UNSPSC 50121541: Canned fish

Canned or tinned fish are food fish which have been processed, sealed in an airtight container such as a sealed tin can, and subjected to heat. Canning is a method of preserving food. WFP food convention

UNSPSC 50121541 Canned fish, a Commodity code, encompasses canned and shelf-stable seafood products sourced by state and local procurement offices primarily for school nutrition programs, institutional feeding operations, and municipal food distribution initiatives. State and local governments use this code to procure inventory supporting breakfast and lunch service across K-12 districts, USDA child nutrition compliance, and emergency food access in underserved communities. The issuing bodies span individual school districts (from small county operations to large urban systems), state education departments, state purchasing cooperatives, and specialized development authorities managing food access initiatives. School districts dominate recent activity, bidding weekly or monthly delivery to central kitchens and individual school sites with firm pricing and USDA Grade A specifications.

Recent solicitations show sustained procurement across Georgia, Utah, Missouri, Texas, Connecticut, and Arizona. The Tattnall County Board of Education (Georgia) solicited sealed bids for school nutrition food products due July 22, 2026, covering proteins including canned seafood under broader food supply IFBs. The State of Utah Division of Purchasing issued RFP SB269 for bulk canned food purchasing closing June 4, 2026, requiring vendors to supply canned seafood alongside fruits, vegetables, and soups to state agencies, school districts, colleges, and counties across a five-year term with 700-point technical and 300-point cost evaluation. Houston County School District (Georgia) ITB 27-001, due April 17, 2026, valued at approximately $14 million annually, included canned items within 350,000 annual cases for 39 schools and 45,000 meals daily. The New Haven Board of Education (Connecticut) RFP due June 16, 2026, specified frozen fish and canned items across 200+ line items serving 17,500–19,000 daily meals with 25% MBE/WBE participation goals. Rockwood R-VI School District (Missouri) solicited grocery items by April 29, 2026, encompassing canned fruits and vegetables across 900+ line items. The Texas Comptroller, procuring for TDCJ, issued IFB 304T26300CF (extended to May 4, 2026) for cafeteria products including pollock fish portions across five Texas warehouse locations. Most school district solicitations allow line-item awards to multiple vendors, require F.O.B. destination delivery to individual schools or central warehouses, demand firm pricing for 60–90 days with escalation caps or mid-year adjustment provisions tied to USDA reports, and enforce Buy American provisions requiring 51% domestic agricultural content. Canned seafood appears as a minor component within larger food supply procurements rather than standalone contracts, signaling steady but modest demand relative to fresh proteins and produce.