UNSPSC 49221516: Starting gun

A gun which is used to inform the start in the record competition for several athletes in track, swimming, cycle and others who start simultaneously.

UNSPSC 49221516 Starting gun, a Commodity code, encompasses the procurement of starting guns and related track and field timing equipment used in competitive athletic programs. State and local governments buying under this code acquire physical starting devices—including manual and electronic systems—needed to manage track events, swim meets, and other timed competitions at school districts and public athletic facilities. The issuing bodies are predominantly independent school districts and county school systems, with occasional cooperative purchasing vehicles like the Association of Educational Purchasing Agencies (AEPA) aggregating demand across multiple member states. School districts consolidate starting-gun procurement into broader athletic equipment and supplies contracts, bundling them with hurdles, uniforms, field equipment, and related services to streamline vendor management and reduce transaction costs.

Recent activity centers on Georgia and Texas school districts. The Association of Educational Purchasing Agencies (AEPA) is conducting a cooperative procurement for athletic supplies and equipment (#027-E) covering up to 31 states with a response deadline of August 13, 2026—a vehicle that individual districts can leverage to establish starting-gun supply relationships. Northside Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas issued IFB2026137 on October 1, 2026, consolidating four expiring athletic contracts including equipment and supplies, with proposals due October 19, 2026. The Illinois School District in Mercer County solicited competitive bids for track and field hurdles (ISD SP Hurdles for Track, due May 19, 2026), and Randolph County School System in Georgia posted a proposal for a GHSA-compliant eight-lane competitive track facility at Randolph-Clay High School (due July 7, 2026), which would likely include timing and starting equipment as part of facility build-out. Austin Independent School District issued RFP 27RFP024 for athletic equipment, supplies, apparel, and related services across all District campuses (response deadline September 15, 2026). The code shows steady but modest recent activity, driven primarily by school district athletic-program renewals and facility projects rather than standalone starting-gun solicitations.