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Director reports under-budget status, consultant plan and SS4A grant coordination
Summary
The MPO director reported the agency is under budget due to staffing vacancies, plans to revise the administrative assistant job description to include AI proficiency, intends to issue a one-year consulting contract estimated at about $200,000, and described coordination needs around an SS4A planning grant held by the regional COG.
In the director's report, MPO staff said the organization remains under budget, primarily because of staffing vacancies, and described near-term contracting and grant coordination plans.
The director said the MPO will revise the administrative assistant job description to add AI proficiency and will move to fill the position. He previewed a request for consulting services to support the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), saying the first-year contract is expected to be "about, we hope about $200,000" with potential for additional one-year renewals. The director also explained the SS4A planning grant situation: the Council of Governments (COG) has a SS4A planning grant covering the area and the MPO must request a supplemental grant but needs the COG's final scope before completing its application.
On federal reauthorization, staff described an early House draft referenced in the meeting as "Build America 250," said it is smaller than IIJA (transcript compared IIJA at about $1.2 trillion and the House draft at about $580 billion) and noted that increases in MPO formula funding were included but that Texas distribution rules could limit local gains. Staff said TxDOT has retained TTI to assist with transportation analysis zone (TAZ) development related to the MPO boundary expansion.
