UNSPSC 50301518: Delicious apples

The variety of apples known as delicious apples

UNSPSC 50301518 Delicious apples is a Commodity code. State and local governments procure fresh apples and broader fresh produce under this code, typically as part of standardized food service contracts for institutional nutrition programs including school meal services, correctional facilities, mental health centers, senior services, and child care programs. Institutional buyers issue requests for bids (RFB), invitations to bid (IFB), requests for proposals (RFP), and invitations to negotiate (ITN) specifying apple varieties, case sizes, ripeness stages, temperature requirements, delivery schedules, and compliance with USDA standards, CACFP regulations, and Buy American provisions. School districts dominate the issuing body mix, followed by state departments (corrections, mental health, agriculture), county boards of education, cities, counties, and special-purpose organizations such as Head Start centers and senior services divisions. Evaluation typically weights cost at 30–40 percent, with significant points allocated to vendor qualifications, service capability, food safety compliance, local-vendor preference where applicable, and diverse-owned business status. Contract terms run one to three years with renewal options, and vendors must meet food safety certifications, insurance requirements ($500,000 to $1 million general liability), and often E-Verify and anti-collusion compliance.

Recent procurement activity concentrates in Georgia, Texas, Illinois, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Mississippi, and Florida, with school districts accounting for the plurality of recent opportunities. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice issued three separate fresh fruit and vegetable solicitations in September–October 2026 (Wynne Food Warehouse, Snyder Food Warehouse, and Palestine facility, responses due October 14 and October 19). Madison Metropolitan School District, Wisconsin, bid petite bananas in July 2026 (estimated annual value $78,000, contract through June 30, 2027) and fresh fruit and vegetable snacks the same week with a 400-mile local-sourcing requirement and 5 percent diversity preference. Hancock County Board of Education (Georgia) sought fresh produce across over 200 line items for July 2026–June 2027 delivery; Bartow County School System (Georgia) requested local fresh fruits and vegetables sourced within 400 miles with award anticipated July 20, 2026; and Head Start of Greater Dallas bid approximately 32,409 cases of produce estimated at $969,460.94 total value with a pre-bid conference in April 2026. The Illinois Department of Mental Health's Madden Mental Health Center and Illinois Department of Corrections' Joliet Treatment Center both issued produce solicitations in August 2026, and the Collier County Board of County Commissioners (Florida) issued an ITN for food services at North Collier Regional Park with local-vendor preference worth 10 evaluation points.