp. tally: yes 9, no 0; outcome: approved.

13) motion: "Approve 2025 updates to debt and investment policies and the list of qualified financial institutions; no changes to disclosure or insider trading policies." mover: Director Gravley; second: Director Walmsgans. tally: yes 9, no 0; outcome: approved.

Discussion vs decision notes

- Several items (Chisholm Trail Parkway vendors, asset management contracts) were presented as "recommended vendors" only; staff will negotiate final contracts and return in May for authorizing contract execution. - The IPAWS item approved a sole-source relationship with Information Logistics; staff emphasized the requirement to obtain FEMA and Texas Department of Emergency Management approvals and develop FEMA-approved SOPs and training.

Clarifying details extracted from the meeting record

- Chisholm Trail Parkway vendor budgets (estimates): CM South $7,640,000; CM North $8,160,000; testing $2.7M and $2.97M; contract terms three years; funding Capital Improvement Fund. - Collection agencies: work authorization not to exceed $12,500,000 for remainder of year; staff estimates $75,000,000 in collections from those authorizations and approximately $150,000,000 total from collection activity across the year. - Asset management software contract: Woolpert, Inc.; ~$6,600,000 over seven years; funding from Reserve Maintenance Fund and O&M Fund. - Queue warning system: low bid ~ $1,200,000; contract term two years; funding Capital Improvement Fund. - PGBT shoulder rehab: low bid ~ $4,800,000; seven-month term; funding Reserve Maintenance Fund. - Sam Rayburn Tollway rehab: low bid ~ $400,000; six-month term; funding Reserve Maintenance Fund. - PCI audit: BDO Alliance renewal $438,150 for three years; funded from O&M Fund. - IPAWS contract: exempt sole-source with Information Logistics, just under $500,000 for four years; funding Capital Improvement Fund.

Proper names mentioned (standardized)

[{"name":"North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA)","type":"agency"},{"name":"Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)","type":"agency"},{"name":"Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)","type":"agency"},{"name":"Information Logistics","type":"business"},{"name":"Woolpert, Inc.","type":"business"},{"name":"BDO Alliance","type":"business"},{"name":"Regal Inc.","type":"business"},{"name":"Palmer Hall Construction","type":"business"},{"name":"Road Solutions LLC","type":"business"},{"name":"Harris & Harris","type":"business"},{"name":"Transworld Systems","type":"business"},{"name":"Penn Credit Corporation","type":"business"},{"name":"Credit Control Services","type":"business"},{"name":"F.H. Conn & Associates","type":"business"},{"name":"Southwest Credit Systems","type":"business"},{"name":"1836 Engineering","type":"business"},{"name":"Roba Kisner","type":"business"},{"name":"Beyond Engineering and Testing","type":"business"},{"name":"Textura Engineering","type":"business"}]

Searchable tags

["procurement","construction","maintenance","IPAWS","alerts","asset-management-software","collections","customer-service","PCI","debt-policy","investment-policy","NTTA","Chisholm-Trail","PGBT","Dallas-North-Tollway"]

Provenance (evidence excerpts from transcript supporting this article)

[{"block_id":"s=148.54","local_start":0,"local_end":227,"evidence_excerpt":"The next 2 items are a request to advertise, and the first item up is item 7 a, construction services for the Dallas North Towway pavement and drainage rehabilitation at I 635. Elizabeth Mao will present this item.","reason_code":"topicintro"},{"block_id":"s=3722.95","local_start":0,"local_end":60,"evidence_excerpt":"Any opposition? Alright. That motion passes 9 to 0 on item 11, which brings us to our last action item, item number 12, approval of registered toll rate.","reason_code":"topicfinish"}]

salience":{"overall":0.68,"overall_justification":"Multiple contract awards and policy updates affecting capital program spending and operations; several multi-million-dollar authorizations and vendor selections."},

searchable_tags:["contracts","procurement","policy","NTTA"]} ,{