NIGP 10021: Freight and Cargo Containers (Shipping) (see Class 640 for Boxes)

NIGP 10021 Freight And Cargo Containers (Shipping), an Item code, covers the procurement of new and used shipping containers in multiple configurations—20-foot, 40-foot, and high-cube variants—as well as customized container conversions into offices, storage facilities, and specialized operational spaces. State and local governments buy under this code when they need one-time container deliveries, multi-unit bulk procurements with firm pricing and warranty terms, and turnkey container buildouts that include insulation, electrical systems, HVAC, climate control, and interior finishes. Recent solicitations show demand spanning state departments, municipal purchasing offices, county governments, and independent school districts. The Texas Animal Health Commission, Texas A&M Forest Service, and Texas Department of Transportation appear as repeat buyers; Philadelphia's municipal procurement office has posted multiple micro purchase solicitations for storage containers within a single fiscal year; and cities including Houston, Tampa, and Augusta issue periodic RFQs and IFBs for container supply and placement. Jurisdictions typically specify firm pricing on an FOB destination basis, with all freight and delivery costs bundled into bid prices, and require vendors to coordinate delivery logistics with receiving departments or public safety agencies on-site.

Geographic activity concentrates heavily in Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania, with secondary activity in California, Georgia, Maryland, and Michigan. Representative recent opportunities include the Texas Animal Health Commission's IFB for a customized 40-foot container office conversion with bathroom and electrical infrastructure at its Willacy County site, closing October 22, 2026; Texas A&M Forest Service's IFB-27-004 for two 40-foot climate-controlled aviation operations offices with foam insulation, networking infrastructure, and workstations for delivery to Abilene Airport, closing October 30, 2026; the City of Houston's informal procurement for two new 20-foot high-cube containers and removal of an existing unit at a Fire Department-coordinated site, posted October 5, 2026; and the City of Philadelphia's recurring micro purchase mechanism for 40-foot and 20-foot high-cube storage containers under the $45,000 ceiling, with multiple active solicitations posted between July and September 2026. The Florida Department of Transportation and Illinois Department of Transportation represent state transportation-sector buyers issuing longer lead-time specs for weather-resistant, warranted containers with specific load-capacity and materials standards. Container customization, insulation packages, electrical integration, and HVAC system selection emerge as the primary cost and specification drivers in higher-value procurements.