NIGP 71072: Hearing Aids

NIGP 71072 Hearing Aids, an Item code, encompasses hearing aid devices and related accessories that state and local governments procure to support individuals with hearing loss, including rehabilitation programs, school-based services, and population health initiatives. Recent solicitations show governments buying specific hearing aid models from manufacturers such as Oticon, Phonak, and Sonova, along with compatible accessories, replacement parts, and ongoing service and maintenance support. Issuing bodies under this code include state health agencies, regional authorities, and specialized public schools serving deaf and blind populations. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC), and the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB) are active buyers, with HHSC pursuing the largest recent opportunity and FSDB conducting multiple single-source procurements. Respondents typically must demonstrate current medical device licensure, minimum years in business, proof of financial solvency, appropriate insurance coverage, and compliance with federal regulations including HIPAA and Medicare/Medicaid provider enrollment; manufacturers and authorized distributors dominate the vendor base.

Recent activity concentrates in Texas and Florida. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission issued RFP HHS0017173 on May 4, 2026, seeking Master Contracts for Durable Medical Equipment and Services with hearing aids as one of eleven DME categories across eleven Texas geographic regions, with proposals due June 2, 2026, at 10:30 AM Central Time and an anticipated contract value not to exceed $5 million over the term through August 31, 2031; the procurement includes a 21.1 percent Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) set-aside with mandatory HUB Subcontracting Plans required from all respondents. The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind issued two single-source notices in March 2026: solicitation SS15245 for Oticon hearing aids and accessories with a not-to-exceed value of $12,000 for fiscal year 2025-2026, and solicitation SS15261 for Phonak and Roger hearing aids from Sonova USA with a not-to-exceed value of $14,000, both with fifteen-day advertisement periods ending March 23, 2026, at 4:00 PM.