NIGP 96275: Seafood Processing Services

NIGP 96275 Seafood Processing Services is an Item code that in practice encompasses food distribution and retail grocery operations supporting municipal and community food access initiatives in underserved areas. Recent solicitations show state and local governments buying food distribution logistics with sourcing requirements favoring regional producers, full-service grocery retail operations meeting USDA definitions and accepting SNAP/EBT benefits, and related supply-chain and workforce-development services. The issuing bodies include economic development authorities (Invest Atlanta) and municipal governments. Work involves multi-year operating agreements, compliance with food safety standards (FSMA certification), hiring mandates from designated community populations, and performance-based contract renewal structures.

Solicitation activity in the most recent period centers on Georgia, specifically Atlanta's Priority Communities. Invest Atlanta issued an RFP in July 2026 (due August 6, 2026) for dual-track food distribution services and grocery retail market operations, seeking distributors with five years of commercial food distribution experience, FSMA compliance certification, and documented capacity to service multiple metro accounts, paired with retail grocery operators holding five years of grocery retail experience and current food safety certification. The RFP specifies sourcing targets of 10% Georgia-based producers at contract start and 20% within 24 months for distributors, with economic development incentives including low-interest loans, TAD funding, and subsidized warehouse leases. A pre-proposal conference was scheduled for July 14, 2026, with written questions due July 17, 2026.