UNSPSC 50305012: Cara cara oranges

The variety of oranges known as cara cara oranges

UNSPSC 50305012 Cara cara oranges (Commodity) represents fresh citrus fruit supply to institutional food service operations. State and local governments procure this commodity primarily through school nutrition programs, correctional facilities, mental health centers, and senior services divisions. The work involves delivery of fresh produce meeting USDA quality standards, food-safety compliance, and refrigerated transport to multiple institutional sites. School districts dominate the solicitation activity, sourcing produce for child nutrition programs and senior meal services; correctional and mental health agencies source for inmate and patient dining. Institutional buyers emphasize product freshness, ripeness specifications, case-pack sizing, delivery temperature maintenance, damage replacement, and traceability by farm of origin. A subset of jurisdictions apply Buy American provisions (51% domestic agricultural content minimum) or require sourcing within specified geographic radii (typically 400 miles). Many contracts carry prevailing-wage or insurance requirements; some feature small-business or diverse-owned-business evaluation points or preferences.

Recent solicitation activity concentrates heavily in Texas, Illinois, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Connecticut, with scattered activity in Mississippi and Florida. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has posted three fresh fruit and vegetable solicitations since late September 2026 (IW267420, IW267411, and IW267376 for Snyder, Wynne, and Palestine facilities, with response dates between October 14 and October 19, 2026). Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin issued RFB 4162 for petite bananas (70–90 cases weekly, estimated contract value $78,000, September 2026–June 2027, due July 29, 2026) and RFB 4163 for fresh fruit and vegetable snacks (approximately 5,900 weekly servings, sourcing within 400 miles and Wisconsin, due July 29, 2026, contingent on federal Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program grant approval). Multiple Georgia school districts—Bryan County, Dougherty County, Hancock County, Bartow County, and Early County—issued produce bids during April–June 2026 with contract periods running July 2026–June 2027. The Illinois Department of Corrections (Joliet Treatment Center, solicitation 27426DOCJOLIEB53849, due September 3, 2026) and Illinois Department of Mental Health (Madden Mental Health Center, solicitation 27444DHSMENTHB53608, due August 14, 2026) both sought fresh produce on small-purchase procurement. City of Bridgeport (Connecticut) and City of Edinburg (Texas) sought grocery and food-service items spanning produce and related commodities under school lunch and child care food program compliance. The code shows consistent seasonal procurement aligned with school-year and fiscal-year cycles, with response deadlines clustered in spring and early summer for fall-year performance.