UNSPSC 50402909: Scarola verde chicory

The variety of chicory known as scarola verde chicory

UNSPSC 50402909 Scarola verde chicory is a Commodity code that captures state and local purchases of fresh leafy greens and specialty vegetables for institutional food service—primarily school nutrition programs, corrections facilities, and early childhood care operations. Recent solicitations show schools and public agencies procuring scarola and related chicory products as part of broader fresh produce contracts for child nutrition, with produce delivered in bulk cases to central warehouses or individual school sites for use in federally reimbursable meal programs and specialty initiatives like the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.

School districts dominate the issuing-body mix across Georgia, Florida, Texas, Connecticut, and Missouri, with secondary procurement activity from state departments of criminal justice, Head Start agencies, and municipal senior services. The Douglas County School System's GEC Buying Cooperative procurement (RFP SN 26-004) covers 30 districts across two Georgia regions with approximately $5.5 million in combined annual produce spending; other standout repeat buyers include Northside Independent School District in San Antonio (RFP 2026-048, serving 117 school locations), Bulloch County Schools in Georgia (both grocery bid and local produce RFP), and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (multiple bulk vegetable procurements for institutional dining across five warehouse regions). Recent activity concentrates heavily in Georgia—evidenced by solicitations from Bartow County, Dougherty County, Bryan County, Liberty County, Muscogee County, Glynn County, Henry County, and state-level Georgia IFBs—with secondary clusters in Texas school districts and TDCJ facilities, Florida school nutrition programs, and multi-state cooperative purchasing. Representative recent opportunities include Madison Metropolitan School District (RFB 4163, fresh fruit and vegetable snacks due July 29, 2026, emphasizing local sourcing within 400 miles and organic produce pricing preferences), Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa (RFP 26039RFPDST for USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program specialty produce for elementary schools, estimated annual budget $600,000), and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice bulk carrot procurement (IFB IW241979-A seeking 1,200 tons with March 17, 2026 deadline and service-disabled veteran preferences). School nutrition RFPs typically weight cost at 30–50 percent, product quality and variety at 15–30 percent, delivery reliability and customer service at 10–20 percent, and compliance with USDA Buy American provisions, HACCP certification, insurance requirements, and federal civil rights standards as mandatory qualifications; seasonal and local sourcing preferences appear frequently in Georgia and Texas jurisdictions, and piggybacking by other government entities on awarded contracts is permitted in many Georgia school district procurements.