UNSPSC 50401849: Tonka beans

The variety of beans known as tonka beans

UNSPSC 50401849 Tonka beans is a Commodity code that in current state and local procurement activity spans fresh produce sourcing for institutional food service — primarily school nutrition programs, senior services, and correctional facilities. The code's nominal scope (tonka beans, a specialty extract flavoring agent) does not align with the work state and local governments are actually buying under this code. Recent solicitations tagged to 50401849 request bids for comprehensive fresh produce including apples, bananas, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries, and eggs — staple fruits and vegetables for child nutrition, not tonka bean extract or specialty ingredients. The mismatch suggests either a classification error in the source data or a very broad institutional definition of the code that does not reflect common industry usage. School districts dominate the issuing-body mix, with additional activity from state departments of criminal justice (TDCJ in Texas), state education agencies (Georgia Department of Education), county school systems, independent school districts, Head Start organizations, and a municipal senior services program. Vendors compete primarily on unit pricing, product quality and freshness, compliance with USDA standards including Buy American provisions and whole-grain and low-sodium requirements, delivery reliability and frequency (typically five days per week to multiple school sites), and proof of HACCP certification and food safety systems.

Activity clusters heavily in Georgia and Texas. Georgia school districts — including Bartow County, Dougherty County, Bryan County, Glynn County, Bulloch County, Liberty County, Muscogee County, Henry County, Savannah-Chatham County, and the State of Georgia procurement office — posted at least 15 recent solicitations between mid-March and late June 2026. Texas activity includes TDCJ produce bids (carrots, white potatoes, sweet potatoes for canning, and cafeteria food products), Austin ISD and Northside ISD (San Antonio), McAllen ISD, and Head Start of Greater Dallas. Additional recent opportunities posted from Florida (Hillsborough County Schools), Connecticut (Meriden Public Schools), Missouri (Rockwood R-VI School District), and Wisconsin (Madison Metropolitan School District). Representative recent solicitations include Madison Metropolitan School District's RFB 4163 for fresh fruit and vegetable snacks (due July 29, 2026, with 5,900 servings weekly for elementary USDA Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program participants, Wisconsin sourcing preference, and $0.20 per pound organic preference discount); Northside ISD RFP 2026-048 for fresh produce delivery to 117 campuses five days per week (due May 7, 2026, 35% price weighting in evaluation); Texas TDCJ IFB IW241979 for 1,200 tons of carrots (due March 17, 2026, with Texas service-disabled veteran set-aside preference); Bartow County Schools RFP 10-2026-019 for local fresh fruits and vegetables within 400 miles (due June 22, 2026, 30-point cost weighting); and Douglas County Schools GEC Buying Cooperative RFP SN 26-004 covering 30 school districts across Georgia (due March 4, 2026, estimated annual value $4.4 million for Area One, cost-plus-fixed-fee pricing structure). Contract terms typically run one school year (July 1 through June 30) with automatic or optional renewal for up to three or four additional one-year terms. Evaluation emphasizes low responsive pricing (frequently 30–50 percent weighting), product quality and availability, on-time delivery, compliance with federal USDA Buy American and child nutrition standards, and vendor experience with public school systems.