UNSPSC 50302516: Duke cherries

The variety of cherries known as duke cherries

UNSPSC 50302516 Duke cherries is a Commodity code that does not reflect the actual scope of state and local school nutrition procurement based on recent solicitations. Recent opportunities posted under this code encompass comprehensive food service procurement — fresh produce, dairy, proteins, condiments, paper goods, and janitorial supplies — serving child nutrition programs, school lunch systems, and senior centers. The issuing bodies are predominantly school districts (elementary through high school), school boards, and child care food program operators across multiple states, with scattered activity from county corrections facilities and municipal senior services. The code's nominal scope (specialty fruit) bears little relationship to what jurisdictions are actually buying: school districts and program operators are sourcing full meal components including fresh fruits and vegetables, proteins, grains, beverages, and service supplies on annual contracts ranging from approximately $78,000 to $3.1 million per award.

Geographic activity concentrates in Georgia (Bulloch, Bryan, Dougherty, Glynn, Hancock, and Liberty County school districts; Bartow County schools; Savannah-Chatham County Public School System), Texas (City of Edinburg, McAllen and Austin Independent School Districts, Head Start of Greater Dallas), and scattered other states including Florida (Hillsborough County), Connecticut (Meriden Public Schools), Mississippi (DeSoto County), Wisconsin (Madison Metropolitan School District), and California (Santa Clara County). Representative recent procurements include Madison Metropolitan School District's RFB 4162 for petite bananas (70–90 cases weekly, $78,000 estimated annual value, due July 29, 2026), Hillsborough County Public Schools' RFP 26RFP034 for fresh produce and a la carte beverages serving 18 elementary FFVP sites (due March 11, 2026, estimated $600,000 annual value), and the GEC Buying Cooperative's RFP SN 26-004 for fresh produce and eggs across 30 Georgia school districts (two geographic areas totaling approximately $5.5 million, due March 4, 2026). Bidding structures vary widely — fixed unit pricing, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and market-indexed escalators are common. Buy American and domestic-sourcing preferences appear in most school nutrition RFPs; local-vendor preferences apply in Texas and California jurisdictions. Procurement notice types are predominantly RFP, RFB, IFB, and ITB with response windows of two to eight weeks.