UNSPSC 15101803: Methanol

Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits, is a chemical with the formula CH3OH (often abbreviated MeOH). Methanol acquired the name "wood alcohol" because it was once produced chiefly as a byproduct of the destructive distillation of wood. Modern methanol is produced in a catalytic industrial process directly from carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen.

UNSPSC 15101803 Methanol is a Commodity code that captures chemical supply procurement by state and local water, wastewater, and solid waste treatment agencies—though recent opportunities show the code is being applied to a broader family of treatment chemicals including polymers, soda ash, antifoam, and fluorosilicic acid rather than methanol specifically. State and local water departments, county solid waste management facilities, and city public works divisions use this code to procure specialized chemicals for sludge dewatering, water fluoridation, foam suppression in leachate treatment, and pH adjustment at treatment plants. Issuing bodies include municipal water utilities (City of Salem, City of Fort Worth), county water resources departments (Gwinnett County), and county solid waste facilities (Hillsborough County). Procurement is typically structured as annual or multi-year contracts with renewal options, firm pricing for initial terms, and performance or quality-assurance requirements including NSF/ANSI certifications, Safety Data Sheets, certificates of analysis, and sometimes mandatory bench-scale or full-scale testing prior to award.

Recent activity spans the Pacific Northwest and Southeast. The City of Salem, Oregon posted two opportunities in March and April 2026 for fluorosilicic acid (360,000 pounds, bid due April 1, 2026) and dense soda ash (870,000 pounds total across bulk and super sacks, bid due May 13, 2026). The City of Fort Worth issued an RFP for filter media on an as-needed basis (due May 7, 2026) with a 30 percent small business utilization goal. Gwinnett County, Georgia solicited competitive sealed bids for solids dewatering and thickening polymer (due July 30, 2026) for three water reclamation facilities, requiring mandatory full-scale performance testing by non-incumbent suppliers and awarding on lowest cost per dry ton with a four-year initial term plus four optional renewals. Hillsborough County, Florida issued a sole source notice for GN 11P antifoam (estimated value $307,227.80 through December 31, 2027) from Harcros Chemicals Inc. Oregon reciprocal preference and Texas small business goals appear in recent solicitations; most require $2 million general liability insurance and compliance with NSF/ANSI or AWWA standards.