APPROVED

FEDERAL PURCHASE 

PROGRAM SPECIFICATION 

(FPPS) FOR ATLANTIC 

GROUNDFISH FILLET

PORTIONS, FROZEN

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

Livestock and Poultry (LP) Program 

Standards and Specification Division (SSD)

Room 3932-S, STOP 0258

Phone: (202) 690-3148

Effective: July 2020

Approved by DBJ

Date Issued: 07/21/20

Date Revised: 

100 ITEM DESCRIPTION

110 Atlantic Groundfish Fillet Portions, Practically Boneless, Frozen

110.1 Atlantic Groundfish fillet portions shall be derived from wild caught Atlantic 

Pollock (Pollachius virens), Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) and 

Ocean Perch (Sebastes fasciatus). 

120 Portion Weight – The weight for fillet portions shall be 4.0 ounces for Atlantic 

Pollock, 4.0 ounces for Haddock and 2.0 ounces for Ocean Perch.

130 Packing – Individually quick frozen (IQF) fillet portions shall be packed in a 2-

pound primary package. Twenty 2-pound primary packages shall be packed 

in a 40-pound (net weight) shipping container.

140 Delivery Unit – Each delivery unit shall consist of 900 shipping containers with 

a net weight of 36,000 pounds.

200 CHECKLIST OF REQUIREMENTS

201 All processing facilities used in fulfilling USDA contracts shall be a United 

States Department of Commerce (USDC) Approved Establishment. For 

information regarding Seafood Inspection, see the following web site address: 

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/seafood-commercecertification#seafood-inspection

210 MATERIALS

211 FISH FLESH
Approved by DBJ

Date Issued: 07/21/20

Date Revised: 2

211.1 Domestic Origin of Fish Flesh - Only wild caught Atlantic Pollock (Pollachius 

virens), Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) and Ocean Perch (Sebastes 

fasciatus) produced in the United States (U.S.) shall be used. U.S. produced 

Atlantic groundfish shall be wild caught fish harvested in U.S. waters on U.S. 

flagged fishing vessels and processed on U.S. flagged processing vessels or 

in processing facilities based in the U.S. or U.S. Territories. 

211.1.1 Vessel Trip Registration (VTR) Number – The VTR Number(s) associated 

with all fish used to fulfill USDA contracts shall be provided on bills of lading, 

shipping bills, packing lists, or other documentation with each shipment of 

raw materials used to produce groundfish fillet portions.

211.1.2 If VTR Numbers are not available, processor must be able to provide full 

traceability back to the US vendor or boat where the fish was purchased

which demonstrates domestic origin of raw materials.

211.2 Practically boneless fillet portions shall be processed from either fresh fish

fillets; fresh headed and gutted fish; or from individually quick frozen (IQF) 

practically boneless fish fillets. The practically boneless Atlantic groundfish

fillet portions shall be glazed or individually vacuum packed and stored in a

commercial freezer at 0°F or below. Portions processed from practically 

boneless frozen fish fillets shall remain frozen, then individually glazed or 

vacuum packed.

211.3 Objectionable Materials – The contractor shall identify and develop a strategy 

and have a written quality plan to effectively remove all bones, skin (for 

skinless fillet portions), organs, tails, fins and foreign materials.

211.4 Fillet portions with added ingredients in any processing manner are not 

permitted. This includes, but is not limited to, preservatives and additives 

deriving from natural or artificial sources through methods such as injecting or 

soaking.

212 FINISHED PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS

212.1 Portion Weight – During production, target portion weight for fillets shall be:

212.1.1 4.0 ounces for Atlantic Pollock. Quality assurance plans shall apply upper 

and lower specification limits of 3.0 and 5.0 ounces, respectively. 

212.1.2 4.0 ounces for Haddock. Quality assurance plans shall apply upper and lower

specification limits of 2.0 and 6.0 ounces, respectively.

212.1.3 2.0 ounces for Ocean Perch. Quality assurance plans shall apply upper and 

lower specification limits of 1.0 and 3.0 ounces, respectively.

212.2 Fillet Portions shall be fabricated to meet the following requirements:

212.2.1 Atlantic Pollock fillet portions shall be practically boneless and skinless.
Approved by DBJ

Date Issued: 07/21/20

Date Revised: 3

212.2.2 Haddock fillet portions shall be practically boneless and skinless.

212.2.3 Ocean Perch fillet portions shall be practically boneless and skin-on.

 

212.3 Individual fillet portions shall be glazed or vacuum packaged so the fillets do 

not stick together.

213 PREPARATION/COOKING METHODS

213.1 Handling, preparation and cooking instructions for the end user shall be 

declared and appear on the individual bags (primary packages).

214 METAL DETECTION

214.1 Metal Detection - All product shall be free of metal contaminants. Detection 

of stainless steel, ferrous, and non-ferrous (e.g., lead, copper, and aluminum) 

metals is required. 

215 STATE OF REFRIGERATION

215.1 Atlantic groundfish fillet portions processed from chilled (not previously

frozen) fish fillets or chilled headed and gutted fish shall be subjected to a 

freezing process and then stored at 00F or below immediately after 

processing. Fish fillet portions processed from individually quick frozen (IQF) 

practically boneless fish fillets shall remain frozen during processing and then 

stored at 00F or below immediately after processing. 

215.2 Atlantic groundfish fillet portions shall be stored, shipped, and delivered at 

temperatures that do not exceed 0oF.

220 PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY

221 PACKAGING AND PACKING

221.1 Packaging – The 2-pound primary packages shall be closed by heat seal, 

may be commercially marked and may be re-sealable. All primary packages 

shall function as a tamper evidence indicator to provide added assurance of 

product integrity through the method of sealing or closure.

