UNSPSC 50407040: Lotus root

The type of vegetable known as lotus root

UNSPSC 50407040 Lotus root, a Commodity code, does not reflect the actual procurement activity in the recent state and local opportunities tagged under it. The opportunities consistently solicit fresh produce, vegetables, and prepared food service items for institutional facilities—correctional institutions, state-supported living centers, school districts, senior centers, and mental health facilities—but only one tangential solicitation references root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes), and none names lotus root specifically. State and local governments buying under this code procurement are primarily correctional departments (Texas Department of Criminal Justice), state health and human services commissions, school nutrition programs (Texas, Georgia, Illinois, Wisconsin, and others), county governments, and specialized service agencies (state-supported living centers, mental health facilities, senior programs). The mix of recent opportunities spans IFBs, RFPs, RFQs, and ITNs with response dates between June and October 2026.

Across the recent opportunities, the actual procurement scope emphasizes fresh fruits, vegetables, and produce delivery in bulk quantities to institutional food service operations—including weekly or bi-weekly deliveries of apples, bananas, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, and other seasonal produce, typically with F.O.B. Destination pricing, temperature-controlled transport, and compliance with USDA and food-safety standards. Geographic activity concentrates in Texas (Texas Department of Criminal Justice warehouses, HHS-managed state facilities, and school districts), Georgia (Bartow County Schools, Dougherty County Schools, Bryan County Schools, and Early County Schools), Illinois (Department of Corrections, Department of Mental Health), and Wisconsin (Madison Metropolitan School District), with additional scattered activity in Florida (Collier County) and a Marion Health Care Coalition procurement in an unspecified jurisdiction. Representative recent opportunities include the Texas HHSC consumables solicitation HHS0018082 for Lufkin State Supported Living Center (IFB, response October 23, 2026), multiple TDCJ fresh fruit and vegetable procurements (IW267376, IW267420, IW267411, September–October 2026), Illinois Department of Corrections fresh produce for Joliet Treatment Center (27426DOCJOLIEB53849, IFB due September 3, 2026), and school district solicitations including Dougherty County Board of Education fresh produce (sealed bid due June 16, 2026) and Bartow County Schools local fresh fruits and vegetables (due June 22, 2026). The code as presently tagged does not align with actual institutional food service procurement; vendors pursuing this category should validate category assignment with purchasing offices and focus upstream on broader fresh produce and institutional food supply codes.