UNSPSC 15101703: No.5 Residual heavy fuel oil

A mixture of heavy distillates and residual oils that is used in commercial and industrial burners that can operate with more viscous fuels.

UNSPSC 15101703 No. 5 Residual Heavy Fuel Oil, a Commodity code, does not align with the actual work state and local governments are currently soliciting under this designation. Recent opportunities tagged with this code are overwhelmingly for bulk motor fuels — unleaded gasoline, diesel, renewable diesel, ethanol blends, and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) — delivered to fleet operations, school districts, transit authorities, and county facilities on routine and emergency schedules. The code's nominal scope (residual heavy fuel oil, a bunker-grade marine or industrial feedstock) appears to describe a niche product that state and local procurement offices are not actively buying; the mismatch suggests either a cataloging error at the source or abandonment of this specific commodity in favor of the lighter distillates now standard in fleet and municipal operations. The work actually being procured across the recent opportunities centers on supply agreements for gasoline and diesel delivered to distributed fueling infrastructure, ranging from 7,000 to 35 million gallons annually depending on jurisdiction size, with pricing typically indexed to Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) rack rates plus a vendor markup or markdown, firm delivery timelines (24 hours standard, emergency windows of 3–12 hours during critical events), and comprehensive insurance and regulatory compliance requirements.

Recent solicitations span counties, cities, school districts, and special-purpose authorities across the South and Southwest, with standout repeat buyers including Sarasota County (marine fuel for parks and emergency services), the City of Austin (5 million gallons annually across 130 tank locations), the City of Tucson and Pima County (9 million gallons), and transit operators including METRO Houston (35 million gallons over 24 months) and the Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency. The City of Austin IFB 7800MLJ1046 (due October 29, 2026) seeks bulk motor fuels and related services with an estimated 5 million gallons annually and applies local business preference discounts; the City of Hayward RFQ #26-046 (due June 30, 2026, with finalist interviews tentatively July 6) seeks supply and delivery of unleaded gasoline, renewable diesel, and fuel card services to fire stations and corporation yards with historical annual expenditure around $1 million and a 10% local bidder preference; METRO Houston IFB 2026000003 (due June 17, 2026) seeks purchase and delivery of Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel for approximately 35 million gallons over 24 months with pre-bid meeting May 26, 2026. Activity concentrates in Texas (Austin, Houston, Tucson area, Escambia County Florida, Sarasota County), with secondary activity in California (Hayward, Solano County), Georgia (Cobb County Schools, Union County Schools), and other states scattered across recent months. No opportunities under this code genuinely procure No. 5 residual heavy fuel oil.