221.2 Packing –Twenty 2-pound primary packages shall be packed in a 40-pound 

(net weight) shipping container.

221.3 Shipping Container - The shipping containers (cases) shall be in compliance 

with the National Motor Freight Classification or Uniform Freight 

Classification.

221.4 Style and Size of Container – Only one size and style of primary package and 

shipping container may be offered in an individual shipping unit.
Approved by DBJ

Date Issued: 07/21/20

Date Revised: 4

222 LABELING

222.1 Processor shall meet all labeling laws. Both primary and shipping containers 

shall be labeled to include all information required by USDC regulations and 

contain the required information listed below. 

222.2 Primary package – The following information shall be on each bag:

222.2.1 Product name.

222.2.2 Manufacturer name and address.

222.2.3 Ingredient declaration.

222.2.4 An allergen statement in a format which complies with the Food Allergen 

Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) for any product which 

contains milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, soy and/or 

wheat; e.g. Allergen: This product contains ______.

222.2.5 A traceability code that includes information regarding production 

establishment, production date(s), production code(s) and production lot.

222.2.6 Nutrition Facts panel.

222.2.7 Cooking Instructions.

222.2.8 Safe handling instructions.

222.3 Shipping Container –The following information shall be on each case:

222.3.1 USDA Shield – The Shield shall be at least 2 inches high and shall appear on 

top or on the principal display panel of each shipping container or on a label 

affixed to the shipping container.

222.3.2 The applicable purchase order number.

222.3.3 A traceability code that includes information regarding production

establishment, production date(s), production code(s) and production lot.

222.3.4 Nutrition facts panel.

222.3.5 Handling, preparation and cooking instructions (optional).
Approved by DBJ

Date Issued: 07/21/20

Date Revised: 5

222.3.6 Material Number1/

222.3.7.1 111291 for Atlantic Pollock

222.3.7.2 111292 for Haddock

222.3.7.3 111293 for Ocean Perch

222.3.8 Product name1/

222.3.8.1 Atlantic Pollock Fillet Portions, Frozen.

222.3.8.2 Haddock Fillet Portions, Frozen.

222.3.8.3 Ocean Perch Fillets, Frozen.

222.3.9 An allergen statement in a format which complies with the Food Allergen 

Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) for any product which 

contains milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, soy and/or 

wheat; e.g. Allergen: This product contains ______.

223 PALLETIZED UNIT LOADS

223.1 All product shall be stacked on new or well-maintained pallets and palletized 

with shrink wrap plastic, unless otherwise specified in the invitation. Pallet 

loads shall be stacked in a manner that minimizes the overhang of the 

shipping containers over the edges of the pallets and exposes each shipping 

container’s principal display panel to facilitate certification examinations.

230 PRODUCT ASSURANCE

231 QUALITY ASSURANCE

231.1 All processors and processing facilities used to fulfill USDA contracts shall be

a USDC/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Seafood 

Inspection (SI) Approved Establishment. NOAA SI Approved Establishments 

must meet all pertinent Federal requirements applicable to processing fish 

and fishery products

232 DELIVERED PRODUCT

232.1 Delivery Unit - Each delivery unit shall consist of 900 shipping containers with 

a net weight of 36,000 pounds.

1/The contracting officer shall designate the fish species and Material Number for each solicitation.
Approved by DBJ

Date Issued: 07/21/20

Date Revised: 6

232.2 Sealing – All products shall be delivered to AMS assigned destinations under 

seal with tamper proof, tamper resistant, serially numbered, high security 

seals that meet the American Society for Testing and Materials Standard 

(ASTM) F 1157-04 and/or the International Organization for Standards (ISO) 

17712-2010 as required under this Supplement. Seals shall be >1⁄8 inch 

diameter cable, high-security bolt, or equivalent.

233 WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT RESOLUTION

233.1 Warranty – The contractor shall guarantee that the product complies with all 

contractual requirements.

233.2 Complaint Resolution – Customer complaint resolution procedures shall be 

developed by the contractor and shall provide the steps taken to resolve 

complaints received on the product, i.e., point of contact, cause and effect 

analysis, product replacement, monetary compensation and corrective and 

preventative actions taken.

240 NON-CONFORMING PRODUCT

241.1 The contractor shall develop a plan to assure that non-conforming product is 

not delivered under USDA contracts. The plan shall address 1) control and 

segregation of non-conforming product, 2) removal of any USDA markings, 

and 3) disposition of non-conforming product.

250 ACCEPTANCE AND CERTIFICATION

251 A USDC Seafood Inspector shall certify acceptable product and set forth on 

either a 1) Lot Inspection Certificate, 2) Certificate of Inspection, or 3) 

Memorandum Report of Inspection and Certificate of Loading, as appropriate, 

the following:

252.1 Purchase Order Number/Purchase Order Line Item Number;

252.2 Sales Order Number/Sales Order Line Item Number;

252.3 Destination of shipment;

252.4 Name of Product and applicable Material Number;

252.5 Shipping Date;

252.6 Production lot number(s) and date each lot was produced along with shipping

container and primary package code(s) and the code used that provides 

traceability to establishment number, production lot and date. The lot(s) listed 

on this certificate conforms to the USDA Food Purchase Program 

Specification (FPPS).;
Approved by DBJ 

Date Issued: 07/21/20

Date Revised: 7 

252.7 Count of shipping containers and total projected net weight in each 

production lot;

252.8 Count of shipping containers and total projected net weight per delivery unit;

252.9 Identity of car or truck (car numbers and letters, seals, truck license, etc.) as

applicable;

252.10 Count and projected net weight verified.