NIGP 28778: Teaching and Demonstration Units: Electronic Kits, etc.

NIGP 28778 Teaching and Demonstration Units: Electronic Kits, Etc., is an Item code under which state and local governments procure specialized communication and adaptive educational equipment, instructional materials across core academic subjects, and habilitation-related learning devices for school districts and state health and human services facilities. Recent solicitations show procurement of communication aids (Cheap Talk devices, Basic Talk units, Compartmentalized Communicators), adapted garden and music kits, 3D printers, robotics supplies, and general instructional materials spanning English Language Arts, Mathematics, Reading, Science, Social Studies, and special education. Issuing bodies include independent school districts, state education cooperatives, and state health and human services agencies. Katy Independent School District in Harris County, Texas has been the most visible buyer in the recent-opportunities block, issuing RFP #2428KD-A for supplemental teaching and instructional materials, supplies, and equipment with a contract term running through October 22, 2027 and renewable annually for up to three additional years.

Geographic activity centers on Texas, with significant recent procurement from Katy ISD and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) on behalf of state-supported living centers. HHSC issued two separate IFBs—HHS0017649 and HHS0017594—for habilitation consumables and equipment for Richmond State Supported Living Center, both due in mid-July 2026. Katy ISD's RFP #2428KD-A requested sealed proposals by May 29, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. via the OpenGov procurement portal, with evaluation weighted toward purchase price (30%), vendor reputation and quality (25%), and alignment with district needs (15%); contracts are awarded on an as-needed basis with no guaranteed volume. Regional education cooperatives such as Region 7 Purchasing Cooperative in Texas also aggregate demand across member school districts through catalog discount bid models (ICAT2223 and ICAT2426), with estimated annual expenditures ranging from $10.4 million to $13.4 million. Sourcewell, a Minnesota cooperative, issued RFP #061626 for law enforcement equipment available to participating public entities across multiple states, due June 16, 2026, though this appears tangential to the core educational and habilitation focus of the Item code.