NIGP 56051: Material Handling Equipment Batteries and Chargers

NIGP 56051 Material Handling Equipment Batteries and Chargers, an Item code, covers replacement and spare batteries for powered material handling equipment, vehicles, and portable tools used by state and local agencies—including lead-acid batteries for forklifts and reach trucks, cordless tool batteries, marine and vehicle batteries, and associated charging infrastructure. State and local governments procure these batteries as consumables and capital spares, often bundled with maintenance and disposal services to manage lifecycle costs and regulatory compliance.

Issuing bodies span county transportation authorities, county departments, municipal courts, and county purchasing divisions, with repeat activity from the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and Jackson County, Missouri. Recent solicitations include OCTA's removal and recycling/disposal of universal waste (including six battery types across five facilities, due July 21, 2026, under a three-year contract valued at $65,100); Jackson County's supply contract for batteries serving boats, turf equipment, autos, and heavy equipment across six Kansas City-area locations (ITB 26-034, due June 2, 2026, with annual spending estimated at $37,000); Los Angeles Superior Court's purchase of warehouse material handling equipment bundled with flooded lead-acid batteries and charging installation (IFB 2026049, due May 23, 2026); and Gwinnett County's informal written quotation for 50 Milwaukee 18-volt cordless batteries (IWQ 128271, due April 6, 2026). Activity concentrates in California and the Midwest (Missouri, Georgia), with evaluation criteria typically weighted heavily on cost and responsiveness, though some jurisdictions apply local manufacturing preferences or DVBE incentives. Contractors commonly must provide eighteen-month to two-year warranties, maintain core-exchange programs for used battery pickup and disposal, and demonstrate five or more years' experience in battery supply to municipalities.