UNSPSC 50443909: Frozen spiny bitter gourd

The variety of gourds known as spiny bitter gourd that has been frozen for preservation.

UNSPSC 50443909 Frozen spiny bitter gourd, a Commodity code, shows no recent state and local procurement activity aligned with its nominal scope; the recent opportunities block contains no solicitations for frozen spiny bitter gourd or functionally equivalent frozen gourd products. Instead, state and local buyers are currently soliciting frozen vegetables across a much broader range — frozen corn, frozen potato products, frozen mixed vegetables, frozen carrots, frozen broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, peas, and stir-fry blends — through ITBs and IFBs issued by departments of corrections, school districts, health and human services agencies, and other institutional food service operators. The pattern reflects heavy procurement demand for cold-storage commodity vegetables by correctional facilities (Oregon DOC, Texas DOC) and school nutrition programs (multiple Georgia, Connecticut, Missouri, Texas, and Virginia districts), with standard specifications requiring USDA/FDA compliance, HACCP plans, firm fixed pricing per unit or per pound, and delivery FOB destination within 30 to 45 days of order.

Geographic activity concentrates in Oregon, Texas, Georgia, and Virginia, with secondary activity in Connecticut, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. Representative recent opportunities include the Oregon Department of Corrections' July 2026 solicitations for frozen corn (40,000 pounds, ITB S2910000017451, due July 24, 2026 at $0.498 per pound historical pricing) and frozen potato products—french fries, wedges, tater tots (120,000 pounds, ITB S2910000017439, due July 24, 2026 at $0.3811 per pound historical pricing)—both offering Oregon-vendor preferences up to ten percent combined; the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's food and consumable procurement for the El Paso State Supported Living Center (IFB HHS0017449, due July 13, 2026, prior-period value $1.5 million); and the Fairfax County Public Schools Master Grocery K-12 contract (IFB 2000004323, due April 27, 2026) covering 45 schools and seven distribution kitchens across Virginia. Spiny bitter gourd does not appear in any of these active solicitations, signaling either lack of institutional demand or misclassification of this commodity within state and local procurement taxonomy.