UNSPSC 13102027: High Impact Polystyrene HIPS

UNSPSC 13102027 High Impact Polystyrene HIPS, a Commodity code, represents raw materials for thermoplastic pavement marking applications — compounded polystyrene resins formulated with reflective glass spheres, colorants, and fillers for use in traffic striping and pavement markings applied in molten state. State and local governments procure this material through a mix of city departments, county road and public works agencies, and regional transportation authorities. Solicitations span raw material supply contracts, thermoplastic applicator machine and equipment purchases, and labor-intensive pavement marking installation and maintenance services. The City of Phoenix recently issued IFB 260348 (response due July 17, 2026) for thermoplastic pavement marking raw material in granular or pelletized form, requiring 50-pound meltable bags on pallets with specified composition ranges (binder 18–26% by weight, reflective glass spheres 30–40%, titanium dioxide 10–15% for white materials, calcium carbonate filler 20–40%, yellow pigment minimum 1.5% for yellow). The contract commences February 15, 2027, runs five years with no renewal options, imposes firm fixed pricing for the first year with annual price adjustment consideration thereafter subject to 60 days' written notice, and mandates local inventory sufficient for daily delivery within 30 days of order at FOB destination to the City's Street Transportation Department. The City of Fort Worth similarly procures pavement markings and markers across 198 unit-price line items (including thermoplastic markings in multiple widths and colors, preformed applications, and removal services) on an on-call basis, with a maximum award of $5 million per vendor, a 30 percent small business participation goal, and prevailing wage compliance requirements.

Recent activity concentrates in Texas (Fort Worth, Dallas, Harris County, Fort Bend County), Arizona (Phoenix), California (Santa Clara County), Georgia (Bryan County, Savannah, South Fulton), and Florida (Marion County), reflecting strong road maintenance and pavement safety programs across Sun Belt and mid-Atlantic jurisdictions. Representative recent opportunities include the City of Dallas on-call paving contract (CIZ26-TPW-4005, bids due June 26, 2026) encompassing surface course installation, joint and crack sealing, and pavement markings; Bryan County's 2025 Road Striping Project Part 2 (sealed bids due June 18, 2026) for approximately 65 miles of road striping and 5,440 raised pavement markers; Fort Bend County's term contract for thermoplastic traffic coating (IFB 26-038, bids due February 24, 2026) awarding to one primary, secondary, and tertiary contractor on unit pricing for grinding, primer coat application, thermoplastic coating in multiple widths, and RPM installation; Harris County's procurement of a complete thermoplastic applicator machine system with premelter trailer and equipment (ITB 260116, bids due June 8, 2026); and Santa Clara County's on-call thermoplastic striping, markings, and pavement marker installation services (ITB-PRC-FY26-0596, bids due May 18, 2026) requiring California Class A General Engineering or C32 Parking and Highway Improvement licensing and prevailing wage compliance. All active solicitations impose standard bonding, insurance, workers' compensation, and federal prevailing wage or applicable state wage requirements, with many requiring compliance with E-Verify, nondiscrimination statutes, and DBE or local small business participation goals.