UNSPSC 50402702: Celeriac

The variety of celery known as celeriac

UNSPSC 50402702 Celeriac is a Commodity code covering fresh root vegetables, primarily celery root (celeriac), that state and local governments procure for school nutrition programs and institutional food service operations. Recent solicitations show school districts and state agencies sourcing celeriac as part of broader fresh produce bids for child nutrition reimbursable programs, prepared produce offerings, and cafeteria meal preparation. The code sits at the lowest tier of the UNSPSC hierarchy and is purchased primarily by school nutrition departments, state correctional facilities, and head start programs operating institutional food services. Issuing bodies span independent school districts (Northside ISD San Antonio, Hillsborough County Public Schools Tampa, Austin ISD, McAllen ISD), county school systems (Dougherty County Georgia, Bryan County Georgia, Glynn County Georgia, Liberty County Georgia, Bulloch County Georgia, Henry County Georgia, Muscogee County Georgia), state agencies (Texas Department of Criminal Justice, State of Georgia), and regional cooperative purchasing consortia (GEC Buying Cooperative serving 30 Georgia districts, Head Start of Greater Dallas). School nutrition programs account for the bulk of recent activity, with celeriac appearing alongside carrots, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and other root and leafy vegetables in line-item produce bids.

Recent solicitation activity concentrates in Texas and Georgia, where school districts issue annual fresh produce RFPs and IFBs tied to the start of the academic year (July 1) or the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program cycle. Representative opportunities include Northside ISD's RFP 2026-048 for fresh produce delivery to 117 campuses across San Antonio (proposals due May 7, 2026; July 1, 2026 contract start), Dougherty County Board of Education's sealed bid for 40 fresh produce line items including carrots (bids due June 16, 2026), and the Douglas County School System's RFP SN 26-004 through the GEC Buying Cooperative spanning 30 Georgia school districts with estimated annual spending of approximately $5.5 million (proposals due March 4, 2026). Hillsborough County Public Schools Tampa is soliciting fresh specialty fruits and vegetables for the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program at elementary schools (RFP 26039RFPDST, proposals due March 11, 2026). The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has issued multiple IFBs for carrots (1,200 tons under Bid IW241979-A, bids due March 17, 2026) and cafeteria food products including fresh and canned vegetables (IFB 304T-26-300CF, bids due May 4, 2026). School districts typically evaluate produce bids on weighted criteria spanning price (30–50 points), product quality and freshness (15–25 points), delivery reliability and service (15–25 points), and vendor qualifications, with awards frequently made on a line-item basis to multiple vendors. Most contracts run July 1 through June 30 with one to four optional one-year renewal periods.