UNSPSC 60104605: Friction apparatus

UNSPSC 60104605 Friction apparatus is a Commodity code representing science and lab teaching materials, specimens, and equipment that state and local school districts and educational consortia procure to support K–12 instructional programs. Recent solicitations show school districts buying preserved biological specimens, live materials, chemicals with Safety Data Sheets, general lab supplies, STEM kits, robotics equipment, microscopes, and physics lab apparatus on catalog-discount or turnkey service models. Issuing bodies are predominantly independent school districts (Katy ISD, Donna ISD, Cobb County Schools, DeKalb County Schools, Los Fresnos CISD), regional school consortia (Cartwright Elementary School District No. 83 through the SAVE cooperative purchasing vehicle), and a community college system (Valencia College District). School districts dominate the buyer base, with most seeking multi-vendor awards and as-needed purchasing rather than committed volumes; a few larger districts like Cobb County (105,738 students) and DeKalb County (93,000 students) issue district-wide procurements, while mid-sized systems like Katy ISD and Donna ISD establish catalog-discount vendor lists for campuses and departments. No set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises appear in these solicitations, though all require standard certifications (W-9, debarment affidavits, E-Verify compliance) and proof of insurance.

Recent activity concentrates in Texas, Georgia, Florida, and Arizona. Representative procurements include Cobb County School District's IFB B26128 (May 15, 2026, due June 16, 2026) seeking science specimens, chemicals, and equipment for all 112 school sites with an estimated annual expenditure of $175,000; Donna ISD's RFP 011326-871 and 011326-870 (March 21, 2026, due April 8, 2026) for science supplies and classroom materials on catalog-discount basis for the 2026–2027 school year; Cartwright Elementary School District No. 83's RFP 260331 (May 21, 2026, due June 8, 2026) for STEM and College & Career Readiness kits and programs through the SAVE consortium, spanning multiple Arizona school districts, municipalities, and higher education institutions with survey-estimated annual usage of $1,346,000; and DeKalb County School District's RFQ 26-724 (February 12, 2026, due March 12, 2026) for comprehensive K–12 science instructional resources aligned with Georgia standards across 139 schools. Pricing is typically structured as percentage discounts off catalog, manufacturer suggested retail price, or published price lists, with F.O.B. Destination delivery including inside delivery to school sites, and contract terms generally run one year with optional renewals of one to four additional years. Activity indicates steady demand from school systems seeking to refresh or expand science curricula and lab capacity.