The Dallas City Council approved $19.7 million in additional technology spending Wednesday, but not before City Council members pressed staff on hardware costs, uneven purchasing patterns and oversight of a contract supporting the city’s 911 system.
The larger debate centered on a $9.3 million, one-year agreement with GTS Technology Solutions Inc. for computers, accessories and related services used by the Department of Information and Technology Services.
Questions about the size of the agreement prompted city staff to explain a recent swing in technology spending. CIO Jeff Stovall told council members Dallas spent $124,000 on computers and related equipment in Fiscal Year 2024, followed by $6.9 million in fiscal 2025 and $3.4 million so far this fiscal year. He attributed some of that variation to a lapse in the city’s master lease agreement that delayed equipment refreshes.
The new agreement is expected to support the replacement of 2,071 devices, including desktops and laptops. Dallas generally replaces laptops on a four-year cycle, though purchases can also be driven by software requirements and the addition of employees, according to Stovall.
The cost of those devices became a point of contention after Stovall said a regular city laptop averages about $4,000 depending on its configuration and intended use.
Councilmember William Roth objected to the spending level, while Councilmember Cara Mendelsohn questioned how the proposed authorization compared with recent purchasing.
The agreement ultimately passed with Roth, Mendelsohn, Paula Blackmon and Paul Ridley voting against it.
Councilmembers also examined a separate $10.4 million expansion of the city’s agreement with AT&T Enterprises LLC for hardware, software and managed services supporting Dallas’ 911 operations.
The amendment raises total authorization for that agreement from $9.9 million to $20.3 million and extends it through Aug. 10, 2031.
Unlike the computer purchase, councilmembers did not question whether the technology was needed. Discussion instead focused on how the city was managing the agreement.
The system supports Next-Generation 911 capabilities that allow residents to send text messages, images and video to emergency dispatchers. City staff said the expanded agreement maintains those capabilities while providing software and security updates.
Mendelsohn, who supported the agreement, questioned why the city had gone out of contract on a service she described as critical to 911 operations.
“We absolutely need this,” Mendelsohn said.
The AT&T measure passed without an opposing vote.
Dallas Approves Major Technology Contracts Despite Council Scrutiny
What to Know:
- Dallas approved nearly $20 million in additional technology spending.
- Council scrutiny centered on device costs, purchasing patterns and contract oversight.
- The package supports both employee computing needs and Next-Generation 911 services.
(Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune)
