UNSPSC 11101522: Activated carbon

UNSPSC 11101522 Activated carbon, a Commodity code, covers the supply of activated carbon in granular, powdered, and pelletized forms for water and wastewater treatment applications. State and local governments procure activated carbon primarily for drinking water treatment (removal of organic compounds, PFAS contaminants, and taste-and-odor compounds) and wastewater treatment, with specifications commonly tied to AWWA standards, NSF/ANSI 60 and 61 certification, and defined performance metrics such as iodine number and effective size. Recent solicitations reveal purchasing across city water departments, county utilities, and state recreation areas, with issuing bodies including the City of Lewisville (Texas), City of Griffin (Georgia), DeKalb County Government (Georgia), City of Tampa (Florida), City of Phoenix (Arizona), City of Austin (Texas), and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Contracts are typically structured as standing supply arrangements with one or two awarded vendors to ensure continuity, one-year or multi-year terms with renewal options, and firm or indexed pricing. Delivery requirements emphasize speed (often five to fourteen days post-order) and logistics (bulk truck delivery, pallet specifications, off-loading responsibility), with vendors required to maintain NSF certifications, provide Safety Data Sheets, and hold adequate insurance. A small number of recent procurements designate sheltered-market set-asides for Small Local Business Enterprises with bid discounts capped at $10,000 and five percent; most solicitations remain open to all qualified vendors without disadvantaged-enterprise restrictions.

Recent activity concentrates in the Southeast and Southwest, particularly Texas (City of Austin, City of Lewisville), Georgia (City of Griffin, DeKalb County), Florida (City of Tampa, Hillsborough County), and Arizona (City of Phoenix), with one Illinois procurement. Representative solicitations include the City of Lewisville's RFQ for annual activated carbon supply (40 tons estimated, wood or sub-bituminous coal-based, 30-pound bags, bids due June 15, 2026), the City of Phoenix's IFB for powdered activated carbon on a five-year contract starting May 1, 2026 (approximately 600,000 pounds annually, bids due March 26, 2026), the City of Austin's IFB for 600 tons of powder activated carbon annually across three treatment plants (bids due February 26, 2026), the City of Tampa's IFB for granular activated carbon and sand filter media at David L. Tippin Water Treatment Plant (estimated $1 million contract, bids due May 14, 2026), and DeKalb County's ITB for filter media replacement at Scott Candler Water Treatment Plant driven by EPA PFAS MCL compliance (bids due August 17, 2026). Contract values range from $1 million to multi-year arrangements; the Tampa and Phoenix five-year procurements are the largest recent solicitations. Activity over the past six months is steady, with multiple concurrent open solicitations indicating sustained replacement and compliance-driven procurement demand.