NIGP 390: Foods: Perishable

NIGP Class 390 Foods: Perishable covers fresh produce, frozen and refrigerated proteins, dairy products, and specialty food items that state and local governments purchase for correctional facilities, school nutrition programs, detention centers, and institutional food service operations. State and local buyers soliciting under this code are primarily state departments of corrections, school districts, cities, counties, detention authorities, and education service cooperatives serving multiple districts. Colorado Department of Corrections dominates recent activity with repeated documented quotes for fresh produce and frozen meat and cheese; school districts across Connecticut, Massachusetts, California, Texas, Georgia, and Missouri are active buyers of groceries, produce, and specialty items; and detention and correctional facilities in South Carolina, California, and Colorado regularly solicit comprehensive food service supplies. Representative recent opportunities include Colorado Department of Corrections fresh produce documented quotes (DQ1CAAA20270000161, due July 22, 2026) requesting apples, bananas, oranges, carrots, lettuce, and potatoes for delivery to seven facilities; Fontana Unified School District (California) dry, frozen, and refrigerated food RFP (26/27-0002, due June 24, 2026) requiring product formulation statements documenting compliance with federal child nutrition standards; City of Meriden, Connecticut food service paper goods and disposable products RFP (RFP02704, due July 16, 2026) covering approximately 8,200 students with an anticipated contract value of $210,000; and City of Edinburg, Texas Child and Adult Care Food Program RFP (RFP 2026-017, due August 4, 2026) with a five percent local-vendor preference for bidders within Edinburg city limits.

Geographic concentration spans Colorado (state corrections, charter schools), Connecticut (school districts, municipal food service), Texas (education service cooperatives, child nutrition programs, school districts), California (school districts, state correctional facility), Massachusetts (school districts, operational services division), and Georgia (school districts). Recent activity shows sustained demand from school districts and state corrections departments across these states, with cooperative purchasing vehicles (Region 7, Region 8, Region 10, Multi-Region Purchasing Cooperative, Kansas City area purchasing cooperative) aggregating buys across 20–79 member districts. Bidders must meet USDA compliance including Buy American provisions (minimum 51 percent domestic content), child nutrition program standards, producer food safety and HACCP documentation, general liability insurance ($1 million or higher per occurrence), and facility-access background checks where applicable. Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business certification receives 5 percent price preferences in Colorado corrections procurements. Pricing is typically firm fixed-price with F.O.B. Destination delivery, no surcharges, and payment within 30–45 days. Contract terms range from one year with optional renewals (most common) to two-year or five-year arrangements for school districts and cooperatives. Evaluation criteria weight cost between 30 and 45 percent, with secondary factors including vendor responsiveness, past performance, delivery capability, and product quality.