UNSPSC 50405100: Nightshades

The type of vegetable known as nightshades

UNSPSC 50405100 Nightshades, a Class code, encompasses fresh produce sourcing for institutional food service, child nutrition programs, and senior services. State and local governments buy fresh vegetables in this category—primarily carrots, potatoes (white and sweet), tomatoes, and related produce items—for delivery to schools, correctional facilities, senior centers, and child care programs. Recent solicitations show active sourcing under firm fixed-price or cost-plus pricing models, with vendors expected to meet USDA food safety standards, maintain traceability documentation, and deliver in ready-to-eat or bulk form depending on end-use. The issuing bodies span school districts (primary driver of volume), state departments of criminal justice, county boards of education, independent school districts, municipal departments of human services, and head start agencies. Texas and Georgia school systems and state agencies represent the most active buyers, with notable repeat procurement by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for institutional food service across multiple facilities.

State and local procurement under this code concentrates in the Southeast and South-Central regions—Georgia (Bartow County, Dougherty County, Bryan County, Glynn County, Liberty County, Bulloch County, Muscogee County, Henry County, Savannah-Chatham, Douglas County), Texas (Austin ISD, Northside ISD, McAllen ISD, TDCJ), Florida (Hillsborough County Public Schools), and Connecticut (Meriden Public Schools)—with activity also present in Utah, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Representative opportunities include the Madison Metropolitan School District's July 29, 2026 RFB for 5,900 weekly servings of fresh fruit and vegetable snacks sourced within 400 miles and Wisconsin, with a 5% preference for Wisconsin Supplier Diversity Program–certified vendors; Northside Independent School District's May 7, 2026 RFP for fresh produce delivery to 117 campuses five days per week under a cost-plus model with USDA Buy American compliance and Good Food Purchasing Program alignment; the Bartow County School System's June 22, 2026 RFP for local fresh fruits and vegetables (400-mile sourcing radius) on a weighted 100-point evaluation (cost 30%, seasonal variety 25%, delivery proficiency 20%, quality 15%, support 10%); and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's June 23, 2026 ITB for white potatoes and sweet potatoes for institutional canning operations. Set-asides and preferences vary by jurisdiction—some solicitations include local-vendor or state-vendor preferences (Texas, Wisconsin, Georgia), while others are open competition; cooperative purchasing vehicles (GEC Buying Cooperative, Texas Cooperative Purchasing) are actively used to aggregate demand across multiple districts.