UNSPSC 50520000: Non GMO fresh fruits

Fresh fruits that have been grown and harvested from plants certified as being non GMO. This means that they are produced without the use of methods that genetically modify organisms by means that are not possible under natural conditions. Such methods include cell fusion, microencapsulation and macro-encapsulation, and recombinant DNA technology (including gene deletion, gene doubling, introducing a foreign gene, and changing the positions of genes when achieved by recombinant DNA technology).

Traditional methods of breeding, conjugation, fermentation, hybridization, in vitro fertilization, or tissue culture are considered to be non-GMO.

UNSPSC 50520000 Non GMO fresh fruits (Family) covers the procurement of fresh produce — primarily fresh fruits and vegetables — for school nutrition programs, child nutrition initiatives, and institutional food service operations. State and local governments buy under this code through school districts' National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program contracts, supplemented by USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) grants to elementary schools. Recent solicitations emphasize compliance with USDA Buy American provisions (minimum 51% domestic agricultural content for processed items), HACCP food safety plans with 24/7 recall accessibility, produce quality standards tied to ripeness and shelf life, weekly or twice-weekly delivery to multiple school sites, and insurance requirements typically ranging from $500,000 to $2 million in general liability coverage. Issuing bodies are predominantly independent school districts and county boards of education across multiple states, with repeat activity from Georgia school systems (Madison Metropolitan School District, Hancock County, Bartow County, Bulloch County, Liberty County, Muscogee County, Savannah-Chatham, Glynn County, and Douglas County cooperative purchasing) and activity in Texas (McAllen ISD, Austin ISD) and Florida (Hillsborough County).

Recent procurement activity concentrates in Georgia and Texas, reflecting the geographic footprint of the sampled opportunities. Representative solicitations include Madison Metropolitan School District's RFB 4162 for petite bananas (70–90 cases weekly, $78,000 annual value, July 29, 2026 due date), Hancock County Board of Education's IFB for fresh produce spanning over 200 line items with July 1, 2026 contract start (sealed bids due June 26, 2026), Bartow County School System's RFP 10-2026-019 for local fresh fruits and vegetables sourced within 400 miles (June 22, 2026 deadline, potential renewal through June 2031), and Hillsborough County Public Schools' RFP 26039RFPDST for FFVP specialty fruits and vegetables to 18 elementary schools at approximately $600,000 annual budget (March 11, 2026 deadline, estimated award August 4, 2026). School districts commonly use RFB, IFB, and RFP notice types with evaluation criteria weighting cost (typically 30–50%), vendor qualifications and experience (10–25%), product quality and freshness (10–30%), and diverse-owned business status (5% preference where applicable). Contract terms run annually July 1 through June 30 with renewal options extending up to four additional one-year periods. Pricing remains firm for the contract period in most cases, with prospective price redetermination permitted in January or upon documented USDA Agricultural Marketing Service or Bureau of Labor Statistics index increases.