NIGP 39355: Fruits, Dried

NIGP 39355 Fruits, Dried (Item) covers dried fruit products—including prunes, raisins, cranberries, and tropical fruit blends—that state and local governments procure primarily for school nutrition programs, correctional facilities, and other institutional food service operations. Recent solicitations show demand for bulk dried fruit in standardized case packaging, typically meeting USDA Grade B standards and spec'd for specific portion control (packets, box weights, count sizes) and shelf-life requirements ranging from six months to one year. The code draws bids from school districts, county correctional systems, and state agencies managing institutional feeding programs across the country.

School nutrition programs dominate the recent activity, with districts in Georgia, Missouri, Connecticut, and California issuing separate RFQs and IFBs for dried fruit as part of broader grocery or fresh-produce contracts. The California Department of State Hospitals–Atascadero posted an RFQ in April 2026 (Solicitation 25JL0001, due May 15) seeking 8,450 pounds of U.S. Grade B whole pitted prunes and 90 pounds of seedless raisins; the County of Santa Clara Department of Correction Food Services issued an ITB in January 2026 (ITB-PRC-FY26-0617, due February 5) for five line items totaling dried raisins, cranberries, tropical fruit mix, walnuts, and pecans on an all-or-none five-year term with a local business preference. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) issued Bid IW236532 in April 2026 for whole pitted prunes in Grade B quality for Corpus Christi facilities. Buy American provisions and USDA compliance appear consistently across opportunities, along with firm-fixed pricing, delivery on FOB Destination terms, and proof of commercial general liability insurance. No specific budget allocations are disclosed in these solicitations; award values vary by facility size and student enrollment, but Santa Clara's five-line dried-fruit procurement suggests multi-year contract volumes in the low millions when aggregated across institutional systems.