UNSPSC 51273912: Benzocaine/cetalkonium chloride

This classification denotes a combination drug defined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in its (VA's) National Drug File (NDF), which falls under VA Drug Class NT300. This VA Drug Class (NT300) classifies this compound as belonging to the group ANESTHETICS, MUCOSAL.

UNSPSC 51273912 Benzocaine/cetalkonium chloride, a Commodity code, nominally covers a specific topical anesthetic and antimicrobial ingredient combination, but recent state and local procurement activity tagged to this code does not reflect purchases of that formulation. Instead, the solicitations posted under this code track pharmaceutical and over-the-counter product procurement more broadly, including naloxone, generic multi-source pharmaceuticals, and direct-to-manufacturer prescription programs. The actual buying reflects state health agencies, county health departments, and cooperative purchasing alliances sourcing pharmaceuticals and emergency medical supplies through formal competitive processes. Issuing bodies include county health systems (Seminole County, Florida), state health and human services agencies (Texas HHS Commission), and multistate cooperative purchasing vehicles (Minnesota Multistate Cooperative Purchasing Alliance, or MMCAP). These procurement bodies are sourcing products through fixed-price contracts, often with mandatory use of authorized wholesalers and detailed compliance requirements around Good Manufacturing Practices, Drug Supply Chain Security Act certification, and federal environmental regulations when FEMA funding applies.

Recent activity spans Florida, Texas, Minnesota, and Oregon. Representative recent opportunities include Seminole County's IFB60459723LAS (Naloxone & Drug Deactivation Systems, 1,900 units of naloxone and 800 deactivation systems annually, response due July 26, 2023), Texas HHS Commission's RFI HHS0017013 (market intelligence on direct-to-manufacturer prescription programs, response deadline April 3, 2026), and MMCAP's RFP S1070000015802 (generic multi-source pharmaceuticals and OTC products with an effective date of July 1, 2026, and a response deadline of March 26, 2026). The MMCAP solicitation stands out as a multistate cooperative vehicle covering multiple jurisdictions and requiring vendors to work through authorized wholesalers with chargeback systems and detailed pricing formats. Contracts typically carry two-year initial terms with renewal options, require comprehensive insurance coverage including commercial general liability between $2 million and $5 million per occurrence, and impose performance penalties for late reporting or noncompliance. The code shows fragmented activity across different pharmaceutical product categories; mismatch between the nominal code name and actual solicited products signals that this particular commodity code may not be the primary vehicle for the work being procured.