NIGP 14545: Paint and Varnish

NIGP 14545 Paint and Varnish, an Item code, covers paint, coatings, and related supplies that state and local governments procure for facilities maintenance, fleet operations, and capital projects. Recent solicitations show purchasing bodies acquiring interior and exterior latex paints, industrial enamels, direct-to-metal coatings, primers, sealers, caulks, sealants, and paint sundries—often paired with application labor or bundled into broader maintenance or construction contracts. School districts, transit authorities, cities, and counties are the primary buyers. San Antonio Independent School District has posted multiple rolling RFPs for general maintenance services, parts, and supplies (including paint) on a continuous, open-ended basis under RFP 26-013, with the most recent due October 15, 2026. The City of Austin released RFP 5000 RBB3004 for citywide painting services (June 18, 2026 close) with an anticipated $1.125 million annual materials spend. Orange County, Florida solicited commercial interior and exterior painting services (Y26-1008, July 7, 2026 close), and the City of Charlotte sought bus paint and related materials for transit fleet maintenance (due June 8, 2026). Paint and supplies also move through cooperative purchasing vehicles: Region 7 Purchasing Cooperative in Texas issued a catalog discount bid (PAINT2628) for paint and painting supplies with $10.293 million estimated expenditure over two years (September 29, 2026 deadline).

Geographic activity spans Texas (San Antonio ISD, City of Austin, Region 7 Cooperative, City of Gainesville), Florida (Orange County, City of Gainesville), California (Mt. San Antonio Community College District prequalification for exterior building painting), Wisconsin (City of Madison), Ohio (Cuyahoga County), and North Carolina (City of Charlotte). Pricing strategy varies: some jurisdictions use best-value RFPs with price as one factor among technical, experience, and delivery criteria; others use low-responsive-bidder IFBs or catalog discounts. Small business participation goals appear in several solicitations—Fort Worth City's RFP requires 30% small business subcontracting within specified counties (August 6, 2026 close), and Mt. San Antonio Community College District's Building 26 exterior paint prequalification (July 1, 2026 deadline) applied a 3% DVBE goal. Prevailing wage requirements attach to public works projects (Mt. San Antonio, City of Austin, City of Madison). Contract structures range from as-needed supply agreements to fixed-term arrangements; cooperative vehicles and municipal painting services typically run one to three years with optional extensions. Minimum vendor qualifications commonly include five years of experience, authorized distributor or reseller status for major paint brands (PPG, 3M), appropriate licensing and insurance, and in some cases E-Verify compliance.