UNSPSC 50586202: Non GMO centennial sweet potatoes

The variety of Non GMO sweet potatoes known as Non GMO centennial sweet potatoes. 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 50586202 Non GMO centennial sweet potatoes is a Commodity code. State and local school districts and education agencies are the primary buyers, procuring fresh produce for child nutrition programs — school breakfast and lunch service, USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program distributions, and Farm to School initiatives. Sweet potatoes appear as line items within broader fresh-produce solicitations rather than as standalone commodity buys; the recent opportunities show districts sourcing comprehensive produce portfolios that include sweet potatoes alongside apples, carrots, broccoli, leafy greens, citrus, berries, and other staples. Bulloch County School District's Invitation for Proposal explicitly names sweet potatoes at $2.00 per pound (historical pricing, 2025-2026) as part of its 24-item local-produce program serving approximately 11,200 students. Early County Board of Education's FY27 Food Bid covers "approximately 300+ food items" with vegetables as a primary category. Districts emphasize domestic sourcing preferences, low-sodium formulations, products without added sugars or artificial additives, and compliance with USDA Whole Grain Rich and Buy American provisions. Issuing bodies include independent school districts (Northside, Austin, McAllen, Savannah-Chatham, Rockwood R-VI, Early County, Glynn County, Liberty County, Muscogee County, Douglas County, Hillsborough County), state departments of education, and county boards of education across Georgia, Texas, Florida, and Missouri. Many districts use cooperative purchasing vehicles such as the GEC (Georgia Educational Cooperative) Buying Cooperative, which bundled produce procurement across 30 districts in two geographic areas with estimated annual spending of $4.4 million for Area One and $1.1 million for Area Two.

Recent opportunities cluster heavily in Georgia and Texas. Georgia school districts — Bulloch County, Early County, Liberty County, Muscogee County, Savannah-Chatham, Glynn County, and Douglas County (via GEC) — issued IFBs and RFPs between late February and early May 2026 with response dates clustered in late March through early May 2026. Texas districts including Northside Independent School District (San Antonio), McAllen Independent School District, and Austin Independent School District issued RFPs in February and March 2026 with response dates in March and early April 2026. Hillsborough County Public Schools (Tampa, Florida) solicited for the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program with a March 11, 2026 due date; Rockwood R-VI School District (Missouri) solicited grocery items with an April 29, 2026 deadline. Competitive bidding is the standard procurement method — IFBs, RFPs, and ITBs with public bid openings and award determinations within 60–90 days of closing. Contracts run July 1 through June 30 and typically include renewal options for two to four additional one-year terms. Vendors must meet HACCP certification, Buy American compliance, debarment and E-Verify clearance, general liability insurance ($1 million to $2 million per occurrence depending on district), and traceability and recall procedures. Price evaluation often uses USDA Agricultural Marketing Service terminal market reports or Urner Barry commodity pricing as benchmarks, with firm pricing for the contract year and documented cost-adjustment allowances triggered by commodity price movements exceeding 3–5% depending on district policy.