UNSPSC 50305444: Santa maria pears

The variety of pears known as santa maria pears

UNSPSC 50305444 Santa Maria pears is a Commodity code. State and local governments procuring under this code are actually buying fresh produce — primarily fruits and vegetables in bulk for institutional food service. Recent solicitations show the code spans both narrow commodity procurements (petite bananas for a school district, specific apple varieties for another) and broader fresh-produce supply contracts bundling apples, pears, leafy greens, root vegetables, berries, citrus, and seasonal specialties. The buying pattern reflects institutional meal programs: corrections departments, mental health facilities, school nutrition programs, senior centers, and child care operations all source under this family. Correctional institutions appear as repeat buyers — the Texas Department of Criminal Justice issued three separate fresh fruit and vegetable solicitations in September and October 2026 for food warehouses serving multiple facilities. School districts dominate the recent activity, with Madison Metropolitan, Hancock County, Bryan County, Dougherty County, Early County, and Bartow County boards of education all bidding produce in May and June 2026. Procurement vehicles vary: some jurisdictions use RFB (Request for Bid) for standardized commodity supply, others use RFP or ITN (Invitation to Negotiate) when vendor selection and service quality matter as much as price. A few solicitations emphasize local sourcing — Bartow County and the City of San Antonio both require or prefer produce within 400 miles, and Madison Metropolitan's fresh fruit and vegetable snacks RFB applies a $0.20-per-pound price preference for organic produce.

Recent activity clusters in the South and Midwest, with notable volume in Texas, Georgia, Illinois, Wisconsin, Connecticut, and Mississippi. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Illinois Department of Corrections, and Illinois Department of Mental Health each conducted institutional produce procurements in August through October 2026. School districts in Georgia (Hancock County, Bryan County, Dougherty County, Bartow County, Early County) posted solicitations between May and June 2026 for the 2026-2027 school year. Representative recent opportunities include the Texas Department of Criminal Justice solicitation IW267376 for fresh fruit and vegetables delivered to Palestine, Texas (due October 19, 2026), the Illinois Department of Corrections Joliet Treatment Center fresh produce contract (small business set-aside, due September 3, 2026), and the Madison Metropolitan School District petite bananas RFB 4162 (70–90 cases weekly, estimated annual value $78,000, due July 29, 2026). Head Start of Greater Dallas sought grocery products including frozen and fresh produce for CACFP child care under IFB 26-GP (estimated value $969,460.94, sealed bids due June 24, 2026). Evaluation criteria weight cost heavily (30–40 points) but increasingly incorporate local-vendor preference, diverse-owned business status (5–10 points), and compliance with food-safety standards and HACCP requirements. Most contracts run one year with optional renewals; delivery frequency is typically twice weekly or twice monthly, with temperature control and damage-free guarantees standard.