APPROVED

FEDERAL PURCHASE PROGRAM 

SPECIFICATION (FPPS) FOR 

PORK LEG (FRESH HAM) 

ROASTS, BONELESS, FROZEN;

PORK LEG (FRESH HAM), BULK, 

BONELESS, FROZEN; AND 

PORK SHOULDER, PICNICS, 

BULK, BONELESS, FROZEN

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

Livestock, Poultry and Seed (LPS) Program 

Food Safety and Commodity Specification (FSCS) Division

Room 2628 S-Bldg, Phone: (202) 692-0342

Effective: March 2015

Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 10/01/09

Date Revised: 03/30/15

100 ITEM DESCRIPTIONS

101 Pork Leg (Fresh Ham) Roasts, Boneless, Frozen – This item consists of a 

boneless ham with the shank removed and divided into approximately two 

equal roasts which are netted and vacuum packaged.

102 Pork Leg (Fresh Ham) Bulk, Boneless, Frozen – This item consists of boneless 

ham with shank removed which are bulk packaged in leak-proof shipping 

containers.

103 Pork Shoulder, Picnics, Bulk, Boneless, Frozen – This item consists of 

boneless picnics which are bulk packaged in leak-proof shipping containers.

200 CHECKLIST OF REQUIREMENTS

201 All items must be produced in accordance with Food Safety and Inspection 

Service (FSIS) regulations and the AMS Checklist of Requirements. 

210 ITEMS

210.1 Contractor’s technical proposal must describe the necessary processing steps 

to comply with the items below.

211 PORK LEG (FRESH HAM) ROAST, BONELESS, FROZEN 

211.1 This item is a netted, boneless pork leg with all shank meat ((inner shank 

(gastrocnemius and flexor digitorum superficialis) and outer shank)) excluded. 

In addition, all bones, cartilages, skin, flank muscle (rectus abdominus), 

cutaneous trunci, fat and lean above the aitch bone and significant glandular 

material shall be excluded. The item will be trimmed practically free of surface 

fat and star fat. Also, the boneless item will be divided into two approximate 

equal portions (roasts) by a cut perpendicular to the longest dimension of the 

netted roast.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 10/01/09

Date Revised: 03/30/15 2

212 PORK LEG (FRESH HAM), BONELESS, BULK, FROZEN

212.1 This item is a boneless pork leg with all shank meat ((inner shank 

(gastrocnemius and flexor digitorum superficialis) and outer shank)) excluded. 

In addition, all bones, cartilages, skin, flank muscle (rectus abdominus), 

cutaneous trunci, fat and lean above the aitch bone and significant glandular 

material shall be excluded.

213 PORK SHOULDER, PICNICS, BONELESS, BULK, FROZEN

213.1 This item is a boneless pork picnic with the cushion (triceps brachii group) 

attached. In addition, all bones, cartilage, and skin shall be excluded.

220 MATERIALS

220.1 The contractor’s technical proposal must include procedures to address 

conformance with the following material requirements. 

221 MEAT COMPONENT

221.1 Pork will be the only meat component allowed.

221.2 Domestic Origin Of Meat Component – Pork must originate from U.S. produced 

livestock as defined in the Master Solicitation and Supplement.

221.3 Harvesting – Hogs will be harvested in facilities that comply with the following 

requirements:

221.3.1 Humane Handling – All hogs shall be humanely handled in accordance with all 

applicable FSIS regulations and AMS requirements.

221.3.2 Non-Ambulatory Hogs – Meat from carcasses of non-ambulatory hogs will not 

be included in USDA purchased boneless pork product.

221.3.3 Spinal Cord Removal – All spinal cord tissue must be removed during the 

harvest process.

221.4 Boneless Pork – Boneless pork will comply with the following requirements:

221.4.1 Traceability – Contractors are responsible for providing sufficient product 

traceability and must have records to verify the source of raw materials used in 

each production lot.

221.4.2 Handling – All boneless pork must be maintained in excellent condition. The 

contractor’s technical proposal shall include detailed production scheduling that 

addresses time and temperature controls necessary to maintain excellent 

condition of the boneless pork.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 10/01/09

Date Revised: 03/30/15 3

221.4.3 Lean Quality – Fresh-chilled pork must be reasonably uniform in color (slightly 

two-tone color is permissible) ranging from light pink to light red. The pork 

muscles must not exhibit any evidence of pale, soft, and/or exudative 

conditions.

221.4.4 Objectionable Materials – Pork will be free of skin, bone, cartilage, organ tissue, 

significant glandular tissue, heavy connective tissue and foreign materials.

221.5 Fresh-Chilled Pork – Only fresh-chilled pork which has never been previously 

frozen will be allowed.

221.6 Mechanically Separated – Pork that is mechanically separated from bone with 

automatic deboning systems or advanced meat (lean) recovery (AMR) systems 

is not allowed.

222 FAT LIMITATIONS

222.1 Pork Leg Roasts – The pork leg roasts will be trimmed so they are practically 

free of surface and star fat. There shall be at least 75 percent lean/seam 

surface exposed and the remaining fat shall not exceed 1⁄8-inch (3 mm) in 

thickness at any one point.

222.2 Pork Leg Bulk - There shall be at least 75 percent lean/seam surface exposed 

and the average fat thickness shall be 1⁄4-inch (6 mm) and the maximum fat 

thickness at any one point shall be 1⁄2-inch (13 mm) or less.

222.3 Pork Shoulder Picnics Bulk – The maximum average fat thickness for pork 

shoulder picnics shall be 1⁄4-inch (6 mm) and the maximum fat thickness at any 

one point shall be 1⁄2-inch (13 mm) or less.

