TXShare connects 77 vetted AI vendors with Texas cities lacking tech expertise

The North Central Texas Council of Governments has launched TXShare, a curated marketplace featuring 77 vetted AI vendors serving over 70 use cases for Texas cities and local governments nationwide. The platform eliminates the need for cities to draft complex RFPs in areas where they lack technical expertise, streamlining AI procurement while ensuring vendor quality through rigorous vetting processes.

What you should know: TXShare addresses a critical gap in local government AI adoption by providing pre-vetted suppliers and eliminating procurement complexity.

• The marketplace includes 42 awardees for AI technology solutions in areas like cybersecurity, and 35 awardees for AI consultancy covering strategy development, training, and planning.
• Cities can “sift through a number of suppliers, get quotes in quick time, and get a competitive, cost-efficient bid,” according to Al Hleileh, CEO of Civic Marketplace, which operates as TXShare’s technical backbone.
• The platform features “a strong representation of innovative startups and small businesses,” according to the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

The big picture: Local governments face a technical capacity challenge as AI tools proliferate without adequate guardrails or expertise.

• “There is this technical capacity that potentially a lot of these entities do not have, in terms of people well versed in AI, in data governance, in interoperability,” Hleileh explained.
• The rapid advancement of technology is fueling demand for platforms like TXShare, which focuses specifically on technology contracts with rigorous procurement practices.

In plain English: Many city governments want to use AI tools but lack staff who understand artificial intelligence, data management, or how different computer systems work together. TXShare solves this by doing the technical homework upfront, so cities can focus on choosing the right vendor rather than figuring out what questions to ask.

Who’s involved: The initiative represents a collaboration between multiple organizations serving extensive government networks.

• The North Central Texas Council of Governments includes 16 counties, 226 cities, 23 school districts, and 38 special districts.
• Partners include the Alliance for Innovation and Civic Marketplace, with local governments and nonprofits from across the country eligible for membership.
• “We received 108 bids and awarded 77 qualified suppliers,” explained Todd Little, the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ executive director.

What they’re saying: Officials emphasize the platform’s focus on safety and efficiency in AI adoption.

• “Our AI contract catalog is a rigorously curated marketplace of highly vetted suppliers,” said Little. “We are making it safe, efficient and effective for your organization to be at the leading edge of citizen service using AI.”
• Hleileh noted that TXShare takes “real pride and diligence in their procurement practice” and “really speaks to the member community.”

Broader context: TXShare joins other resources supporting government AI adoption, including the GovAI Coalition formed in 2023, which already includes 1,700 professionals from about 550 government organizations offering guidance on public-sector AI policies and practices.