NIGP 03577: Photographs, Aerial

NIGP 03577 Photographs, Aerial is an Item code under which state and local governments solicit aerial imaging and drone-based services for events, documentation, and infrastructure assessment. The recent opportunities block shows minimal direct procurement under this code's legacy definition of still aerial photography; instead, recent solicitations frame aerial work expansively to include drone light shows, event documentation, and creative aerial performances. The University of Texas at Austin's RFP for aerial drone light show services—posting February 24, 2026, with response due March 18, 2026—exemplifies the drift toward experiential and performance-based aerial drone work rather than traditional survey or mapping photography. Issuing bodies soliciting under or adjacent to this code include higher-education institutions, municipalities, and county governments, with cities driving the bulk of visible activity around ancillary aerial and creative services tied to community events and infrastructure projects.

Geographic activity concentrates in Texas and North Carolina based on recent postings. The University of Texas at Austin's drone light show procurement (response deadline March 18, 2026) and the City of Gainesville's broader redevelopment professional services RFP (due February 4, 2026)—which may encompass aerial site documentation—anchor Texas activity, while Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services' creative and media buying RFPs (both posted January 26, 2026, due February 23, 2026) center North Carolina. The Williamson County Purchasing Department notice posted July 14, 2026, carries no procurement scope. Actual contract values are sparse; Charlotte's creative services bid carries an anticipated budget of approximately $138,000 annually ($690,000 over five years), but that encompasses video production and graphic design alongside imagery, not aerial photography alone. The code shows limited volume and no repeat or dominant buyers in the recent-opportunities sample.