UNSPSC 50405317: Sweet onions

The variety of onions known as sweet onions

UNSPSC 50405317 Sweet onions, a Commodity code, represents a narrow produce line within the broader institutional food procurement market. State and local governments buy sweet onions principally as components of school nutrition programs, child care meal services, and correctional facility food operations, typically procured through sealed-bid or RFP processes as part of larger fresh produce or grocery bundles rather than as standalone line items. Sweet onions appear in mixed produce solicitations targeting school districts and child nutrition agencies, where they compete alongside other vegetable staples on volume-based pricing structures.

The issuing-body mix is dominated by school districts and school nutrition programs at the county and independent-district level, with secondary procurement from state correctional and criminal justice agencies. Recent activity shows Georgia school systems (Bulloch County, Bryan County, Muscogee County, Glynn County, Dougherty County, Liberty County) as repeat buyers of fresh produce including onions, alongside Texas school districts (McAllen ISD, Austin ISD, Northside ISD) and Florida school systems (Hillsborough County Public Schools). The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has posted multiple produce solicitations in recent months. The geographic concentration is heaviest in Georgia (at least eight county school districts active since March 2026) and Texas (state TDCJ and multiple ISD procurements), with secondary activity in Florida and Connecticut. Representative recent opportunities include the Bulloch County School District's IFP for 24 fresh produce items (including Vidalia onions) due May 4, 2026 under PE55612NONST2027000000031, and Bryan County School Nutrition's sealed bid for fresh produce with 790+ cases of onions estimated annually, due May 27, 2026 under PE55645NONST2026000000009. The Douglas County School System's RFP through the GEC Buying Cooperative (SN 26-004) covers approximately 72 produce line items for 30 school districts across Georgia with estimated annual spending of $4.4 million for Area One and $1.1 million for Area Two, due March 4, 2026. Most school procurement requires domestic sourcing, HACCP certification, insurance minimums of $500,000 to $2 million general liability, and compliance with USDA Buy American provisions; pricing is typically firm for the initial contract year with six-month or annual redetermination rights based on USDA market indices or Consumer Price Index data.