Primary Department: County Engineer
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Milton Rahman, PhD, P.E., PMP, CFM, ENV-SP
Secondary Department: County Engineer
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official: Milton Rahman, PhD, P.E., PMP, CFM, ENV-SP
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Financial Authorization
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): Archistar, Inc.
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request for approval of supplemental funding in the amount of $754,000 for FY2026 for annual recurring subscription for an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Pre-Check Platform.
end
Background and Discussion:
On September 9, 2025, Commissioners Court directed the Office of the County Engineer (OCE) to partner with Harris County Universal Services (HCUS) to develop a plan for using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to make the permitting process faster, more accurate, and easier for the public to use. On January 8, 2026, Commissioners Court directed HCUS and OCE to implement AI to improve the permitting process. On April 28, 2026, the Purchasing Office released a Request for Supplier Offer to accept offers from qualified AI vendors to implement an AI assisted platform that supports permitting.
Archistar’s AI PreCheck Platform introduces automated intelligence at the very start of the permitting process. The platform is designed around two foundational capabilities that together establish a modern, scalable approach to digital plan review:
• AI Completeness Check - ensuring that submissions are complete, legible, and structured correctly before entering formal review.
• AI Compliance Analysis - evaluating the content of drawings against applicable codes and development regulations using deterministic, rule-based logic.
By separating submission readiness from code compliance, the platform mirrors how professional plan reviewers work in practice - first confirming that a plan set is reviewable, then assessing whether the design meets regulatory requirements.
Deliverable: AI PreCheck Platform.
Expected outcomes:
• Faster processing times: Potential to reduce permit processing time and resubmittals by 50%.
• Improved Transparency: Applicants can see real-time status results of their submission.
• Operational Efficiency: AI handles routine checks, while staff can focus on additional detailed reviews of permit applications.
• Automation and Performance Improvements: Use AI to reduce simple, repetitive, and redundant tasks.
Expected Impact:
The adoption of a new and enhanced AI solution will improve the permitting process, resulting in faster turnaround times, enhance operational efficiency, and greater transparency to constituents.
Alternative Options:
Not utilizing AI tools in the permitting process may result in manual permitting process, longer processing times, inefficiencies in processes, and lack of transparency for constituents.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 2. Connect our community with safe, reliable, equitably distributed, and well-maintained infrastructure.
County Strategic Plan Objective: H: Improve the condition and resilience of County transportation, flood control, and other infrastructure.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): N/A
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): N/A
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): N/A
Health Initiative (Goal 4): N/A
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): N/A
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): N/A
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
|
Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
|
9/9/2025 |
8 |
To direct the Office of County Engineer to report back to Commissioners Court by November 13, 2025, with a plan for using artificial intelligence and other software improvements to make the permitting process faster, more accurate, and easier for the public to use. |
|
11/13/2025 |
12 |
Request for discussion and action of a plan to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other software improvements to make the permitting process faster, more accurate, and easier for the public to use. |
|
12/11/2025 |
154 |
To direct Universal Services to establish governance on the standards, analysis, deployment, management, and training of all A.I. software and tools across departments within the County’s network to ensure security compliance with all federal and state laws, and County’s policies. |
|
1/8/2026 |
143 |
Request for discussion and possible action to implement Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other software improvements for the permitting process. |
Location:
Address (if applicable):
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Service Name |
Integrated Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Permitting and Platting Automation |
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Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
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Non-Labor |
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Recurring Expenses |
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Funding Sources |
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Existing Budget |
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$ |
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Total Existing Budget |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
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Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
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1000 - General Fund |
$ |
$754,000 |
$754,000 |
$754,000 |
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$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
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$754,000 |
$754,000 |
$754,000 |
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Total Funding Sources |
$ |
$754,000 |
$754,000 |
$754,000 |
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Grants - Proposed Budget (For Grants Items only) |
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Local Match Source - Existing Budget: Choose an item. |
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$ |
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Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new Position Control Numbers (PCN)s) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
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Additional Positions Request |
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Total Personnel |
- |
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- |
- |
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County Attorney’s Office Legal Review (for Harris County Code Items only) |
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CAO Reviewer Name and Title |
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CAO Review Completion Date |
Click or tap to enter a date. |
Anticipated Court Date: 08/06/2026
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): 8/6/2026
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Mike Etienne, PhD, Chief of Planning and Development Services, OCE
Attachments (if applicable): HCUS Fiscal Review Request Form