NIGP 38541: Entrees, Freeze Dried: Meat, Poultry and Seafood

NIGP 38541 Entrees, Freeze Dried: Meat, Poultry and Seafood is an Item code under which state and local governments procure prepared protein products—fish sticks, beef trim, franks, leg quarters, ham, beef patties, bologna, and chicken products in bulk quantities—primarily for institutional food service in correctional facilities and school nutrition programs. Recent activity shows strong demand from Georgia Department of Corrections via Georgia Correctional Industries, which has posted six separate RFQs since August 2026 for individual protein line items, each with delivery consolidated into 40,000-pound increments and all-inclusive pricing that embeds freight. School districts and state health agencies across Georgia, Texas, and Connecticut round out the issuing-body mix, with recent solicitations naming Tattnall County Board of Education (Georgia), New Haven Board of Education (Connecticut), Texas Health and Human Services Commission for state hospitals and supported living centers, and Hancock County Board of Education (Georgia). The code also sees activity from specialized procurement entities such as Invest Atlanta, which is managing food distributor RFPs for municipal grocery markets. Most institutional buyers structure these contracts with firm fixed pricing for the initial term (typically 30–60 days to one year), followed by six-month or annual escalation/de-escalation windows pegged to USDA Agricultural Marketing Service or Consumer Price Index data. Buyers uniformly require Buy American compliance (minimum 51 percent domestic agricultural content for processed items), HACCP food safety plans, general liability insurance at $500,000–$1,000,000 per occurrence, and detailed specification compliance on response sheets—explicitly prohibiting shorthand such as "comply," "yes," or checkmarks.

Georgia Correctional Industries dominates recent activity, with procurement numbers 92100ERFQ0020702027 (Fish Sticks, due October 12, 2026), 92100ERFQ0020722027 (Beef Trim & Beef Fat, due October 14, 2026), 92100ERFQ0020642027 (Franks, due October 12, 2026), and 92100ERFQ0020632027 (Leg Quarters, due October 13, 2026) all posted in early October 2026 as RFQs through the GA@Work portal. Earlier in the procurement cycle, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission issued IFB HHS0017338 (Frozen Food Products for state hospitals and supported living centers statewide, due August 18, 2026) with an estimated annual volume of approximately $9 million and maximum potential contract value of $19 million over the full contract period. The Connecticut-based City of Bridgeport Board of Education posted BNB052266 (Grocery Items, due June 30, 2026) and BNB053266 (Commodities, due June 26, 2026), both supporting the National School Lunch Program with over 1,100 line items and strict Buy American and nutritional standards including whole-grain and allergen restrictions. School nutrition bids in Georgia—including solicitations from Richmond County (RFQ #26-204, due May 27, 2026 for the 2026–2028 school years), Colquitt County (IFB SY26-27, due June 8, 2026), and Burke County Public Schools (due June 5, 2026)—typically span 300–450+ line items across multiple protein and produce categories with two-year or longer contract horizons. Most school district contracts include optional renewal periods (two to four additional one-year terms) contingent on vendor performance and mutual written agreement. All regional buyers emphasize vendor capacity to maintain stock for emergency 24-hour delivery, monthly or weekly standing delivery schedules, and integration with electronic ordering systems such as LINQ, TITAN, or Team Georgia Marketplace.