In today’s technology market, hype travels faster than proof and taxpayers absorb the risk. From AI “capabilities” that never reach production to opaque software supply chains, public-sector buyers are increasingly caught between vendor storytelling and operational reality.

This session challenges the status quo and shows how Texas can flip the power dynamic, demanding hard security evidence before and after contracts are signed. Drawing on the latest Forrester insights, we’ll examine how leading organizations are replacing promises with proof through validation, continuous monitoring, and enforceable accountability models.

• This session provides a step-by-step approach for Texas agencies to operationalize “don’t trust, verify,” including:
• How to redesign RFPs to require verifiable evidence, not marketing claims
• What proof signals matter most (e.g., SBOMs, independent attestations, secure software development practices)
• How to use guardrails depending on your role as a software producer, software operator, or software chooser.
• How to protect the AI software supply chain against AI driven attacks