UNSPSC 31163018: Bellows coupling

A type of flexible coupling designed to transmit torque while permitting some radial and axial and angular misalignment.

UNSPSC 31163018 Bellows coupling is a Commodity code that nominally names a specific mechanical component, but the recent state and local solicitations tagged under it reflect actual procurement for broad pump and motor repair, rebuild, and replacement services rather than component-level parts acquisition. West Basin Municipal Water District in Los Angeles County posted a high-value on-call RFP for emergency and routine repair services across eight recycled water and pumping facilities, covering electric motors ranging from 1.5 to 800 horsepower and various pump configurations. The scope includes pick-up and delivery, on-site removal and reinstallation, comprehensive documentation with before-and-after photography and failure analysis, post-installation vibration testing, and an eighteen-month minimum warranty. Contractors must carry $2 million in commercial general liability, $2 million in business automobile liability, and professional liability insurance naming West Basin as additional insured, and must demonstrate a minimum five years' experience in electric motor repair and maintain a local repair facility. The second recent opportunity, DeKalb County's ITB for reconstruction of the DeKalb Tennis Center in Decatur, Georgia, spans IT and low-voltage infrastructure installation including conduit, raceways, cabling, and terminations — work that bears no clear connection to bellows couplings or pump-motor service and appears to be mistagged under this code.

The geographic spread evident in the recent opportunities is limited to California and Georgia. West Basin Municipal Water District in Los Angeles County is the primary active buyer under this code; its on-call contract runs two years with a potential one-year extension beginning October 2026, carries a not-to-exceed amount of $1,000,000, and encourages Small Business Enterprises, Local Business Enterprises, and Veteran-Owned Business Enterprises to participate, offering up to 10 additional evaluation points or price reductions of up to 10% total depending on qualifying category. The RFP closed October 1, 2026, with notice of recommended award anticipated October 15, 2026. Pricing is fixed at actual costs plus a maximum 10% markup for contractor parts and equipment and a maximum 5% markup for subcontractor total costs. The mismatch between the code's nominal scope and the DeKalb County opportunity suggests limited relevant recent state and local procurement activity under this Commodity code.