UNSPSC 50403604: Chioggia endives

The variety of endives known as chioggia endives

UNSPSC 50403604 Chioggia endives, a Commodity code, covers specialized vegetable procurement in state and local food service operations, though recent solicitations show the code captures a much broader fresh produce category spanning apples, bananas, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes, and numerous other items for school nutrition programs, institutional cafeterias, and senior services. School districts dominate activity under this code—including Northside Independent School District (San Antonio), Hillsborough County Public Schools (Tampa), Austin Independent School District, and multiple Georgia school boards (Bartow County, Dougherty County, Bryan County, Glynn County, Muscogee County, Liberty County, Henry County, Bulloch County, Savannah-Chatham County, and Early County)—alongside state agencies such as the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and State of Georgia, Head Start programs, and municipal departments of human services. The work solicited includes fresh produce supply for school lunch and breakfast programs, USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program delivery, farm-to-school local sourcing initiatives, senior center distribution, and institutional food service across correctional facilities. Qualification patterns are consistent: vendors must carry general liability insurance (typically $500,000 to $2,000,000), maintain HACCP plans with documented traceability and 24/7 recall capability, comply with Buy American provisions favoring domestic agricultural commodities, provide weekly or bi-weekly refrigerated delivery to multiple sites, and meet detailed product specifications including freshness thresholds, pack sizes, and nutritional compliance standards.

Geographic concentration is marked in Texas and Georgia, with significant secondary activity in Florida, Connecticut, and Missouri. Recent representative opportunities include Madison Metropolitan School District (Wisconsin) soliciting fresh fruit and vegetable snacks under RFB 4163 (response date July 29, 2026) for approximately 5,900 weekly servings with $0.20 per pound organic preference and strict traceability documentation; Head Start of Greater Dallas (Texas) issuing IFB 26-GP (due June 24, 2026) for approximately 32,409 cases of frozen foods and produce at an estimated $969,460.94 contract value; Texas Department of Criminal Justice bidding on bulk white potatoes and carrots (IFBs IW253099, IW253079, IW253121, IW241979, IW241979-A) with response dates in June 2026 through March 2026; Bartow County Schools (Georgia) RFP 10-2026-019 (due June 22, 2026) for local fresh produce within 400 miles with seasonal sourcing emphasis; and Northside Independent School District (San Antonio) RFP 2026-048 (due May 7, 2026) for five-day-per-week produce delivery across 117 campuses. Evaluation criteria weight cost heavily (30 to 50 percent) but increasingly include quality, delivery reliability, local or domestic sourcing preference, and vendor experience; multiple awards on a line-item basis are common. Contract terms typically run July 1 through June 30 with one to four renewal option years; prices remain firm for the initial term, with adjustments thereafter tied to USDA Agricultural Marketing Service or Consumer Price Index documentation.