NIGP 96291: Utility Locator Service (Underground)

NIGP 96291 Utility Locator Service (Underground), an Item code, encompasses the field identification, marking, and documentation of buried electric, water, sewer, gas, telecommunications, and fiber-optic infrastructure to support safe excavation and construction activities. State and local governments solicit these services across utilities, transportation agencies, water districts, municipalities, and special-purpose authorities—most frequently in response to one-call notification systems (such as Sunshine 811 in Florida and Texas 811 in Texas) and to support capital improvement projects requiring subsurface utility engineering (SUE) ahead of design or construction.

The issuing-body mix spans utility departments (Bartow Electric, Austin Energy, New Smyrna Beach Utilities, Pasco County Utilities), transportation agencies (FDOT, GDOT), water and sewer districts (Clean Water Services in Oregon, San Bernardino County Flood Control, Alameda County Water District), municipalities (City of Austin, City of Salem, City of Cincinnati through MSDGC, City of Sandy Springs), and specialized public entities (Albany State University, Texas Water Development Board). Utilities and small municipalities are the most active repeat buyers. Representative recent opportunities include Bartow Electric Department's ITB for underground electric utility locating services responding to approximately 3,407 Sunshine 811 tickets annually (due June 10, 2026); San Bernardino County Flood Control District's RFP for potholing services—vacuum soil extraction, ground-penetrating radar, and non-destructive utility location—across a 1.4-mile storm drain corridor with 47 designated pothole locations (due July 30, 2026); the City of Austin's RFP for utility locating across Williamson, Hays, and Bastrop counties at an estimated 75,000 to 100,000 service tickets annually with 48-hour and 2-hour emergency response requirements (due March 31, 2026); and GDOT's IDIQ RFQ for overhead and subsurface utility engineering services supporting highway planning and development, with up to four contracts anticipated and maximum per-contract value of $24 million (due March 3, 2026). Recent activity concentrates in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Oregon, and Ohio, though the code sees activity nationwide. Contractors must typically hold state-issued licenses (California Class A, C12, or C34 contractor's licenses in San Bernardino; Florida business registration in Bartow and New Smyrna Beach), demonstrate three to five years of continuous experience in similar services, comply with state one-call notification policies and ASCE 38-02 or equivalent utility-mapping standards, and carry substantial insurance including general liability of $1 million to $2 million and professional liability where applicable. Response modes are electronic submission through county or municipal procurement portals (Bonfire, OpenGov, Bid Locker, ePro) and email or hard-copy delivery is typically not accepted.