UNSPSC 50404621: Romaine lettuces

The variety of lettuce known as romaine lettuces

UNSPSC 50404621 Romaine lettuces (Commodity) names a single fresh produce line item that state and local governments procure as part of broader food service contracts for institutional facilities, schools, and senior programs. The code sees active buying across the full spectrum of issuing bodies — state health and human services agencies, state departments of criminal justice, school districts, counties, cities, and specialized service authorities — with no single buyer type dominating. Recent opportunities show romaine lettuce embedded in larger fresh-produce and food-service solicitations rather than as a standalone item; the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Illinois Department of Corrections, Collier County (Florida), Madison Metropolitan School District (Wisconsin), Dougherty County Board of Education (Georgia), Bartow County School System (Georgia), Bryan County Schools (Georgia), and the City of San Antonio have all issued food-service contracts in the past four months that encompass leafy greens, fresh vegetables, and produce sourcing, though most do not break out individual commodity lines in the available public notices.

Texas dominates recent activity, with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice issuing at least four fresh-fruit-and-vegetable solicitations between June and October 2026 (for facility food warehouses in Snyder, Wynne, and Palestine), and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission posting food-service contracts for state supported living centers at Lufkin and Mexia. School districts across Georgia (Bartow County, Bryan County, Dougherty County, and Early County) and Wisconsin (Madison Metropolitan) have posted sealed-bid or RFP notices for fresh produce supply during the 2026–2027 school year, with delivery windows spanning late spring through autumn 2026 and contract terms running through June 2027. The Illinois Department of Mental Health's Madden Mental Health Center and Illinois Department of Corrections both solicited fresh-fruit-and-vegetable supply in August and September 2026, respectively. Representative recent opportunities include the Texas Health and Human Services Commission IFB HHS0018082 (Lufkin State Supported Living Center consumables, due October 23, 2026), the Texas Department of Criminal Justice RFP IW267376 (fresh fruit and vegetable supply to Palestine, due October 19, 2026), Dougherty County Board of Education sealed-bid procurement for fresh produce across 24 nutrition sites (due June 16, 2026), and Bartow County School System RFP 10-2026-019 for local fresh fruit and vegetables requiring sourcing within 400 miles (proposal deadline June 22, 2026). Most contracts emphasize F.O.B. Destination delivery, USDA quality and grade compliance, bi-weekly or weekly delivery schedules, and food-safety certification; several school districts layer local-sourcing preferences and sustainable or organic options into evaluation scoring.