UNSPSC 50544443: Frozen non GMO thornton oranges

The variety of non GMO mandarin oranges and tangerines known as non GMO thornton oranges that have been frozen for preservation. 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 50544443 Frozen non-GMO Thornton oranges is a Commodity code that in practice captures frozen citrus and specialty fruit products for school meal programs, though recent state and local solicitations under this code show minimal direct activity for the specific product named. The code appears underutilized or misaligned with actual procurement patterns; the most recent opportunities tagged to it involve broad grocery, produce, and food-service-distribution buys that span hundreds of line items across multiple produce categories, proteins, dairy, and prepared foods rather than a narrow frozen-orange focus. School districts and county boards of education dominate the issuing bodies, with activity concentrated in Georgia (Douglas County Schools, Hancock County Schools, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, Decatur City Schools, Early County Schools), Connecticut (City of Bridgeport), and Missouri (Rockwood School District). These solicitations typically support the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program under Buy American provisions requiring 51 percent domestic agricultural commodity content, HACCP certification, and whole-grain and low-sodium nutrition standards.

The representative opportunities show fresh produce and frozen food contracts with due dates spanning February through June 2026. The Douglas County School System issued an RFP for fresh produce and eggs (due March 4, 2026) covering 30 districts across Georgia with estimated spending of approximately $4.4 million and $1.1 million for two geographic areas, and a separate RFP for food supply and distribution services (due February 18, 2026) with estimated annual expenditure of approximately $9,000,000 serving 32 schools. The City of Bridgeport Department of Public Purchases solicited grocery items for the Board of Education (due June 30, 2026) spanning over 1,100 line items with firm fixed pricing and delivery to a central warehouse and school sites. Hancock County Board of Education issued an IFB for fresh produce (due June 26, 2026) covering over 200 line items of apples, berries, vegetables, melons, and citrus fruits with three-location delivery. The Rockwood R-VI School District in Missouri sought grocery items (due April 29, 2026) encompassing over 900 line items across snacks, fruits, vegetables, meats, and prepared entrees serving approximately 6,900 daily lunch and 900 breakfast participants. All contracts run July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 with firm pricing, no separate fuel surcharges, and payment terms between Net 30 and Net 45 days. Vendors must carry $500,000 to $2,000,000 general liability insurance, comply with E-Verify requirements, provide food-safety documentation including HACCP plans and recall procedures, and meet debarment and suspension verification for larger awards.