UNSPSC 50445807: Frozen kelp

The variety of sea vegetables known as kelp that has been frozen for preservation.

UNSPSC 50445807 Frozen kelp, a Commodity code, captures state and local procurement of shelf-stable and frozen food products for institutional feeding—principally correctional facilities, state-supported living centers, schools, and senior services. Recent opportunities show no direct procurement of kelp; instead, the code appears to reflect a broad tagging of frozen vegetable and protein supply contracts. State and local buying under this nominal code spans frozen vegetables (corn, mixed assortments, potato products), proteins, dairy, canned goods, condiments, and disposables delivered to correctional facilities, state hospitals, school nutrition programs, and community services departments. Issuing bodies include county governments (Gwinnett County, Montgomery County in Pennsylvania), state departments (Oregon Department of Corrections, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, State of Illinois, State of New Jersey), city school districts (Bridgeport, Burke County, Early County, Ben Hill County in Georgia), and independent state-supported living centers across Texas. Texas agencies emerge as repeat buyers, with multiple HHSC solicitations for frozen foods, fresh produce, and consumables spanning state hospitals and supported living centers.

Recent opportunities cluster in the South and West. The Oregon Department of Corrections issued three separate ITBs for frozen vegetables and potato products in June and July 2026, all with Oregon vendor preferences (combined 10 percent preference for Oregon-fabricated goods and resident bidders). Texas facilities—HHSC state supported living centers in Mexia and El Paso, TDCJ cafeteria supply—posted multiple IFBs in July and August 2026 with response dates ranging from July 24 through August 25 and historical awards to vendors including Alpine Food Group, Robbins Sales, and JNS Foods. Georgia school districts (Burke County, Early County, Ben Hill County) and Gwinnett County issued food procurement RFQs and IFBs in May and June 2026 with June and early-July response dates. Pennsylvania's Montgomery County Correctional Facility issued a rebid (solicitation 426) due July 1, 2026, for grocery and meat delivery July 13 through October 12, 2026, with a prior iteration (726) due September 30, 2026. The State of Illinois Veterans Home at Quincy posted weekly food orders due August 24, 2026, with brand-or-equal specifications. Representative volumes range from 1,062 cases (Gwinnett County), approximately 40,000 pounds of frozen corn (Oregon), to $9 million estimated annual spend on frozen foods for Texas state hospitals and supported living centers. Delivery typically occurs within 24 to 72 hours or on weekly/monthly schedules; F.O.B. destination and prepaid transportation are standard. Award generally flows to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder or best-value proposer; no formal set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises appear in the opportunities posted, though Texas procurement mandates HUB subcontracting considerations where applicable.