UNSPSC 43191505: Answering machines

Integrated or standalone device used to record telephone messages from callers for retrieval by their owner at a later date.

UNSPSC 43191505 Answering machines (Commodity) encompasses telephone answering and dispatch services procured by state and local governments, though the code's nominal scope does not closely track recent state and local solicitation activity. The Collier County Board of County Commissioners Procurement Services Division issued ITB 26-8670 for 24-hour answering and dispatch services supporting the Public Utilities Department, requesting bids due August 13, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. EST. The work includes telephone answering, call recording with 90-day retention, bilingual English and Spanish support, and dispatch coordination for potable water, irrigation quality water, wastewater, solid waste collection, utility billing, and capital improvement project inquiries. The contractor must handle up to 20 simultaneous incoming calls during normal service hours (3:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. Monday through Friday, and 24 hours daily on weekends and County-observed holidays) and manage extraordinary call volumes exceeding 100 calls per hour. Additional required capabilities include daily call reports by 9:00 a.m. on weekdays, four-ring answer-time performance, ten-minute service dispatch response time, and a written emergency response plan addressing hurricanes, fires, and computer service loss. The contract term runs three years with one optional two-year renewal period. Pricing is structured as a base monthly fee covering up to 5,000 incoming and outgoing dispatch calls, with overage charges for calls exceeding 5,000 monthly. Historical annual spending is approximately $60,000, though the County notes this may not reflect future buying patterns. A local-vendor preference applies to vendors maintaining a physical business address within Collier County with a current local Business Tax Receipt. Bidders must provide three references from similar projects within the last five years and submit a bid bond of 5% of the cost proposal.

The recent activity identified under this code appears limited to Collier County, Florida. The scope and terminology of the ITB — particularly the emphasis on dispatch services, call volumes, and performance metrics — suggests that state and local procurement offices may be tagging telephone answering and dispatch service contracts under this Commodity code, though the code's nominal name ("Answering machines") implies physical equipment rather than professional services. Practitioners should verify whether other state and local opportunities posting under this code reflect similar service-based work or whether the Collier County tag represents a classification outlier.