UNSPSC 50407013: Bittermelon

The type of vegetable known as bittermelon

UNSPSC 50407013 Bittermelon, a Commodity code, represents fresh produce items that state and local governments procure for institutional food service — cafeterias, dining facilities, and meal programs across correctional institutions, state-supported living centers, schools, senior centers, and health facilities. While bittermelon is the nominal code designation, recent solicitations under this code span a broad range of fresh fruits and vegetables, including carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, apples, bananas, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, onions, broccoli, and other produce staples necessary for high-volume institutional meal preparation. State and local buyers are issuing IFBs, RFPs, and RFQs for fresh produce supply contracts with weekly or bi-weekly delivery to multiple facility locations, typically incorporating quality standards, temperature control requirements, traceability documentation, and compliance with food safety regulations. Issuing bodies include state departments of criminal justice and health and human services, county school nutrition programs, school districts, county parks and recreation departments, and specialized health care facilities. Texas Department of Criminal Justice and Texas Health and Human Services Commission appear as repeat buyers, soliciting produce for multiple facility locations and food warehouse operations.

Recent activity concentrates heavily in Texas and Georgia. Texas procurement spans institutional food service across TDCJ facilities in Huntsville, Snyder, Palestine, and other locations, as well as HHSC state-supported living centers in Lufkin and Mexia; recent opportunities include TDCJ solicitations for fresh fruit and vegetables (IW267376, IW267420, IW267411, posted October 2026 with October 14–19 response dates), carrots (IW253079), white potatoes (IW253099), and sweet potatoes (IW253121), alongside HHSC food service grocery bids for FY27 operations. Georgia school districts including Bryan County, Dougherty County, Bartow County, and Early County Schools are issuing school nutrition produce bids (PE55391NONST2026000000027, PE64710NONST2027000000078, PE55045NONST2027000000006, posted May–June 2026). Additional recent opportunities include Madison Metropolitan School District's Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Snacks program (RFB 4163, July 2026, incorporating USDA program sourcing with local-vendor preference), Illinois Department of Corrections fresh produce delivery to Joliet Treatment Center (IFB 27426DOCJOLIEB53849, August 2026, with small-business set-aside), and Collier County Board of County Commissioners food services at North Collier Regional Park (ITN 258360, March 2025 response deadline).