UNSPSC 50301564: Pink lady apples

The variety of apples known as pink lady apples

UNSPSC 50301564 Pink lady apples, a Commodity code, represents a narrow product line within fresh apple procurement. State and local governments buying under this code are primarily school districts, followed by child and adult care facilities, senior services providers, and correctional institutions. The actual solicitations show that pink lady apples appear as line items within broader fresh produce bids rather than as standalone procurements; they compete alongside other apple varieties (Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Jazz, Ambrosia) in bulk institutional purchasing. School nutrition programs dominate the issuing-body mix, with secondary activity from Head Start programs, county care facilities, and municipal senior services divisions. Scope of work centers on bulk fresh produce supply—typically 25–1,200 cases annually per item depending on district size and school count—delivered weekly or bi-weekly to central warehouses and individual school sites, with strict requirements for ripeness stage, shelf life, temperature control, and compliance with USDA whole-grain and nutrition standards where produce is part of breakfast, lunch, or snack service. Vendors must maintain HACCP plans, provide traceability documentation, carry minimum $500,000 to $2,000,000 general liability insurance, and accept electronic ordering through procurement portals such as OpenGov, Bonfire, and IonWave.

Recent activity is geographically concentrated in Georgia and Texas, with secondary representation in Florida, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Mississippi, California, and Oregon. School districts in Georgia (Bulloch County, Glynn County, Liberty County, Dougherty County, Bryan County, Hancock County, Henry County) issued 16 of the 28 opportunities in the source block, reflecting sustained demand for school meal support across multiple fiscal years. Representative recent solicitations include the Hancock County Board of Education's IFB for Fresh Produce (SY27) due June 26, 2026, which specified over 200 line items including multiple apple varieties with specific case sizes and ripeness stages; Madison Metropolitan School District's RFB 4162 for petite bananas (due July 29, 2026) and RFB 4163 for fresh fruit and vegetable snacks (due July 29, 2026), both Wisconsin procurements emphasizing local sourcing within 400 miles and diverse-owned business preference; the City of Edinburg, Texas, RFP 2026-017 for CACFP meal support (due August 4, 2026) with a 5% local-vendor preference under Texas Local Government Code; and the GEC Buying Cooperative's RFP SN 26-004 for fresh produce and eggs serving 30 Georgia school districts (due March 4, 2026) with estimated annual spending of $5.5 million across two geographic areas. Pricing is typically firm for 12–24 months with escalation tied to USDA Atlanta Terminal Market or Consumer Price Index indices; no fuel surcharges are permitted. Buy American provisions requiring 51% domestic content and cost-plus-fixed-fee models tied to documented commodity costs are standard across jurisdictions. Activity remains steady through mid-2026 with fiscal 2026–2027 school-year contracts posting in March through August, indicating sustained procurement cycles aligned with school calendar transitions.