223 WEIGHT RANGE

223.1 Pork Leg Roasts – Individual pork leg roasts will weigh 6-10 pounds.

223.2 Pork Leg and Shoulder Picnics Bulk – A weight range is not required. 

224 NETTING AND TYING

224.1 Pork Leg Roasts – Roasts will be netted or tied so that all portions are held 

intact, without any portions protruding through the ends of the netting to make 

roasts firm and compact.

224.2 Pork Leg and Shoulder Picnics Bulk – Netting and tying is not allowed.

225 STATE OF REFRIGERATION

226 Product will be frozen to an internal temperature of not higher than 0°F 

(-17.8°C) within 72 hours from the time of final fabrication of the lot.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 10/01/09

Date Revised: 03/30/15 4

230 PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY

231 PACKAGING

231.1 Pork Leg Roasts – Each leg roast will be vacuum packaged.

231.2 Pork Leg and Shoulder Picnics Bulk – Bulk pork legs and picnics will be bulk 

packaged in leak-proof shipping containers.

232 PACKING

232.1 Pork Leg Roasts – Vacuum packaged pork leg roasts will be placed into 

shipping containers to a net weight ranging 36–42 pounds. Box liners are not 

required.

232.2 Pork Leg and Shoulder Picnics Bulk – Bulk pork legs and picnics will be bulk 

packaged in leak-proof shipping containers without the use of plastic liner bags 

to a net weight of 60 pounds.

233 LABELING

233.1 The shipping containers shall be in compliance with the National Motor Freight 

Classification, or the Uniform Freight Classification, as applicable. Both the 

immediate and shipping containers shall be labeled to include all information 

required by FSIS regulations, be illustrated in the contractor’s technical

proposal, and contain the following information:

233.2 Immediate Container Labels – Immediate container labels shall contain a 

traceability code that is traced back to establishment number, production lot, 

and date.

233.3.1 Shipping Container Labels – Shipping container labels will contain the following 

information:

233.3.2 USDA shield at least 2 inches high and appearing on the top of the container or 

on the principal display panel.

233.3.3 Applicable purchase order number.

233.3.4 A traceability code that is traced back to establishment number, production lot, 

and date.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 10/01/09

Date Revised: 03/30/15 5

233.3.5 The appropriate product name and material number listed in the table below.

Item Material Number

Pork Leg (Fresh Ham) Roast, Boneless, Frozen 100173

Pork Leg (Fresh Ham), Bulk, Boneless, Frozen1

/ 110138

Pork Shoulder, Picnics, Bulk, Boneless, Frozen1

/ 100193

233.3.6 A nutrition facts panel based on actual nutritional analysis of the product.

233.3.7 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 or wheat; 

e.g. Allergen: This product contains ______.

240 PALLETIZED UNIT LOADS

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

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

242 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.

250 DELIVERY UNIT

251 Pork Leg Roasts – The delivery unit will be 40,000 pounds net weight 

(1000 shipping containers). A tolerance of minus 60 pounds is permissible.

252 Pork Leg Bulk – The delivery unit will be 42,000 pounds net weight 

(700 shipping containers).

253 Pork Shoulder Picnics Bulk – The delivery unit will be 40,020 pounds net weight 

(667 shipping containers).

260 DELIVERED PRODUCT

261 SIZE AND STYLE OF CONTAINER

261.1 Only one size and style of immediate and shipping containers may be offered in 

an individual shipping unit.

262 TEMPERATURE

262.1 All products will not exceed 0°F at the time of shipment and delivery.

1

/

The phrase “For Further Processing” shall appear on the principal display panel.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 10/01/09

Date Revised: 03/30/15 6

263 SEALING

263.1 Sealing - All products must 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 the Master Solicitation. Seals shall be >1⁄8th inch diameter 

cable, high-security bolt, or equivalent.

270 PRODUCT ASSURANCE

271 WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT RESOLUTION

271.1 Warranty – The contractor will guarantee that the product complies with all 

contractual requirements required under the Master Solicitation and 

Supplement.

271.2 Complaint Resolution – The contractor’s technical proposal must provide steps 

taken to resolve complaints received on the product (i.e. point of contact, cause 

and effect analysis, corrective and preventative actions taken, and product 

replacement).

272 NON-CONFORMING PRODUCT

272.1 The contractor must have documented procedures that assure nonconforming 

product identification, segregation, and disposition in order to prevent misuse 

and that nonconforming product is not delivered to USDA. The plan must 

address 1) control and segregation of non-conforming product, 2) removal of 

any USDA markings, and 3) disposition of non-conforming product, including 

vendor notification in writing to the FSCS Division of final disposition (e.g., 

diverted to commercial production, cooked or destroyed).

272 CONTRACTOR CHECKLOADING

273 Contractor will perform checkloading examinations at the time of shipment and 

 issue a contractor’s certificate to accompany each shipment that includes all of 

 the following information:

273.1 Purchase Order Number/Purchase Order Line Item Number;

273.2 Sales Order Number/Sales Order Line Item Number;

273.3 Destination of shipment;

273.4 Name of Product and applicable Material Number;

273.5 Shipping Date;
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 10/01/09

Date Revised: 03/30/15 7

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

 container and immediate container code(s) and the code used that provides 

 traceability to establishment number, production lot and date;

273.7 Count of shipping containers and total projected net weight in each production 

 lot;

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

 applicable;

273.9 Contractor certification that product conforms with the applicable specification 

 (FPPS-PLS-2015);

273.10 Count and projected net weight verified and;

273.11 Signature of company official responsible for checkloading.