UNSPSC 50406702: Atlantic giant squash

The variety of winter squashes and winter pumpkins known as atlantic giant squash

UNSPSC 50406702 Atlantic giant squash, a Commodity code, nominally covers individual squash varieties, but recent state and local solicitations under this code reflect institutional fresh produce procurement for school nutrition, corrections facilities, and early childhood programs, where squash appears as one item within comprehensive produce line lists rather than a standalone commodity focus. School districts, county boards of education, and state correctional agencies dominate the issuing-body mix, with school nutrition programs the most frequent buyers; these jurisdictions solicit fresh produce bundles spanning dozens of line items—including squash, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and leafy greens—as part of annual or multi-year food service contracts. The code's scope reflects bulk institutional demand: sealed bid and RFP procurements typically specify case quantities, weekly or twice-weekly delivery schedules, refrigerated transport, HACCP certification, Buy American compliance, and farm-to-school or local-sourcing preferences where distance and cost allow. Evaluation criteria weight price (usually 30–50 percent), product quality and availability (15–30 percent), delivery reliability and customer service (10–25 percent), and vendor qualifications or small-business status (5–15 percent).

Recent activity concentrates in the Southeast and Texas. Georgia school districts—Bartow County, Dougherty County, Bryan County, Glynn County, Liberty County, Bulloch County, and Muscogee County—posted produce RFPs and IFBs with response dates between March and May 2026, typically seeking local or regional sourcing within 200–400 miles and serving 13 to 60 school sites per contract. Texas Department of Criminal Justice issued multiple IFBs for bulk vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, white potatoes) in late February and June 2026, with response dates on or before June 23, 2026. School districts in Texas (Northside ISD, Austin ISD, McAllen ISD), Missouri (Rockwood R-VI), Connecticut (Meriden Public Schools), and Florida (Hillsborough County) posted fresh-produce RFPs between February and May 2026, with annual contract values ranging from estimated $600,000 (Hillsborough FFVP) to $3.1 million (Meriden). Head Start of Greater Dallas sought primary, secondary, and tertiary produce suppliers for approximately 32,409 cases annually with a June 24, 2026 response deadline; the City of San Antonio requested produce-market operations at senior centers with a May 27, 2026 submission date. Georgia state government issued standing IFBs for fresh produce with May 27, 2026 and June 22, 2026 deadlines. Geographic preferences, local-farm certification, GAP audits, and organic premium pricing are common evaluation factors; most contracts run July 1 through June 30 with one to four renewal options, and award decisions occur 60 days after bid opening or within 90 days of proposal submission.