NIGP 47017: Canes, Crutches, Gait Trainers, Walkers, etc.

NIGP 47017 Canes, Crutches, Gait Trainers, Walkers, Etc., an Item code, encompasses mobility aids and assistive walking devices that state and local governments procure primarily through health and human services agencies and school districts to support patients and students with mobility impairment. Recent solicitations show state and local buyers purchasing wheelchair components (wheels, casters, locks, armrests, seatbelts), walkers, shower chairs, gait trainers, standing frames, and related repair and replacement services. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) emerges as a repeat buyer, issuing multiple IFBs and RFPs for DME categories and wheelchair parts to serve supported living centers, state hospitals, and rehabilitation programs. School districts in Texas—including Donna ISD, Garland ISD, and Harlington CISD—solicit special education equipment catalogs and large-equipment packages that include gait trainers and adaptive mobility devices. The Illinois Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities also procures medical supplies for nursing facilities. Contracts typically include mandatory HUB (Historically Underutilized Business) subcontracting plans with 21.1 percent utilization goals in Texas, proof of insurance ($250,000 to $2 million depending on coverage type), and compliance with CMS DMEPOS quality standards, HIPAA, and Medicare/Medicaid provider enrollment requirements when applicable.

Recent opportunities cluster in Texas and Illinois. HHSC's RFP HHS0017173 (posted June 2, 2026, due June 2, 2026) seeks master contracts for DME and services across eleven geographic service regions through August 31, 2031, with historical compensation around $1 million per state fiscal year and a contract not-to-exceed of $5 million; this procurement spans eleven DME categories including mobility aids, with 60 percent evaluation weight on the project work plan covering client management and service delivery methodology. HHSC's IFB HHS0016869v2 (posted April 21, 2026, due April 2, 2026) requests competitive sealed bids for approximately 125 line items of wheelchair parts, walkers, and shower chairs with historical annual spending of $300,000 and contract terms through August 31, 2030 with optional extensions. Garland ISD's proposal (posted March 12, 2026, due March 12, 2026) targets large equipment including gait trainers and standing frames for approximately $50,000 annually with a contract running July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 and automatic renewal for four additional years. Donna ISD's RFP (posted March 21, 2026, due April 8, 2026) establishes a catalog-bid vendor list for special education supplies for the 2026-2027 school year. The Illinois procurement for Alton Mental Health Center (posted April 13, 2026, due April 17, 2026) seeks medical supplies through an expedited timeline.