UNSPSC 12165104: Surfactant polymer SP

Engineered surfactant polymer dilutions used in enhanced oil recovery solutions for full field residual oil sweep

UNSPSC 12165104 Surfactant polymer SP is a Commodity code under which state and local governments procure water and wastewater treatment chemicals, predominantly polymer-based coagulants and flocculants used in municipal drinking water and wastewater treatment plants. The code captures polymer additives—including filter belt press polymers, polyaluminum hydroxy chloride sulfate (PACI) coagulants, and related treatment compounds—alongside broader chemical procurement for treatment facilities. Municipalities and county water authorities dominate the issuing-body mix, with occasional school district and special-purpose district participation; water departments and pollution control facilities are the repeat customers across recent solicitations. Representative work includes the City of Edinburg, Texas's annual 12-month chemical supply (IFB Bid #2027-06, response due September 29, 2026), which specifies 24 drums of filter belt press polymer for water treatment and 200 drums for wastewater treatment as part of a larger annual chemical procurement; the City of Tallahassee's Magnesium Hydroxide slurry five-year contract (IFB-067-26-CPW, due June 16, 2026) for hydrogen sulfide and corrosion control across a 1,000-mile sewer system; and the Town of Manchester, Connecticut's water treatment chemical bid (ITB #25/26-59, due May 22, 2026) requiring PACI coagulant with four annual on-site optimization visits and references from at least four Connecticut utilities.

Recent activity concentrates in Florida, Texas, Georgia, and Connecticut, with scattered municipal water treatment procurements across California and Arizona. The City of Cocoa's liquid sodium hypochlorite contract (ITB B2617COC, due September 23, 2026) applies a 5% local preference to Brevard County contractors and runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2031 with renewal options; the City of Griffin, Georgia solicits water treatment chemicals on a line-item basis (IFB #26-008, due May 28, 2026) with AWWA and ANSI/NSF Standard 60/61 certification requirements across six delivery locations. Most contracts impose firm pricing for the initial term (typically 12 months), with annual adjustments thereafter indexed to the Producer Price Index or Consumer Price Index; NSF 60 and ANSI/NSF Standard 60/61 certification is the universal compliance requirement. Volumes are substantial—the City of Edinburg estimates 4.55 million pounds of liquid aluminum sulfate/polymer blend annually, and the City of St. Petersburg's ferric chloride procurement (IFB-26-312, due September 15, 2026) targets approximately 108,800 gallons annually. Bidders must demonstrate hazardous materials transportation licenses, liability insurance (typically $1–2 million), and often three years of prior supplier experience; performance and payment bonds are routine. Competition is open and fragmented across vendors; no dominant incumbent consolidation appears across these recent opportunities.