UNSPSC 50302518: Ruby bing cherries

The variety of cherries known as ruby bing cherries

UNSPSC 50302518 Ruby bing cherries (Commodity) covers fresh produce supply to state and local institutional food service operations, particularly correctional facilities, schools, senior centers, and child care programs. Recent solicitations show state corrections departments, school districts, county boards of education, and municipal departments of human services procuring fresh fruits and vegetables—including ruby bing cherries and other stone fruits, berries, and seasonal produce—on recurring contracts typically spanning nine to twelve months for school years or fiscal periods. The work encompasses product specification, quality assurance (USDA or state grading standards), temperature-controlled delivery, and compliance with food safety regulations including HACCP plans and E-Verify verification. Vendors routinely carry general commercial liability insurance ($500,000 to $1 million per occurrence), workers' compensation, and maintain refrigerated transport and warehouse facilities. Buy American and domestic-sourcing preferences appear in many school and public institutional contracts, with some jurisdictions imposing geographic radius requirements (e.g., 400 miles for local produce initiatives) or enforcing prevailing wage compliance for food service. Award criteria typically weight cost at 30–40 percent, qualifications and experience at 15–25 percent, and compliance with food safety and service delivery standards at 15–35 percent.

State and local procurement activity under this code clusters in Texas (Texas Department of Criminal Justice food warehouse supply), Georgia (school districts including Hancock County, Dougherty County, Bartow County, Bryan County, Early County), Illinois (Department of Corrections and Department of Mental Health), and Florida (Collier County parks concessions). Repeat buyers include multiple school nutrition programs issuing annual fresh produce contracts and state corrections departments conducting regular warehouse supply solicitations. Representative recent opportunities include the Texas Department of Criminal Justice solicitation IW267376 for fresh fruit and vegetable supply to Palestine, Texas (RFQ, due October 19, 2026); Madison Metropolitan School District Food & Nutrition Department request for bids on petite bananas (RFB 4162, due July 29, 2026, estimated annual value $78,000 for September 2026–June 2027); and Hancock County Board of Education fresh produce procurement for school year 2026–27 (IFB, sealed bids due June 26, 2026, covering over 200 line items of produce across three delivery locations). School districts commonly specify case sizes, ripeness stages, temperature controls, and minimum fill rates (typically 95–98 percent). Institutional buyers enforce firm pricing for contract periods or allow escalation only with documented USDA or Consumer Price Index evidence. The code shows sustained procurement velocity across corrections, K–12 nutrition, senior services, and child care food programs.