UNSPSC 50405203: Clemson spineless okra

The variety of okra known as clemson spineless okra

UNSPSC 50405203 Clemson spineless okra is a Commodity code tracking fresh vegetable procurement across state and local food service operations, but the recent solicitation activity shows minimal direct pursuit of this specific produce item. Instead, state and local governments are buying broad fresh produce baskets—apples, bananas, carrots, lettuce, onions, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, and other staples—through institutional food service contracts at correctional facilities, state supported living centers, school districts, and senior services programs. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, and Georgia school districts dominate recent activity, issuing multiple IFBs and RFPs for fresh fruit and vegetable supply covering dozens of line items per solicitation rather than single-commodity buys. Work scope includes bi-weekly or weekly delivery of produce meeting USDA quality standards to institutional warehouses and feeding sites, with vendors responsible for F.O.B. Destination pricing, temperature-controlled transport, traceability documentation by farm of origin in some cases, and compliance with food safety regulations and prevailing wage requirements where applicable. Issuing bodies span state departments (TDCJ, HHS Commission), school nutrition programs (Dougherty County, Bartow County, Bryan County in Georgia; Madison Metropolitan in Wisconsin; Early County in Georgia), senior services divisions (City of San Antonio), state supported living centers, mental health facilities, and cooperative purchasing vehicles serving head start and other child care providers.

Geographic concentration is heaviest in Texas and Georgia, with secondary activity in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Florida. Texas leads with TDCJ sourcing fresh produce for multiple warehouse locations and correctional facilities (Snyder, Wynne, Palestine), HHSC procuring canteen and food service groceries for state supported living centers (Lufkin, Mexia), and competitive spot-market buys for individual produce items like carrots, white potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Georgia school districts (Bartow County, Dougherty County, Early County, Bryan County) conduct annual produce bids requiring local sourcing within 400 miles and emphasize seasonal variety and farm traceability. Recent representative opportunities include the Texas HHS Commission IFB HHS0018082 (Lufkin State Supported Living Center consumables, 22 line items, due October 23, 2026), the TDCJ fresh fruit and vegetable RFP IW267376 (Palestine, due October 19, 2026), the Dougherty County Board of Education sealed bid for fresh produce covering 40 line items (due June 16, 2026), and the Bartow County Schools RFP for local fresh fruits and vegetables with weighted scoring on cost, seasonal variety, and product quality (due June 22, 2026). Clemson spineless okra does not appear as a named line item in any of the recent solicitations reviewed, suggesting the code may be underutilized in current state and local procurement or misaligned with institutional food service buying patterns that favor shelf-stable, high-volume produce over specialty vegetables.