Legislation Details

File #: 25-7204    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Financial Authorization Status: Passed
File created: 10/30/2025 In control: Commissioners Court
On agenda: 11/13/2025 Final action: 11/13/2025
Title: Request for approval to create the IT Consulting Services Fund to improve the financial management of IT consulting services, such as IT assessments, provided by Universal Services to external agencies.

Primary Department: Management and Budget

Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Daniel Ramos, Executive Director

 

Secondary Department: N/A

Secondary Department Head/Elected Official: N/A

 

Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA

Type of Request: Policy

 

Project ID (if applicable): N/A

Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): N/A

 

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 to create the IT Consulting Services Fund to improve the financial management of IT consulting services, such as IT assessments, provided by Universal Services to external agencies.

end

 

Background and Discussion:

 

Universal Services (US) provides IT consulting services to external agencies. To maintain funding stability, US plans to bill stakeholders for these services as provided and requests a separate fund be created for these purposes. The funding arrangement will be defined in agreements between US and other agencies. This new fund will be used only to pay for services, including County labor, provided to agencies.

 

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) supports the creation of a new fund for these purposes. The Auditor’s Office has been consulted, and OMB and US will work with Audit to properly establish and implement this fund after Commissioners Court approval.

 

 

Expected Impact:

 

A separate fund will enable US to continue providing these services in a stable manner. Funding and resources will only be used on paid IT services.

 

 

Alternative Options:

 

The status quo can be maintained, and funding provided for these services can remain in the General Fund. This could potentially jeopardize providing these services as funding would be comingled with other funding provided for other purposes.

 

County Strategic Plan Goal:  N/A

County Strategic Plan Objective: N/A

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: N/A

 

Prior Court Action (if any):

Date

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Location:

Address (if applicable): N/A

Precinct(s): Countywide

 

Fiscal and Personnel Summary

Service Name

Capital & Infrastructure

 

 

Current Fiscal Year Cost

Annual Fiscal Cost

 

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Recurring Expenses

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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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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total)

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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new Position Control Numbers (PCN)s)

 

Current Position Count for Service

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Additional Positions Request

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Total Personnel

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County Attorney’s Office Legal Review (for Harris County Code Items only)

CAO Reviewer Name and Title

 

CAO Review Completion Date

Click or tap to enter a date.

 

Anticipated Court Date: 11/13/2025

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

 

Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item

 

Contact(s) name, title, department: William McGuinness, Director-Capital Projects & Infrastructure, OMB

 

Attachments (if applicable): TBD