NIGP 38596: Vegetables, Frozen

NIGP 38596 Vegetables, Frozen is an Item code representing a narrow commodity within the broader frozen-food procurement ecosystem that state and local governments actively purchase for institutional feeding, primarily correctional facilities, state hospitals, state supported living centers, and school districts. The code captures products ranging from single-vegetable offerings (frozen corn, broccoli, green beans, carrots, peas) to mixed-vegetable blends and specialty preparations, all delivered frozen at zero to ten degrees Fahrenheit with minimum shelf life requirements of three to six months. State and local issuing bodies soliciting under this code span multiple tiers: state departments (California DGS, Texas HHS, Oregon Department of Corrections, Illinois Veterans Home system, New Jersey Department of Human Services), county governments (Gwinnett County, Montgomery County Pennsylvania), school districts (Burke County Public Schools, Ben Hill County Schools, Early County Board of Education, Bridgeport Board of Education), and specialized state institutions. California Department of General Services and Texas Health and Human Services Commission appear repeatedly as high-volume buyers. Work being solicited ranges from small single-item purchases (Oregon Department of Corrections requesting 40,000 pounds of frozen corn in July 2026) to large statewide contracts covering fourteen product lines (California DGS IFB 0000038871 with anticipated total spend of $10.811 million over two years). Recent solicitations emphasize USDA grading compliance (Grade A or B), FDA and HACCP certification, temperature maintenance throughout the supply chain, minimum shelf-life documentation, and palletization standards; several specify brand-or-equal substitution clauses.

Geographic activity concentrates in California, Texas, Oregon, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The California DGS statewide contract (IFB 0000038871, due September 1, 2026) represents the largest posted opportunity, establishing mandatory use across all state departments with an all-or-none award structure and $10.811 million to $14.4 million estimated value. Texas procurements are substantial and fragmented across multiple state institutions: HHSC issued IFB HHS0017338 for frozen food products (106 line items, estimated $9 million annual volume, due August 18, 2026) and separate IFBs for individual facilities (Mexia State Supported Living Center, El Paso facility). Oregon Department of Corrections issued multiple ITBs in June and July 2026, with 5–10 percent resident and in-state processing preferences and historical pricing data ranging from $0.498 to $0.67 per pound for frozen vegetables. School districts in Georgia (Burke County, Early County, Ben Hill County) and Connecticut (Bridgeport) posted food bids in May and June 2026 subject to Buy American provisions requiring minimum 51 percent domestic agricultural content. Delivery terms are consistently FOB destination with contractor-prepaid freight; most contracts run July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 or September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027. Vendor qualifications routinely include $500,000–$1 million general liability insurance, HACCP plan maintenance, debarment and suspension certification for bids exceeding $25,000, and E-Verify compliance.