UNSPSC 50301540: Howgate wonder apples

The variety of apples known as howgate wonder apples

UNSPSC 50301540 Howgate wonder apples (Commodity) appears in state and local procurement activity almost exclusively in child nutrition and school meal service contexts, where districts and food service providers source fresh produce to meet Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) requirements and National School Lunch and Breakfast Program standards. The code, despite its narrow commodity name, tags a broad range of fresh produce procurement spanning apples, bananas, berries, leafy greens, root vegetables, and specialty items — the specific line items vary by district and season, but the recurring pattern is weekly or twice-weekly delivery to school sites, child care centers, and senior service locations with strict temperature, quality, shelf-life, and traceability compliance. Issuing bodies include independent school districts of all sizes (ranging from fewer than 10 schools to urban systems serving 20,000+ students), county boards of education, city education departments, Head Start and CACFP operators, and specialized nutrition programs such as the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, with school nutrition departments as the primary procurement driver across nearly every state. The code sees significant repeat activity from Georgia school districts, which dominate the recent opportunity sample, though Texas, Florida, Connecticut, Mississippi, Oregon, California, and other states show comparable procurement volume.

Recent representative opportunities include the Hillsborough County Public Schools (Tampa, Florida) RFP for specialty fruits and vegetables serving approximately 18 elementary schools under the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, with proposals due March 11, 2026; the GEC Buying Cooperative (Douglas County School System, Georgia) RFP for fresh produce and eggs across 30 school districts in two geographic areas, with an estimated annual spending of approximately $5.5 million and proposals due March 4, 2026; the Muscogee County School District (Georgia) ITB for approximately 60 produce line items with pricing indexed to USDA Fruit and Vegetable Market News Index prices, bids due April 27, 2026; the City of Bridgeport (Connecticut) IFB for over 1,100 grocery line items including fresh and frozen produce for the Board of Education, bids due June 30, 2026; and the City of Edinburg (Texas) RFP for CACFP meal program supplies including beverages, paper goods, proteins, produce, and janitorial items to serve approximately 400 children daily, with a local-vendor preference under Texas Local Government Code Section 271.9051 and proposals due August 4, 2026. Buy American requirements (minimum 51 percent domestic agricultural content for processed products, domestic commodities to the maximum extent practicable for fresh produce), HACCP plans with 24/7 recall accessibility, workers' compensation and general liability insurance (typically $500,000 to $2 million per occurrence), firm fixed pricing or cost-plus models, and compliance with debarment, anti-lobbying, and civil rights certifications are standard across all recent solicitations; pre-bid conferences, addenda cycles, and electronic submission portals (frequently Bonfire, OpenGov, or district-specific platforms) are routine.