NIGP 38518: Desserts (Except Cake and Pastry)

NIGP 38518 Desserts (Except Cake and Pastry), an Item code, encompasses ice cream, frozen desserts, novelties, and frozen specialty foods that state and local governments procure for school nutrition programs, parks and recreation concession operations, and institutional food service at hospitals and state-supported living centers. Recent solicitations show school districts as the dominant buyer, with individual districts and cooperative purchasing arrangements across multiple districts competing for supply contracts. State health and human services agencies and county parks departments also solicit under this code. The work involves supplying frozen dessert products in multiple formats — novelties, ice cream cups, frozen dessert bars, bulk tubs, and ready-to-serve items — with vendors typically responsible for equipment placement and maintenance, temperature control, nutritional documentation, and Smart Snack compliance where applicable.

Activity concentrates in Texas and Georgia, with recent opportunities spanning school districts in multiple jurisdictions plus statewide procurement through cooperative educational purchasing cooperatives and state agencies. The Walker County Board of Education, on behalf of the Georgia Educational Cooperative, issued RFP #27-11 Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts (due July 17, 2026) for novelties, ice cream cups, and bulk products across 26 participating school districts and 338 schools, with mandatory taste-testing on July 14, 2026 and contract award allocation of 40 points for product evaluation, 45 points for cost, and 15 points for vendor references. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission and Department of State Health Services issued an Invitation for Bids for supplemental food and consumables (due March 19, 2026) serving state hospitals and state-supported living centers across Texas, with frozen specialty foods among 210 line items and a maximum potential value of $4,500,000 over three years including renewal options. Northside Independent School District in San Antonio solicited sealed bids for food and catering services (due June 11, 2026) across 34 product categories including cakes and prepared items through its Bonfire portal procurement system.