UNSPSC 50582800: Non GMO chards

The type of Non GMO vegetable known as Non GMO chards. 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 50582800 Non GMO chards (Class) serves state and local school nutrition programs as a source for fresh produce procurement, though the code itself does not dominate solicitations — rather, chards and specialty greens appear as line items within broader fresh-produce and food-service buys that school districts and state agencies issue regularly. The work being solicited under this code centers on sourcing fresh, compliant produce for child nutrition programs, National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) support, and farm-to-school initiatives that emphasize local, quality, and health-conscious sourcing. School districts are the dominant issuing bodies — elementary, middle, and high school nutrition services across county and independent districts solicit produce on annual cycles through RFP, IFB, and ITB notice types. State agencies and cooperative purchasing vehicles (notably the GEC Buying Cooperative, spanning 30 Georgia school districts) also participate. Evaluation criteria commonly weight price at 30–50 percent, with product quality, vendor experience, alignment with district needs, and long-term cost comprising the remainder. Vendors must typically maintain HACCP certification, carry $1 million to $2 million in general liability insurance, comply with Buy American provisions (domestic sourcing preferred, sometimes with geographic preferences for products grown within 50–200 miles), provide food-safety documentation including GAP audit certificates, maintain traceability systems with 24/7 recall accessibility, and submit debarment, E-Verify, and lobbying certifications.

Recent activity concentrates heavily in Georgia, Texas, and Missouri. Glynn County Board of Education (IFB 27-02, due April 14, 2026) solicited 60 produce line items for 16 schools with weekly Tuesday delivery, pricing indexed to USDA Atlanta Terminal Market Prices. The Bulloch County School District (IFP, due May 4, 2026) sought 24 locally-grown items (within 200 miles) for its Farm to School program serving 11,200 students across 14 schools. Northside Independent School District in San Antonio (RFP 2026-048, due May 7, 2026) requested fresh produce for 127 campus sites with USDA Child Nutrition Reimbursable compliance and Texas-grown "Harvest of the Month" prioritization. Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa (RFP 26039RFPDST, due March 11, 2026) procured specialty produce for the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) across 18 elementary schools with a $600,000 estimated annual budget funded entirely by USDA grant. Early County Board of Education in Georgia (PE55045NONST2027000000006, due June 8, 2026) solicited line-by-line food and non-food bids for NSLP and SBP spanning 300+ items. The State of Georgia (PE68504NONST2026000000006, IFB #4 2027-2026, due May 27, 2026) and Rockwood R-VI School District in Missouri (ITB, due April 29, 2026, 900+ line items) issued broad institutional buys where chards would compete as one produce option among many. Contract terms typically run July 1 through June 30 with renewal options for two to four additional one-year periods. Pricing requirements vary — some districts lock prices firm for 12 months with midterm adjustments only if manufacturer price increases exceed 3–5 percent with documentation; others allow monthly redetermination indexed to USDA market reports or Consumer Price Index data.