NIGP 28503: Arresters, Lightning

NIGP 28503 Arresters, Lightning is an Item code covering the design, installation, testing, and certification of lightning protection systems for public facilities. State and local governments procuring under this code buy comprehensive lightning dissipation and grounding infrastructure — air terminals, conductors, grounding rods and rings, and associated materials — installed to comply with NFPA 780 and UL 96A standards. Contracts typically require bidders to hold two to five years of commercial lightning protection installation experience, appropriate state electrical contractor licensure, and substantial insurance coverage including Commercial General Liability ($1 million to $2 million per occurrence) and Professional Liability. Issuing bodies include county boards of commissioners, city governments, school districts, and state military installations. Pre-bid site visits and mandatory pre-bid meetings are standard, and compliance with national electrical and fire protection standards is a universal technical gate.

Recent activity spans Texas, Georgia, and Florida. The Texas Military Department issued IFB TMD26-FMO-0044558 for lightning protection system installation at Camp Swift in Bastrop, Texas, with bids due September 26, 2026, and a mandatory pre-bid site visit on September 16, 2026; the scope covers eight sites including four range towers and covered seating areas. Hall County, Georgia, Board of Commissioners solicited bids under IFB #025-47 for lightning protection systems at three fire stations with a September 17, 2026 deadline and a mandatory pre-bid meeting on September 1, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Cartersville City School System issued an RFP for design, installation, and certification of a comprehensive lightning protection system for Cartersville Primary School in Georgia, with proposals due September 28, 2026. The City of Tampa Solid Waste & Environmental Program Management Department issued ITB 26P00192 for a lightning dissipation system at the McKay Bay Waste to Energy Facility in Hillsborough County, Florida, with sealed bids due April 24, 2026; this procurement was designated as a sheltered market for certified Small Local Business Enterprises eligible for a 5 percent bid discount, with an estimated project cost of approximately $190,700 to $200,000.