NIGP 96847: Inspection Services, Construction Type

NIGP 96847 Inspection Services, Construction Type is an Item code capturing construction-phase and specialized inspection oversight work that state and local governments buy across building, infrastructure, and environmental projects. Recent state and local solicitations show agencies procuring full-time on-site construction engineering and inspection (CEI) services for bridge replacements, wastewater and stormwater facilities, roadway widening, and transit facilities; special inspections and material testing for new school and commercial construction; building plan review and code compliance inspections; fire and life safety code inspections; pole inspections for electric utilities; and assessments of existing structures. The issuing-body mix spans cities (Orlando, Fort Myers, St. Petersburg, Detroit, Graceville, Tarpon Springs, Long Beach, Hutto, Talent), counties (Monroe, Volusia, Sarasota, Escambia, Floyd, DeKalb, Hillsborough, Montgomery, Pinal), a municipal water district (Eastern Municipal Water District), school districts (Clarke County), fire districts (Santa Clara County Central), a state department (Georgia Department of Consumer Affairs), and special-purpose authorities (Keys Energy Services, Atlanta Beltline, University of Texas). Florida emerges as a dominant procurement jurisdiction with repeated CEI solicitations from multiple counties and cities; Texas, Georgia, California, Colorado, and Connecticut also show recent activity. A representative recent solicitation is the City of Fort Myers' RFQ RSQ26096 for Construction Engineering Inspection services supporting waterway debris collection and removal funded through USDA NRCS, with submittals due October 29, 2026 and scoring based on approach (45 points) and firm experience and personnel qualifications (55 points); another is Sarasota County's request for CEI services for the Manasota Road Bascule Bridge Rehabilitation, with proposals due October 20, 2026, requiring Florida PE licensure, Davis-Bacon compliance, and insurance including marine liability coverage.

The code sees concentrated competition on federally funded infrastructure projects—roadway and bridge replacements leveraging FDOT grants, water and wastewater treatment improvements, FEMA-funded stormwater work, and HUD CDBG-DR grants dominate recent postings. Many solicitations require FDOT or state-equivalent prequalification (Work Group 10.0 or 10.1 for roadway CEI) or Florida PE licensure, creating credential-based gatekeeping. Compensation structures typically combine lump-sum or specific-rate approaches negotiated after selection under Consultants' Competitive Negotiation Act (CCNA) frameworks, with contracts often lasting 18 to 36 months for construction duration plus closeout phases. Insurance requirements consistently mandate $1 million to $2 million general liability, professional liability, and workers' compensation coverage. Set-asides and preference programs are sparse; where mentioned, they include voluntary SBE, MBE, WBE, and veteran-owned participation goals without binding minimums (as in St. Petersburg and San Mateo County) or explicit state programs like VetHUB subcontracting plans (University of Texas). Evaluation frequently weights relevant past performance and team qualifications at 30 to 55 percent, project approach at 20 to 45 percent, and cost at 8 to 25 percent. Recent activity suggests strong demand for specialized skills—Davis-Bacon labor standards administration, bridge and marine construction expertise, wetland design oversight, and CAMA or appraisal support services—and geographic preference is not formally codified but emerges implicitly through FDOT prequalification requirements and local knowledge demands.