UNSPSC 50525900: Non GMO pommegranates

The type of non GMO fruit known as non GMO pommegranates. 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 50525900 Non-GMO pomegranates is a Class code that shows a persistent mismatch between its taxonomy name and the actual state and local procurement activity tagged under it. Recent opportunities posted under this code solicit fresh produce for school nutrition programs, but the sourced items span bananas, apples, berries, peppers, tomatoes, leafy greens, eggs, and dozens of other commodities—not pomegranates or specialty fruit specifically. School districts are the dominant issuing bodies, with recent RFPs, RFBs, and ITBs from Madison Metropolitan School District (Wisconsin), Hancock County Board of Education (Georgia), Bartow County School System (Georgia), Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida), Bulloch County School District (Georgia), Liberty County Board of Education (Georgia), Muscogee County School District (Georgia), Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (Georgia), Glynn County Board of Education (Georgia), McAllen Independent School District (Texas), Austin Independent School District (Texas), and Douglas County School System (Georgia, via cooperative). A few opportunities name state-level or cooperative purchasing vehicles—the State of Georgia issued a food and kitchen products solicitation in May 2026, and the GEC Buying Cooperative is procuring for 30 Georgia districts on a cooperative vehicle serving approximately $5.5 million in combined annual spending across two geographic areas.

Activity is heavily concentrated in Georgia, with secondary activity in Wisconsin, Florida, and Texas. Representative recent solicitations include Madison Metropolitan School District's RFB 4162 for petite bananas (bids due July 29, 2026, at $78,000 estimated annual value), the Hillsborough County Public Schools RFP for the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (proposals due March 11, 2026, $600,000 estimated annual budget), and the Douglas County School System RFP SN 26-004 through the GEC Buying Cooperative (proposals due March 4, 2026, approximately $5.5 million annual spending for 30 districts). Procurement terms are typically annual or multi-year with renewal options, delivery is weekly or more frequent to school sites, and evaluation criteria emphasize cost competitiveness (typically 30–50% weight), vendor qualifications and experience, product quality, HACCP compliance, Buy American compliance, and compliance certifications including E-Verify, debarment, and insurance. The code sees active, recurring procurement from school districts using standard state RFP, RFB, and ITB processes, though the mismatch between the code name and actual commodity scope suggests this code may be misapplied in the underlying state and local procurement systems.