NIGP 54532: Drilling and Boring Equipment, Horizontal Directional (Hdd and Hdb)

NIGP 54532 Drilling and Boring Equipment, Horizontal Directional (HDD and HDB), an Item code, covers horizontal directional drilling and boring equipment and services that state and local governments procure to install utility conduits and water transmission lines with minimal surface disruption. Recent solicitations show state and local buyers purchasing directional boring services on an as-needed basis for electrical, plumbing, and irrigation conduit installation; purchasing complete HDD equipment packages for water utility operations; and contracting specialized drilling work for water main replacement and foundation pier installation in confined spaces. Issuing bodies include school districts (Pinellas County School District in Florida), county utilities and public works departments (Hillsborough County and Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority in Florida and South Carolina respectively, Los Alamos County in New Mexico), transit and trail authorities (Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. in Georgia), and regional water authorities. One solicitation through Sourcewell, a Minnesota cooperative purchasing vehicle, targets law enforcement equipment more broadly and does not reflect the code's core activity.

Geographic activity concentrates in Florida, South Carolina, and the Southwest, with recent opportunities including Pinellas County Schools' as-needed directional boring and hand trenching service contract (IFB 26CD024, due June 12, 2026, estimated $250,000 with two one-year renewal options), Hillsborough County's sole-source purchase of a Power Mole Model PD-6 directional thrust boring equipment package ($70,357.66, February 2026), Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority's 16-inch steel water main replacement via horizontal directional drilling on Archer Creek Bridge in South Carolina (IFB 2026IFB019, due March 4, 2026), and Los Alamos County's foundation pier drilling project requiring 36-inch and 48-inch diameter caisson installation to depths of 10 and 21 feet (IFB IFB26-48R, due March 3, 2026). Contractors pursuing this code must hold state professional licenses (Florida registered or certified underground utility contractor, South Carolina water transmission contractor classification, New Mexico contractor license), demonstrate five or more years of comparable project experience, maintain liability and workers' compensation insurance with public entity additional insured endorsements, and comply with prevailing wage and local business preference requirements where applicable.