UNSPSC 11171500: Basic steels

Basic steels are made of iron, with a low content of carbon

UNSPSC 11171500 Basic steels is a Class code that encompasses the supply of raw steel materials—hot rolled flat bars, tubes, channels, angles, steel plates, and sheet metal in various gauges and dimensions—to state and local government operations. State and local governments procure basic steel primarily for fleet maintenance, equipment fabrication, infrastructure repair, and operational support across transportation departments, correctional facilities, and state agencies. The issuing bodies soliciting under this code span state transportation and purchasing departments, state correctional departments, and municipal purchasing offices, with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the State of Illinois Department of Corrections appearing as active repeat buyers in recent months.

Recent activity concentrates in Kentucky and Texas, with additional solicitations from Georgia and Illinois. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet issued two RFBs in March and April 2026 for master agreements supplying steel and other metals to the KYTC Division of Equipment and state fleet operations, each with a bid due date of April 14, 2026, requiring comprehensive product catalogs, F.O.B. Destination Freight Prepaid and Allowed pricing, and delivery charges per mile, with initial contract periods through April 30, 2027, and four optional one-year renewals available. The Illinois Department of Corrections solicited steel materials and fabricated components for grill manufacturing at Shawnee Correctional Center through an IFB posted February 3, 2026, with proposals due February 11, 2026, specifying 12 sheets of 48" x 96" mild steel sheet metal, 62 sheets of 48" x 96" 3/16" mild steel sheet metal, 23 sheets of 48" x 96" 12 gauge mild steel sheet metal, and various tubes and rods for delivery to Vienna, Illinois. The State of Georgia, through Ware County, solicited steel for the Georgia Forestry Commission shop with a posting date of February 12, 2026, and a due date of February 19, 2026, requiring delivery within four weeks of award. Master agreement structures and requirements-based contracting predominate, with vendors typically bearing freight costs and subject to delivery performance standards and insurance requirements.