UNSPSC 50586608: Non GMO potato yams

The variety of Non GMO yams known as Non GMO potato yams. 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 50586608 Non GMO potato yams, a Commodity code, sees state and local procurement focused on fresh produce and food service supplies for school nutrition programs, with recent solicitations showing broad demand across elementary, middle, and high schools rather than the specialized non-GMO root-vegetable niche the code name suggests. School districts dominate the issuing body mix, competing for supplies across multiple sourcing models: line-item awards to multiple vendors, cooperative purchasing vehicles spanning 12 to 30 districts, and single-vendor contracts. Representative recent opportunities include Early County Board of Education (Georgia) soliciting 300+ food items including vegetables for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs (due June 8, 2026, IFB), Northside Independent School District (San Antonio, Texas) seeking fresh produce for child nutrition across 127 schools with emphasis on USDA Child Nutrition Reimbursable compliance and Texas-grown sourcing (due May 7, 2026, RFP 2026-048), Hillsborough County Public Schools (Tampa, Florida) procuring specialty fruits and vegetables for the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program serving 18 elementary schools (due March 11, 2026, RFP with estimated annual budget of $600,000), and Douglas County School System (Georgia) through the GEC Buying Cooperative seeking fresh produce and eggs across 30 districts with estimated annual spending of $4.4 million (Area One) and $1.1 million (Area Two) (due March 4, 2026, RFP).

Georgia and Texas lead recent activity, with additional solicitation volume from Missouri, Florida, and multistate cooperative purchasing arrangements. The code shows consistent year-round competition tied to school calendar cycles (July 1 through June 30 contract periods predominate), with delivery windows typically Monday through Friday, 6:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Vendors are regularly required to maintain HACCP plans, traceability systems, general liability insurance ($500,000 to $2 million minimum), Buy American certifications, E-Verify compliance, and compliance with USDA whole-grain and non-GMO preferences where applicable. Price evaluation frequently references USDA Agricultural Marketing Service or Terminal Wholesale Market Reports as benchmarks, with most contracts awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder on a per-unit or per-case basis. No set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises are identified across the recent opportunities, and cooperative purchasing vehicles permit piggybacking by other districts. The code's recent activity departs significantly from the specific non-GMO potato and yam commodity name — most solicitations span comprehensive fresh-produce categories (apples, bananas, berries, leafy greens, root vegetables, and eggs) without explicit non-GMO designation, suggesting either broad tagging or minimal specialized demand for non-GMO root vegetables in isolation.