UNSPSC 50521701: Non GMO apple bananas

The variety of non GMO bananas known as non GMO apple bananas. 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 50521701 Non GMO apple bananas (Commodity) covers fresh banana procurement for school nutrition programs, though recent activity shows broader fresh produce sourcing rather than non-GMO or apple-banana varietal specificity alone. State and local school districts—spanning elementary through high school and nutrition departments—dominate solicitation activity under this code. The work being solicited is fresh fruit and produce supply to support National School Lunch Programs, School Breakfast Programs, and USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Programs, typically requiring weekly or bi-weekly delivery to multiple school sites with strict specifications on ripeness, temperature maintenance, case pack counts, shelf life, food safety documentation (HACCP plans, traceability, recall procedures), and compliance with Buy American provisions. School districts emphasize quality standards, delivery reliability (often 98% fill-rate minimums), competitive pricing benchmarked against USDA market indices, and liability insurance in the $500,000 to $2,000,000 range. Evaluation commonly weights cost at 30–50%, vendor qualifications and experience at 15–30%, and product quality and service capability at 15–30%.

Recent activity concentrates in Georgia, with school districts in Hancock County, Bulloch County, Glynn County, Muscogee County, Liberty County, and Savannah-Chatham County posting solicitations between March and June 2026; activity also appears in Texas (Austin ISD, McAllen ISD) and Florida (Hillsborough County). Madison Metropolitan School District (Wisconsin) posted Solicitation 4162 on July 8, 2026, for petite bananas (70–90 cases weekly, estimated $78,000 annual value, bids due July 29, 2026) requiring 150-count case packs at ripeness stage 3.5–4.5 per Chiquita color guide, delivery Monday–Friday 5:00–7:00 a.m., and HACCP plan submission prior to award. Douglas County School System (Georgia) issued RFP SN 26-004 through the GEC Buying Cooperative on February 4, 2026, for fresh produce and eggs to 30 districts across two geographic areas (estimated annual spending $4.4 million for Area One, $1.1 million for Area Two, responses due March 4, 2026), with cost-plus-fixed-fee pricing tied to USDA Terminal Market and Urner Barry indices and award on a line-item basis to multiple vendors. Opportunities appear consistently through the first half of 2026, with most school districts operating on fiscal-year cycles (July 1 contract start) and accepting bids through spring months.