UNSPSC 50302704: Howe cranberries

The variety of cranberries known as howe cranberries

UNSPSC 50302704 Howe cranberries (Commodity) covers fresh produce staples procured by state and local school districts, counties, cities, and special-purpose food service entities. State and local governments buy under this code primarily as part of child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Recent solicitations show school districts and municipal food service departments acquiring individual produce line items—including cranberries and other fruits and vegetables—as components of comprehensive fresh produce contracts, often bundled with eggs and other commodity items rather than as standalone cranberry-specific procurements.

Recent activity concentrates heavily in Georgia, Texas, Florida, and Connecticut, where school nutrition programs and municipal food service departments issue produce RFQs, RFPs, and IFBs in late winter and early spring for school-year contracts beginning July 1. Representative opportunities include the Bulloch County Board of Education's RFP for local fresh produce (bid due May 4, 2026), the Madison Metropolitan School District's IFB for petite bananas (due July 29, 2026), the Glynn County Board of Education's IFB for fresh produce serving 16 school locations (due April 14, 2026), and the GEC Buying Cooperative's RFP for fresh produce and eggs spanning 30 Georgia school districts across two geographic areas (due March 4, 2026, with estimated annual spending of $5.5 million across both areas). Meriden Public Schools in Connecticut issued an RFP for commercial groceries and USDA Foods with an anticipated contract value of approximately $3.1 million for 2026-2027 (due February 25, 2026). Austin Independent School District solicited fresh produce and a la carte beverages through an RFP (due March 11, 2026). County of Santa Clara, California, conducted an ITB for dried fruits and nuts for correctional facilities (due February 5, 2026). Issuing bodies range from individual school districts and county school systems to multi-district cooperative purchasing vehicles, municipal governments, and Head Start programs, with the vast majority specifying weekly or twice-weekly delivery, HACCP compliance, Buy American provisions, comprehensive general liability insurance ($500,000 to $2 million), and cost-plus or firm fixed-price structures. Pricing frequently indexes to USDA market reports or regional wholesale terminals, and many procurements award to multiple vendors on a line-item basis. Competition is open to all qualified vendors meeting experience and insurance thresholds; set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises are uncommon in the recent record.