NIGP 01941: Fruits, Citrus

NIGP 01941 Fruits, Citrus is an Item code covering the procurement of fresh citrus and other fruit products for school nutrition programs and institutional food service. State and local school districts are the dominant buyers under this code, soliciting citrus and mixed fresh produce as components of broader school meal supply contracts. The scope of work includes apples, bananas, berries, citrus varieties, and other fresh fruit meeting USDA quality standards, nutritional compliance requirements, and Buy American provisions under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. Vendors must maintain HACCP plans, product recall procedures, refrigerated delivery capability, and current health department certifications. School districts typically award contracts to single or multiple vendors on a line-item basis, with firm pricing for the initial contract period and limited adjustment provisions tied to USDA Agricultural Marketing Service reports or Consumer Price Index data. Contracts run one year with renewal options extending to four or five additional years at vendor performance discretion, and payment terms are typically Net 30 to Net 45 days on monthly invoices.

The most recent activity concentrates in Georgia and Texas school districts. Representative current opportunities include the Douglas County School System's RFP SN 26-004 (due March 4, 2026) procuring fresh produce and eggs across 30 districts through the GEC Buying Cooperative with estimated spending of $4.4 million for Area One and $1.1 million for Area Two; McAllen Independent School District's RFP 2026-1029 (deadline extended via Addendum 2) for fresh produce across 31 campuses with geographic preference for domestic produce within 50 miles of McAllen; Bulloch County Board of Education's IFB #043025 (due May 4, 2026) covering comprehensive grocery categories including fresh produce for 14 school delivery sites; and Butts County School System's IFB (due May 26, 2026 at 9:30 a.m.) for food products across six school locations. The City of Bridgeport, Connecticut Department of Public Purchases also solicited commodities including fruit products for the Board of Education Nutrition Center (due June 26, 2026). Buy American compliance, competitive pricing benchmarked to federal market reports, and delivery to multiple school sites are standard requirements across all solicitations.