NIGP 04595: Water Softeners, Household

NIGP 04595 Water Softeners, Household (Item) covers household water softening equipment and related maintenance services that state and local governments procure for facilities operations and public infrastructure. Recent solicitations show state and local buyers acquiring water softener repair and maintenance contracts bundled with bulk salt delivery — the primary consumable for ion-exchange softening systems. Pinellas County, Florida issued an Invitation to Quote for a 36-month water softener repair and maintenance contract with bulk salt delivery, estimating consumption of 1,000 tons of bulk salt alongside bagged salt products and labor for preventative and emergency repairs. The issuing bodies under this code span county government purchasing offices and special-purpose cooperative purchasing vehicles; Sourcewell, a Minnesota local government unit and service cooperative, recently posted a broader law enforcement equipment RFP that may encompass water softening as an ancillary facility need, though the primary solicitation detail centers on the Pinellas County maintenance and salt contract.

Geographic activity appears concentrated in Florida and the Upper Midwest, with Pinellas County representing a direct institutional buyer of water softener services and Sourcewell's cooperative purchasing framework extending reach across multiple jurisdictions in Washington state and nationally. The Pinellas County ITQ (230757ITQ), posted April 14, 2026, carries a response deadline of June 29, 2023 with evaluation criteria emphasizing vendor qualifications, pricing competitiveness, and prior experience in commercial or governmental water treatment service contracts. The procurement designates the contract under Pinellas County's Small Business Enterprise program, offering priority to qualified firms in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, and Manatee Counties for contracts under $100,000, with an estimated budget of $90,000 total ($75,000 for parts and materials and $15,000 for unspecified work). Vendors must register with E-Verify, provide comprehensive service references, maintain specified insurance, and accept annual price adjustments capped at the Consumer Price Index or 3%, whichever is lower.