UNSPSC 78181836: Aircraft fixed wing coating and painting service

Services associated with the exterior multi-step process to apply coating for the protection and appearance of the aircraft

UNSPSC 78181836 Aircraft fixed wing coating and painting service is a Commodity code that encompasses aircraft exterior maintenance, refinishing, and specialized coating work, though recent state and local solicitations show the category tagged with a mix of aviation-support work that does not consistently align with the code's nominal scope. Among the opportunities posted under or near this code since late April 2026, the actual work being solicited ranges from aircraft fuel procurement and delivery (Palm Beach County), helicopter engine overhaul and repair (Tampa Police Department and Middle Georgia State University), baggage handling and boarding bridge maintenance (City of Waco), aircraft radio installation (Michigan Department of Natural Resources), general airframe and avionics repair (Illinois Department of Transportation and Texas A&M University System), and a single aircraft strip-and-paint job (Texas Department of Transportation). The one directly on-scope opportunity is TxDOT's April 2026 solicitation for strip-and-paint services on a Cessna Citation Latitude, specifying complete aircraft stripping, custom repainting with state seal and accent graphics, skin repairs, seam sealing, and exterior finishing work. Issuing bodies include state departments (Illinois DOT, Texas DOT, Nevada Division of Forestry), county procurement offices (Palm Beach County), city aviation and police divisions (Tampa, Tucson, Waco), university systems (Texas A&M, Middle Georgia State University), and New Jersey state agencies. Repeat procurers include state departments of transportation and police/aviation divisions across multiple jurisdictions.

Geographic activity concentrates in Florida (Palm Beach County, Tampa), Texas (TxDOT, Texas A&M, Waco, Tucson), Illinois (IDOT), New Jersey (state police and environmental protection), Georgia (Middle Georgia State University), Michigan (DNR), and Nevada (Division of Forestry), with no single region dominating. The code's recent activity reflects broader aviation maintenance and fuel contracting rather than dedicated aircraft painting and coating work; the TxDOT strip-and-paint RFP (solicitation 601440000051510, due December 15, 2025, weighted evaluation on qualifications 60 points / pricing 40 points, requires $10 million hangar keepers liability coverage) stands as the only recent solicitation directly addressing fixed-wing coating and painting. Most other opportunities tagged under or near this code involve engine overhaul, component repair, fuel supply, avionics work, or on-call maintenance for aviation fleets—work that belongs in different UNSPSC families focused on engine repair (78161500 series), parts supply, or general aviation services. The code shows limited recent activity in its core scope of aircraft exterior refinishing and coating services.