UNSPSC 50301583: Starking apples

The variety of apples known as starking apples

UNSPSC 50301583 Starking apples, a Commodity code, sees steady demand from school districts and child nutrition programs for fresh fruit procurement under breakfast and lunch programs, though recent solicitations show the code tagged to a broader class of fresh produce purchasing rather than Starking apples specifically. State and local agencies—primarily school nutrition departments, child nutrition programs, and food service operations—source fresh produce through sealed bids, invitations for bid, and requests for proposals, typically bundling apples with other fresh fruits and vegetables rather than soliciting Starking apples as a standalone item. The issuing bodies span Georgia school districts (Bryan County, Bulloch County, Dougherty County, Early County, Glynn County, Henry County, Liberty County, Muscogee County, Savannah-Chatham County), Texas school districts and child care programs (Austin ISD, McAllen ISD, City of Edinburg), Florida school districts (Hillsborough County), Connecticut municipalities (City of Meriden, City of Bridgeport), and regional buying cooperatives serving multiple districts. Several solicitations bundle fresh produce with eggs, dairy, proteins, and non-food supplies in comprehensive food service contracts; others focus narrowly on produce. Cooperative purchasing vehicles appear frequently, notably the GEC Buying Cooperative (Douglas County School System administering for 30 Georgia districts) and Texas cooperative contracts for child care providers.

The geographic spread centers on Georgia, Texas, and Florida, with additional activity in Connecticut, Oregon, Mississippi, and California. Representative recent opportunities include Bryan County School Nutrition Program (sealed bid for fresh produce, May 27, 2026 deadline) and Bulloch County Board of Education (invitation for proposal for locally grown produce within 200 miles, May 4, 2026 deadline); Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa (RFP for USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program specialty fruits to 18 elementary schools, proposal due March 11, 2026, estimated annual budget $600,000); McAllen Independent School District (RFP for fresh produce across 31 campuses, extended deadline); Meriden Public Schools in Connecticut (RFP for commercial groceries and produce covering 13 school sites, anticipated contract value $3.1 million for 2026-2027); and the GEC Buying Cooperative (RFP for fresh produce and eggs serving 30 Georgia districts across two geographic areas, estimated combined annual spending approximately $5.5 million, proposals due March 4, 2026). Evaluation criteria typically weight cost heavily (30–50 points), followed by product quality, delivery reliability, vendor qualifications, and compliance with Buy American provisions and HACCP food safety requirements. Most contracts run July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 with optional renewal periods.