NCTCOG Opens Call for Transportation Technology Project Ideas

The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) is inviting public-sector agencies across its 12-county metropolitan planning area to submit transportation technology project ideas under its Technology Project Identification Framework.

NCTCOG said eligible agencies must be located in Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant or Wise counties.

The council is steering submissions toward five emphasis areas: roadway safety technologies, food desert elimination, delivery bots and drones, next-generation traffic signals, and autonomous shuttles, a framing that also signals where regional agencies may concentrate future pilots and implementations.

The framework includes readiness and implementation expectations that shape what kinds of concepts can move forward. NCTCOG says agencies must identify a transportation need with measurable regional benefit, submit a concept with a Technology Readiness Level of 6-9, commit to sharing performance data with the council, follow Connected Vehicle Systems Interface Guidelines, and address operations and maintenance needs tied to long-term sustainability.

About $8.7 million in Surface Transportation Block Grant funding is available to support technology projects submitted through the framework.

NCTCOG describes the program as a three-step path from concept to procurement. Agencies submit an idea form describing the need, readiness level, concept description, partnerships, location and estimated costs. NCTCOG then evaluates submissions for eligibility, regional benefit, feasibility, readiness and alignment with the emphasis areas. For selected projects, the council says it will lead procurement on behalf of local agencies, an approach that may consolidate purchasing through a council-led process.