NIGP 98573: Signs, Message Boards and Centers, etc., Rental or Lease

NIGP 98573 Signs, Message Boards And Centers, Etc., Rental Or Lease is an Item code covering signage equipment and messaging infrastructure that state and local governments procure for communications, wayfinding, events, traffic management, and facility operations. Recent solicitations show concrete demand for marquee sign installation and maintenance at school districts, portable message boards for counties, illuminated street name signs and LED lane control signs for cities, scoreboards for athletic facilities, traffic control signage for municipal use, and event-support inflatables and messaging equipment on an as-needed basis. Issuing bodies include school districts (Hillsborough County Public Schools), county governments (Pasco County, Sarasota County, Rockdale County), city transit and mobility departments (City of Tampa), utilities (Kissimmee Utility Authority), and municipalities (City of Arlington). School districts and county governments are standout repeat buyers, with Hillsborough County Public Schools issuing two separate RFPs for marquee sign services within weeks of each other.

Activity is concentrated in Florida (Kissimmee, Hillsborough County, Pasco County, Sarasota County, Tampa, Rockdale County) and Texas (City of Arlington, Region 7 Purchasing Cooperative), with recent representative opportunities including Hillsborough County Public Schools requesting proposals for marquee sign installation and maintenance under RFP 26369-MST with a September 11, 2026 deadline, structured as hourly labor rates for standard and non-standard hours plus cost-plus materials pricing capped at 15 percent; Kissimmee Utility Authority soliciting event equipment, inflatables, and staffing services under RFP26026JG with a response deadline of September 15, 2026 and an estimated contract value of $250,000 to $500,000 over three years; the City of Tampa's Mobility Department issuing an ITB for illuminated street name signs, LED lane control signs, and mast arm mounting accessories with an estimated contract value of $75,000 and a 5 percent bid discount available for city-certified small local business enterprises; and Sarasota County's School Board issuing ITB #27-0132 for five scoreboard configurations with fixed pricing, installation labor, and warranty coverage, though all four initial bids were rejected and the solicitation will be reissued. Evaluation often weights qualifications and experience, cost or best value, and utilization of registered small business enterprises. Jessica Lunsford Act background screening requirements and foreign-entity affidavit compliance are mandatory for contractors working at school sites or in direct student contact.