Legislation Details

File #: 25-5061    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Financial Authorization Status: Passed
File created: 8/11/2025 In control: Commissioners Court
On agenda: 8/26/2025 Final action: 8/26/2025
Title: Request for approval of a Payment in Lieu of Taxes Agreement ("PILOT Agreement") between Harris County (on behalf of itself, Flood Control District and Hospital District) and Premium Oilfield Technologies Management, LLC concerning its application for a Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) site and issuance of a Letter of Non-Objection to the designation and/or activation of the proposed FTZ site located at 8401 Westland West Blvd., Houston, TX 77041 in Harris County Precinct 3 and within the Foreign-Trade Zone #84.

Primary Department: Economic Equity and Opportunity

Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Estella Gonzalez, Executive Director

 

Secondary Department: N/A

Secondary Department Head/Elected Official: N/A

 

Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA

Type of Request: Financial Authorization

 

Project ID (if applicable): N/A

Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): Premium Oilfield Technologies Management, LLC

 

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 a Payment in Lieu of Taxes Agreement (“PILOT Agreement”) between Harris County (on behalf of itself, Flood Control District and Hospital District) and Premium Oilfield Technologies Management, LLC concerning its application for a Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) site and issuance of a Letter of Non-Objection to the designation and/or activation of the proposed FTZ site located at 8401 Westland West Blvd., Houston, TX 77041 in Harris County Precinct 3 and within the Foreign-Trade Zone #84.

end

 

Background and Discussion:

Premium Oilfield Technologies Management, LLC (the “Company”), a Delaware company, has applied for designation and/or activation of a 0.1404-acre FTZ site within FTZ #84 and located at 8401 Westland West Blvd., Houston, TX 77041, in Harris County Precinct 3.  The site is owned by 8401 Westland Investors, LLC, and will be operated by the Company.

 

For any FTZ application, Harris County requires an applicant to execute a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (“PILOT”) Agreement, wherein the applicant commits each year to pay the County and certain of its taxing entities an amount equivalent to 100% of the taxes that would be owed for all FTZ inventory stored at the FTZ site.  When the applicant executes the PILOT Agreement, the proposed FTZ site is then deemed to be in the public interest because the County would not lose revenue. The County may then provide a Letter of Non-Objection to facilitate designation of the site by the FTZ Board of the U.S. Department of Commerce and activation by the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

 

Presently, it is requested and recommended that the Commissioners Court take two actions concerning the Company’s application for the Foreign-Trade Zone site within FTZ #84:

•                     Approval for the County Judge to execute the attached PILOT Agreement between the Company and the County, with the County acting on behalf of itself, Harris County Flood Control District, and Harris County Hospital District; and

•                     Authorization for the County Judge to issue a Letter of Non-Objection to the foreign trade zone site to the Port of Houston Authority as consideration for the Company’s execution of the PILOT Agreement benefiting the County taxing entities.

 

Premium Oilfield Technologies Management, LLC, based in Houston, supplies mud-pump parts, mud valves, handling tools, and other products used in the drilling of oil-and-gas wells. Since 2003, the Company has been dedicated to the development, testing, and enhancement of mud pump components, top drives, mud valves, RCD/MPD systems, shaker screens, and other high-performance drilling products.

 

Expected Impact:

An approved PILOT Agreement with the Company safeguards revenue for County taxing entities, facilitates international commerce, and supports the regional business environment.

 

Alternative Options:

Non-approval of the PILOT Agreement may result in lost revenue for County taxing entities.

 

County Strategic Plan Goal:  3. Make our economy more inclusive.

County Strategic Plan Objective: M: Ensure that Harris County remains the best place in the region to start and grow a business, with a focus on equitable economic growth.

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:

While the revenue source related to annual FTZ PILOT payments is not tied to a specific initiative enumerated in the County’s strategic plan, safeguarding such revenue sources enhances the County’s ability to effectuate its stated initiatives and goals.

 

Prior Court Action (if any):

Date

Agenda Item #

Action Taken

 

 

 

 

Location:

Address (if applicable): 8401 Westland West Blvd., Houston, TX 77041 (Precinct 3)

Precinct(s): Countywide

 

Fiscal and Personnel Summary

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Economic Development

 

 

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Existing Budget

 

 

 

 

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Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form)

 

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Grants - Proposed Budget (For Grants Items only)

 

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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 PCNs)

 

Current Position Count for Service

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Additional Positions Request

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Total Personnel

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Anticipated Court Date: 8/26/2025

Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): N/A Click or tap to enter a date.

 

Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item

 

Contact(s) name, title, department:

Estella Gonzalez, Executive Director, Economic Equity and Opportunity,

Judit Haracsek, Director, Economic Development Division, Economic Equity and Opportunity

 

Attachments (if applicable):

1.                     PILOT Order and Agreement with Premium Oilfield Technologies Management, LLC and corresponding Exhibits (FTZ site located at 8401 Westland West Blvd., Houston, TX 77041, Harris County Precinct 3)

 

2.                     Non-Objection Letter for Premium Oilfield Technologies Management, LLC