UNSPSC 50402800: Chards

The type of vegetable known as chards

UNSPSC 50402800 Chards, a Class code, encompasses fresh produce items that state and local governments procure for school nutrition programs, senior services, institutional food service, and child care operations. Based on recent solicitations, this code captures raw vegetables and specialty produce delivered fresh to multiple sites, with emphasis on compliance with USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and National School Lunch Program standards, food safety certifications such as HACCP and GAP, and traceability documentation. State and local buyers soliciting under this code include school districts (from single-district to multi-district cooperative purchasing vehicles), county boards of education, state correctional institutions, city senior services divisions, and Head Start programs. School nutrition programs dominate the activity, with districts ranging from smaller rural systems (Bryan County Schools, Liberty County Board of Education, Early County Board of Education in Georgia) to large urban districts (Northside Independent School District in Texas serving 117 campuses, Austin Independent School District, Hillsborough County Public Schools in Florida, and McAllen ISD serving 20,000 students across 31 campuses). The Texas Department of Criminal Justice and other state institutional food service operations also procure produce regularly under this code for cafeteria operations.

Recent opportunities concentrate heavily in Georgia and Texas, with additional activity in Florida, Connecticut, Missouri, Utah, and South Carolina. Representative solicitations include the Madison Metropolitan School District requesting bids for fresh fruit and vegetable snacks under RFB 4163 (due July 29, 2026) with weekly delivery of approximately 5,900 servings to elementary students in the USDA Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program, emphasizing local sourcing within 400 miles and organic produce preferences; Head Start of Greater Dallas issuing IFB 26-GP for approximately 32,409 cases of frozen foods, produce, and meat products meeting CACFP requirements with estimated procurement value of $969,460.94 (due June 24, 2026); the Bartow County School System requesting RFP 10-2026-019 for local fresh fruits and vegetables sourced within 400 miles (due June 22, 2026 with award by July 20, 2026); Dougherty County Board of Education soliciting sealed bids for fresh produce covering 40 line items with estimated yearly usage quantities ranging from 25 to 1,200 units per item (due June 16, 2026); and the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System issuing Bid 26-34 for 72 fresh produce items including pre-cut and single-serve options for delivery to 60 school sites (due April 23, 2026). Opportunities under this code typically require compliance with Buy American provisions, minimum insurance coverage ($500,000 to $2,000,000 general liability), weekly or multiple-times-weekly delivery with temperature control, HACCP or GAP certification, and demonstrated vendor experience. Contract terms run annually (July 1 through June 30 in most school-year cycles) with renewal options spanning two to four additional one-year periods. Set-asides and preferences vary by issuing body—some solicitations offer 5% diverse-owned business preferences (Madison), while others incorporate geographic sourcing preferences (local-grown within specified miles in Georgia and Texas solicitations) or Texas service-disabled veteran-owned business set-asides (TDCJ carrots bid IW241979-A for 1,200 tons).