UNSPSC 50446813: Frozen bittermelon

The type of vegetable known as bittermelon that has been frozen for preservation.

UNSPSC 50446813 Frozen bittermelon, a Commodity code, describes a single frozen vegetable product line, yet the recent state and local opportunities tagged under this code show no procurement activity for bittermelon itself. Instead, the dataset reflects a broad pattern of frozen vegetable solicitations across state corrections facilities, school districts, and health and human services agencies nationwide, with frozen corn, frozen carrots, frozen assorted blends, and mixed frozen vegetables dominating recent bids rather than bittermelon. The code's scope in practice encompasses institutional food service procurement for correctional facilities, school nutrition programs, and state health agencies, where frozen vegetables supply high-volume meal preparation across dozens to hundreds of daily servings and require compliance with USDA/FDA standards, specific shelf-life minimums (typically six months to one year), Grade A or B certification, HACCP protocols, and detailed nutritional labeling. Issuing bodies range from state departments of corrections in Oregon and Texas, state health and human services commissions, county school districts and boards of education in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and other states, county correctional facilities, and municipal school systems, with school districts representing the dominant buyer class across the dataset. Geographic activity concentrates in the South and Southeast (Georgia, Texas, Florida) and Pacific Northwest (Oregon), with secondary activity in the Mid-Atlantic (Pennsylvania), Missouri, Illinois, and Connecticut.

Recent representative opportunities include the Oregon Department of Corrections' ITBs for frozen corn (40,000 pounds, ITB S2910000017451, due July 24, 2026) and frozen potato products (120,000 pounds, ITB S2910000017439, due July 24, 2026, both with 5% Oregon-supplier preference); the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's IFB for supplemental food and consumable products serving state hospitals and supported living centers statewide (210 line items including frozen specialty foods, IFB HHS0016792V2, maximum potential value $4.5 million over three years); the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's IFB for cafeteria food products across five geographic TDCJ warehouse locations (382 line items including frozen entrees and proteins, IFB 304T26300CF, extended response deadline May 4, 2026); and multiple school district procurements including Fairfax County Public Schools' Master Grocery K-12 contract (IFB 2000004323, due April 27, 2026) and Burke County Public Schools' comprehensive food procurement across five schools (nearly 400 line items, sealed bids June 5, 2026). Pricing is typically firm and fixed for initial 12-month contract periods, with allowable midterm adjustments only when third-party market indices (USDA, CPI) document cost increases exceeding thresholds of 3% to 5%, and all delivery is FOB destination with freight prepaid by the vendor. Bittermelon specifically does not appear in any of the posted opportunities, suggesting minimal or no current state and local demand for this commodity under its discrete code.