NIGP 83980: Telecommunicators and/or Display Terminals for the Hearing and Handicapped

NIGP 83980 Telecommunicators And/Or Display Terminals For The Hearing And Handicapped, an Item code, covers digital signage and display systems for transit and public facilities, plus sign language interpreting services for deaf and hard-of-hearing populations in educational and correctional settings. State and local governments are procuring integrated digital display systems for bus fleets and transit centers—featuring high-visibility screens compatible with content management platforms, integrated cellular and WiFi connectivity, and solar-powered units for locations without existing power infrastructure—alongside contracted interpreting services meeting EIPA level 3.5 or RID National Certification standards to serve deaf and hard-of-hearing students, staff, and inmates across school districts, jails, and transit authorities.

Transit authorities and school districts dominate the issuing-body mix. Monterey-Salinas Transit District in California has posted three separate IFBs (Nos. 27-01, 27-02, 27-03) for digital displays across its bus fleet, transit centers, and unpowered bus stop shelters, all due November 4–5, 2026, with prevailing wage and federal compliance requirements triggered by Caltrans grant funding. Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa, Florida issued RFP 26041-DST in September 2026 for sign language interpreting services across 235 schools, budgeted at $950,000 annually, with proposals due April 15, 2026, and a stated goal of awarding one primary contractor plus multiple alternates to address a documented doubling of interpreter vacancies since 2021–2022. Sauk County, Wisconsin posted an RFP for an inmate telephone, video visitation, kiosk, and tablet system for the Sauk County Jail in Baraboo, due August 26, 2026, with a mandatory July 21 site visit. Recent activity also includes the State of South Dakota's annual telephone equipment and supplies contract (due August 3, 2026) and Region 7 Purchasing Cooperative's catalog discount bid for special education supplies (due October 1, 2026, estimated $2.7 million over two years). The geographic footprint spans California, Florida, Wisconsin, South Dakota, and Texas, with California and Florida showing the highest recent solicitation volume.