UNSPSC 12161913: Spray adjuvant

An ingredient added to a spray that reduces the surface tension of the water on the surface of the spray drop and reduces the interfacial tension between the spray drop and surface of the sprayed object, thus improving spray effectiveness. It is generally not inflamable and is harmless to the human body.

UNSPSC 12161913 Spray adjuvant is a Commodity code that captures tank-mix additives, surfactants, and emulsifiers used to improve the performance and application consistency of herbicides and other vegetation-management products. State and local governments procure spray adjuvants primarily through statewide cooperative contracts and category-based award vehicles that bundle adjuvants with related herbicides and landscape-management supplies. The typical buyer is a state transportation or natural-resources department, county public works or parks operation, or municipality managing roadsides, city streets, forestry, or institutional grounds. Procurement emphasis falls on products that meet specific agency performance standards, compliance certifications (including pesticide-dealer licensing and EPA validation), and sustainability criteria such as PCB-free formulation verified by independent third-party laboratory testing.

The Washington State Department of Enterprise Services RFP 12225RFP (Vegetation Management & Related Products, due August 20, 2026) represents the primary recent activity under this code. The solicitation establishes a statewide contract vehicle across three categories—WSDOT Tested Products, Related Vegetation Management Products, and Utility Vegetation Control Products—with adjuvants as a named line-item subcategory. Historical annual spending ranged from $914,419 to $3.87 million across four years, with purchasers split among state agencies (45.33%), counties (45.11%), and special districts (9.64%). The contract will award up to four Main Awards and one Reserved Award per category, with a sixty-month term. A second opportunity, DeKalb County's ITB 2026-076-ITB for tennis-center reconstruction, is unrelated to spray adjuvants and reflects a mismatch in code tagging. Washington represents the only state with a material recent opportunity in this code; no other recent state or local solicitations for spray adjuvants appear in the source.