Guide · Texas · 7 min read

How to Win Government Security Services Contracts in Texas

By the XL Eagle bid team · Updated November 2, 2026 · Built from our live bid database and USAspending.gov

Security services contracts in Texas depend on two kinds of license: one for your company and one for each officer. Buyers check both. A guard company that has them in order can win steady work that renews year after year.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) runs the private security program. Public buyers want gate guards, building patrols, front desk officers and event security. Many are posted by state agencies and local governments. Federal sites post guard work on SAM.gov.

This guide explains the Class B license, the officer levels, and how to price a job where nearly all your cost is people. It also shows how a small company can get on a federal bid without its own SAM.gov account.

Security Guard contracts in Texas at a glance

3 open security guard bids in Texas on XL Eagle today. See them all.
30 security guard solicitations in Texas in the last 12 months that we tracked (18 federal, 12 state and local).
Federal agencies made 343 contract awards worth $525.1 million for work performed in Texas under NAICS 561612 in FY2025 (Oct 2024 - Sep 2025).
Top federal buyers that year: Department of Homeland Security ($462.7 million); Department of Justice ($24.7 million); Department of Defense ($15.5 million).
Agencies posting this work most often in our data: US Customs and Border Protection, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Department of Veterans Affairs.
Where these jobs get posted: Bonfire, Ionwave, Texas ESBD.

Bid counts from the XL Eagle bid database as of November 2, 2026. Award totals from USAspending.gov.

Who buys security guard work in Texas

State agencies and universities that post guard and patrol work on the Texas ESBD.
Cities, counties and school districts that bid campus patrols, building entrances and event security.
VA medical centers in Texas that buy guard coverage for entrances and parking areas.
Army and Air Force sites such as Fort Cavazos, Fort Bliss, Joint Base San Antonio and Dyess AFB, which post security work on SAM.gov.
Federal buildings and courthouses that buy front door screening and patrol coverage.

Open security guard bids in Texas right now

Security Guard Services (Bonfire · Due November 2, 2026)
Network Cabling and IP Video Surveillance (Bonfire · Due November 9, 2026)
24-Hour Armed Security Services (Texas ESBD · Due November 24, 2026)
Security Guard Services (Texas ESBD)
Video Surveillance System Transfer (Texas ESBD)
Armed and Unarmed Security Guard Services (Texas ESBD)

All open security guard bids in Texas →

Licenses you need in Texas

DPS licenses security companies under a Class B Security Contractor license, which covers one or more of six services: alarm, armored car, courier, electronic access, guard and locksmith. For a guard company, each company representative must be at least 21, have three years of work experience in the field, and one year of managerial or supervisory experience. The representative also passes an open-book exam of 50 questions, and 70 percent is a pass. The officers need their own licenses too. A non-commissioned officer needs Level II training. A commissioned (armed) officer needs Level II and Level III training, and Level III is at least 45 hours.

Register to bid in Texas

State and local jobs in Texas are posted on these sites:

Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD): The Texas Comptroller's search page for open bids from state agencies, universities, counties, cities, school districts and other public entities, and sign in is not required to look.
Texas SmartBuy: The state's purchasing site that sits beside the ESBD and is where many state agencies run their buying.
Centralized Master Bidders List (CMBL): The state vendor list you join through the Comptroller's eSystems account, using NIGP codes for what you sell.
SAM.gov: The federal site where jobs at Texas bases and federal offices are posted, and where a business registers to bid as a prime.

Get an IRS Employer Identification Number (EIN). The Comptroller does not accept a Social Security number for CMBL.
Write down your business structure, your NIGP class and item codes, and the Texas highway districts where you can work.
Create an eSystems profile on the Comptroller site, set a password and verify your email.
Choose Apply for CMBL in eSystems and follow the prompts, then pay the annual fee.
Search the ESBD every week for your trade and read each posting for the entity's own submission instructions.
Apply for HUB certification if you qualify. It is separate from CMBL.

The Texas Comptroller lists the annual CMBL registration fee as $70, and HUB certification itself is free.

Federal jobs in Texas use SAM.gov, which is free. What SAM.gov is and how to register.

Small business certifications in Texas

Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) program: A Texas-based small business that meets SBA size standards and is owned by Texas residents from the groups the state recognizes; certification is free and lasts several years.
VetHUB: A Texas-based small business where a service-disabled veteran with a rating of 20 percent or more owns, manages and runs at least 51 percent of the company; certification is free.

Wage rules on public jobs

Texas has its own prevailing wage law for public works, Texas Government Code chapter 2258. For construction work paid for by the state or a local government, the public body sets the wage rates, either from a local survey or from federal rates, and those rates are the minimum you must pay on that job. On federal jobs the U.S. Department of Labor rules apply instead: the Davis-Bacon Act for construction over $2,000 and the Service Contract Act for service contracts over $2,500. Always read the wage sheet attached to the bid.

What security guard jobs look like in Texas

Decide early whether the post is armed or unarmed. Armed posts need commissioned officers, who have more training and a firearm proficiency certificate that must be no more than 90 days old at renewal.
Commissioned officers also need six hours of continuing education when they renew. Plan that into your schedule and cost.
Personal protection officers have a separate Level IV course of at least 15 hours. Only bid that work if your people have it.
Coverage is the heart of the bid. Every post must be filled on every shift, so plan for sick days, vacations and a few trained backups.
Buyers like clear post orders. A short plan that says what an officer does at each post, who they call and how they log it will help your score.
Federal guard contracts usually carry Service Contract Act wages, and these can be higher than local pay. Use the wage sheet in the bid.

Pricing security guard work for Texas public buyers

Start with posts and hours. Multiply by the wage in the bid, then add payroll taxes, workers compensation and insurance.
Add the cost of licensing, training and renewals for each officer, including the extra cost for armed officers.
Price uniforms, radios, vehicles, patrol logs and supervisor time as their own lines.
Add holiday and overtime rates. A post open all night every night has a different cost than a weekday day shift.
Include a plan and price for a surge, like a storm or a special event, so extra hours are agreed before they happen.

Mistakes that lose these bids

Putting unlicensed or underqualified officers on a post that needs a commissioned officer.
Using a company representative who does not meet the DPS experience and exam rules.
Pricing hours at your normal pay when the bid carries a set wage.
Forgetting backup staff, so one sick call leaves a post empty and triggers a penalty.

The fastest way to bid: send us your price

You can register and bid on your own using the steps above. If you would rather not, send XL Eagle your price on any security guard job in Texas. We write and submit the bid as the prime contractor under our registrations. If it wins, you do the work and get paid. You do not need your own SAM.gov registration to work this way.

Pick a Texas security guard job or read the national guide to government security guard contracts.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Class B security license in Texas?

It is a DPS company license for security contractors. It covers one or more of six services: alarm, armored car, courier, electronic access, guard and locksmith.

What is the difference between a commissioned and a non-commissioned officer?

A non-commissioned officer submits a Level II training certificate. A commissioned officer submits Level II and Level III certificates, and also a psychological and emotional health declaration, and must show firearm proficiency to renew.

How long is Level III training?

DPS lists the Level III course as a minimum of 45 hours, given by a licensed Level III school. Level II is required of all officers, and Level IV is for personal protection officers only.

Can I win federal guard work without my own SAM.gov registration?

Not as the prime. If you send XL Eagle your rate, XL Eagle submits the bid as the prime, and your licensed company does the work if it wins.