UNSPSC 50407056: Taro

The type of vegetable known as taro

UNSPSC 50407056 Taro is a Commodity code. State and local governments procure fresh produce—including taro, carrots, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, and other vegetables and specialty crops—under this code to supply school nutrition programs, early childhood care centers, senior services, and correctional facilities. Recent solicitations show sourcing driven by federal nutrition mandates: the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program funds elementary school produce distribution; the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) supports head start and child care; and the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program anchor K-12 food service procurement. Issuing bodies are predominantly school districts and boards of education (ranging from small rural districts to large urban systems like Austin ISD and Northside ISD in Texas, and Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools in Georgia) alongside specialized nutrition programs serving seniors, incarcerated populations, and children. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice appears repeatedly, procuring potatoes and carrots in bulk for institutional food service across multiple facilities. School districts dominate the volume, with procurement offices issuing RFPs, RFBs, and ITBs for annual or multi-year contracts that commonly include local-sourcing mandates, organic preferences, farm-of-origin traceability, and sustainability criteria.

Recent activity concentrates in Georgia and Texas. Georgia school districts—including Bartow County, Dougherty County, Glynn County, Bulloch County, Douglas County (through a multi-district cooperative), Liberty County, Bryan County, and Henry County—have posted multiple sealed-bid and RFP opportunities for fresh produce and localized farm-to-school programs, many specifying delivery within 200–400 miles and emphasizing seasonal, locally grown items. Texas procurement includes school districts (McAllen ISD, Austin ISD, Northside ISD), Head Start (Head Start of Greater Dallas), the state comptroller on behalf of TDCJ (institutional cafeteria food products across five warehouses), and the TDCJ itself (individual bulk vegetable bids for white potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots). Florida and Connecticut have also posted produce procurement: Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa for the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, and Meriden Public Schools in Connecticut for school nutrition. Representative opportunities include the Madison Metropolitan School District's RFB 4163 for fresh fruit and vegetable snacks (due July 29, 2026, sourced within Wisconsin and 400 miles, with USDA FFVP funding contingent on grant approval); the Northside Independent School District RFP 2026-048 for fresh produce delivery five days per week to 117 campuses (due May 7, 2026, with USDA Child Nutrition Reimbursable compliance required); and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice IFB IW241979-A for 1,200 tons of carrots (originally due March 17, 2026, with service-disabled veteran and Texas-vendor set-asides under 34 TAC Rule 20.306). Evaluation typically weights price at 30–50 percent alongside product quality, delivery reliability, local/domestic sourcing, and vendor qualifications including HACCP certification, liability insurance ($500,000 to $2 million), and Buy American compliance. Contract terms are commonly one year with optional renewals for two to four additional years, and delivery is weekly or multiple times per week on fixed schedules with FOB destination and inside delivery requirements.