UNSPSC 50582714: Non GMO standard bearer celery

The variety of Non GMO celery known as Non GMO standard bearer celery. 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 50582714 Non GMO standard bearer celery, Commodity tier, does not reflect the fresh produce procurement activity state and local governments are actually conducting. Recent solicitations filed under this code span broad fresh produce procurement—fruits, vegetables, eggs, and beverages—for school nutrition programs across multiple states, not celery specifically or non-GMO positioning alone. School districts and county boards of education dominate the issuing-body mix, with isolated state-level procurement and one cooperative purchasing vehicle (GEC Buying Cooperative serving 30 Georgia school districts). Georgia appears in the highest concentration of recent activity, followed by Texas and Florida, with additional solicitations in Missouri. Representative opportunities include Early County Board of Education's line-by-line food bid (due June 8, 2026) for 300+ items across meats, dairy, vegetables, and grains under National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs; Northside Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas seeking fresh produce for child nutrition (RFP 2026-048, due May 7, 2026) with evaluation weighted 35% to price and 25% to meeting district needs; Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa, Florida procuring fresh specialty fruits and vegetables for the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (RFP 26039RFPDST, due March 11, 2026) with an estimated annual budget of $600,000 and cost-plus fixed-fee-per-case contract structure; and Douglas County School System soliciting fresh produce and eggs through the GEC Buying Cooperative (RFP SN 26-004, due March 4, 2026) with estimated annual spend of approximately $5.5 million across 30 districts in two geographic areas.

School districts structure produce procurement through both single-vendor and multi-vendor awards on line-item bases, with evaluation criteria emphasizing price (30–50% weighting), product quality, vendor experience (typically three to five years minimum), and compliance with Buy American provisions. Delivery requirements run Monday through Friday between 6:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to school sites, with contract terms from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 and renewal options of one to four additional years. Common vendor qualifications include HACCP certification, general liability insurance ranging from $500,000 to $2 million, E-Verify compliance, debarment certification, and submission of food safety documentation and references. Price structures vary—some districts require firm fixed pricing for the full term, others allow documented cost adjustments using USDA Agricultural Marketing Service or Consumer Price Index data with thresholds (e.g., only increases exceeding 3% or 5%), and the Douglas County cooperative model specifies cost-plus-fixed-fee with pricing capped at published USDA and Urner Barry market reports. Set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises are not noted across the recent opportunities; Austin Independent School District, however, actively encourages small, local, and minority/women-owned business participation and prioritizes Texas-grown products when quality and cost align. No incumbent vendors are identified in the source materials, and the code sees consistent activity across the first half of 2026 with response dates concentrated in late April and May.