UNSPSC 50414507: Organic red leaf lettuce

The variety of organic lettuce known as organic red leaf lettuce

UNSPSC 50414507 Organic red leaf lettuce (Commodity) is a specific produce item appearing in school nutrition procurement at the state and local level, though the recent solicitations rarely isolate organic red leaf lettuce as a standalone line item. State and local governments purchase this commodity primarily as part of broader fresh-produce contracts that support child nutrition programs under federal reimbursement (USDA National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program). Procurement spans school districts of varying sizes, from small rural systems to large urban districts serving 19,000 to 83,000 students, along with state departments and county education systems. Contracts typically bundle dozens or hundreds of produce line items—including lettuces, salad mixes, and leafy greens—under a single RFP, RFQ, IFB, or ITB, with vendors evaluated on unit pricing, quality standards, delivery reliability, and compliance with USDA Buy American provisions. Key requirements include HACCP certification, product recall procedures, minimum shelf life (typically five to fourteen days from delivery), temperature-controlled transport, weekly or twice-weekly delivery windows (often 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.), and pricing anchored to USDA Agricultural Marketing Service market reports or Consumer Price Index data.

Recent activity concentrates heavily in Georgia, Texas, and Missouri, with notable solicitations from Glynn County Board of Education (IFB 27-02, due April 14, 2026), Early County Board of Education (RFP, due June 8, 2026 covering 300+ food items including produce), Muscogee County School District (ITB 26-017, due April 27, 2026), Northside Independent School District in San Antonio (RFP 2026-048, due May 7, 2026), Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (Bid 26-34, due April 23, 2026), and the Douglas County School System cooperative procurement through the GEC Buying Cooperative (RFP SN 26-004, due March 4, 2026, spanning 30 school districts across two areas with estimated annual spending of $4.4 million for Area One). State-level activity includes Georgia Department of Education requests for fresh produce (IFB #4 2027-2026, due May 27, 2026). Most contracts run July 1 through June 30 with renewal options extending up to five years; pricing remains firm for initial award periods (typically one year) with redetermination on a six-month or annual basis supported by published market indices. No set-asides for disadvantaged vendors are identified across these solicitations, indicating open competitive procurement based on lowest responsive bid, product quality, and vendor qualifications.