Request for approval of a personal services exemption from the competitive bid requirements and a renewal option with Carrie Simmons and Mike Toomey for legislative liaison services in Austin, Texas for Harris County for the period of September 19, 2026 - September 18, 2027, at a cost of $95,000, Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: Exempt - Interlocal/Cooperative Agreement. | Community Exchange
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Request for approval of a personal services exemption from the competitive bid requirements and a renewal option with Carrie Simmons and Mike Toomey for legislative liaison services in Austin, Texas for Harris County for the period of September 19, 2026 - September 18, 2027, at a cost of $95,000, Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: Exempt - Interlocal/Cooperative Agreement.
Harris County may renew $95,000 lobbyist contracts with Carrie Simmons and Mike Toomey for legislative liaison services in Austin through September 2027.
Harris County Commissioners Court will vote on July 9, 2026 on whether to renew contracts with two Austin lobbyists — Carrie Simmons and Mike Toomey — to represent Harris County before the Texas Legislature. The one-year renewal would run September 19, 2026 through September 18, 2027 at a combined cost of $95,000. Because lobbying is a personal-services engagement, it is exempt from normal competitive-bid rules. The item (File 26-4324) was introduced June 24, 2026.
Harris County pays lobbyists to represent county interests at the Texas Legislature. Residents may care about who speaks for the county in Austin and how much public money is spent on that representation.
