UNSPSC 50305713: Flavor queen plucot

The variety of plucots known as flavor queen plucot

UNSPSC 50305713 Flavor queen plucot is a Commodity code that captures state and local procurement of fresh produce, particularly fruits and vegetables sourced for institutional food service operations. The code sees active solicitation across correctional facilities, school nutrition programs, senior services, child care centers, regional parks, and mental health treatment facilities. Issuing bodies range from state departments of corrections and mental health to county school districts, municipal parks and recreation departments, and regional health care coalitions. Recent opportunities show a mix of formal sealed-bid procurements (IFB), requests for proposals (RFP), and invitations to negotiate (ITN), with vendors competing on delivered-case pricing, product freshness standards, compliance with USDA Buy American requirements, delivery frequency and timeliness, and demonstrated traceability. Scope typically includes line-item pricing for specific produce varieties (apples, bananas, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, peppers, onions, and seasonal items), packaging specifications (case counts, unit sizes, ripeness or color grades), temperature-controlled delivery windows (often early morning, 5:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.), and service-level minimums (97–98 percent fill rates with 24-hour substitution timelines). Many solicitations impose regional or local-sourcing preferences—Wisconsin school districts enforce a 400-mile radius restriction on fresh fruit and vegetable snacks; Georgia school systems preferentially score local farmers within 400 miles; Texas municipalities apply local-vendor evaluation bonuses—alongside insurance requirements (general liability typically $500,000 to $1 million, workers' compensation as required by state law), HACCP plan submission, E-Verify compliance, and Buy American affidavit or domestic-content documentation.

Geographic activity concentrates in the South and Midwest, with recent high-volume posting in Texas (Texas Department of Criminal Justice multiple warehouses, City of Edinburg, Head Start of Greater Dallas), Georgia (DeSoto County, Hancock County, Dougherty County, Bartow County, Bryan County, and Early County school districts), Illinois (Department of Corrections Joliet facility, Department of Mental Health Madden Mental Health Center), and Florida (Collier County). School districts represent the largest buyer class, driven by federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and National School Lunch Program funding cycles aligned with new fiscal years (July 1 start dates). Recent representative opportunities include the Texas Department of Criminal Justice seeking fresh fruit and vegetables for three separate food warehouses (Snyder, Wynne, Palestine) with October 2026 response deadlines under electronic portal submission; Madison Metropolitan School District bidding on petite bananas (70–90 cases weekly, $78,000 estimated annual value, September 2026 through June 2027 term, RFB 4162, due July 29, 2026) and fresh fruit and vegetable snacks sourced within Wisconsin (5,900 servings weekly, 400-mile sourcing limit, RFB 4163, same due date); Collier County Parks issuing an ITN for food services at North Collier Regional Park concessions (responses due March 6, 2025 with local-vendor 10-point preference); DeSoto County School District requesting fresh produce bi-annual distribution to 41 school sites on a cost-plus-fee model with 97 percent service-level requirement and weekly deliveries, due June 22, 2026; and Illinois Department of Corrections seeking fresh produce bi-weekly delivery to Joliet Treatment Center under a small-business set-aside, due September 3, 2026, with prevailing wage compliance mandated. Contract values where disclosed range from approximately $78,000 annually (Madison petite bananas) to $969,460.94 (Head Start of Greater Dallas grocery procurement covering 32,409 cases), with initial terms typically one year and renewal options spanning two to four additional years by mutual agreement.