UNSPSC 50406418: Red mar sweet potatoes

The variety of sweet potatoes known as red mar sweet potatoes

UNSPSC 50406418 Red mar sweet potatoes is a Commodity code. State and local governments buy fresh sweet potatoes for institutional food service operations—specifically, canteens, school meal programs, correctional facilities, senior centers, and mental health and residential care centers. The procurements span prepared-food ingredients and ready-to-eat produce distributed to residents, patients, students, and detainees. Issuing bodies include state departments of criminal justice, state health and human services commissions, county school nutrition programs, city senior services divisions, and independent school districts. Texas Department of Criminal Justice and Texas Health and Human Services Commission appear repeatedly in recent solicitations, indicating sustained institutional demand from state-level correctional and residential-care operators. Procurement notices name specific produce items—fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and processed whole produce—rather than restricting to red mar varieties alone, suggesting the code captures a broader category of sweet potatoes and root vegetables used across institutional feeding programs.

Recent activity concentrates in Texas, Georgia, and Illinois. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice solicited fresh fruit and vegetables for multiple warehouses (Wynne, Snyder, Palestine) between late September and mid-October 2026, and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission issued multiple IFBs for canteen and food service groceries at Lufkin and Mexia State Supported Living Centers with August and September response dates. Georgia school districts—Bartow County, Dougherty County, Bryan County, and Early County—posted sealed bids for fresh produce in May and June 2026 with local-sourcing preferences (400 miles within state). Illinois Department of Corrections and Department of Mental Health solicited fresh produce via small purchase or IFB for Joliet Treatment Center and Madden Mental Health Center in August and September 2026. A representative procurement: Texas Department of Criminal Justice IFB IW253121 requesting sweet potatoes for canning, bids due June 23, 2026, submitted through the TDCJ Procurement Portal; and Texas Health and Human Services Commission IFB HHS0017798 for canteen groceries including produce at Mexia State Supported Living Center, bids due August 25, 2026, with estimated historical value $160,500. Code activity reflects sustained institutional food service demand but does not disclose large contract values, set-asides, or multi-year commitments in available solicitation summaries.