APPROVED

FEDERAL PURCHASE 

PROGRAM SPECIFICATION 

(FPPS) FOR FULLY COOKED 

PULLED PORK, FROZEN 

 Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) 

 Livestock and Poultry (LP) Program 

Food Safety and Commodity Specification (FSCS) Division

 Room 3953 S-Bldg, Phone: (202) 720-5705

 Supersedes: FPPS PP May 2018 –

 Changes from previous requirements in blue

 Effective: October 2019

Approved by: DBJ

Date Issued: 03/03/16

Date Revised: 10/16/19

100 ITEM DESCRIPTION

101 Pulled Pork, Fully Cooked – This fully cooked pork item shall have a coarsely 

striated appearance (i.e. shredded with minimal chunking; not ground or 

comminuted) and be mildly seasoned for use in a variety of applications such 

as barbeque, chili, burritos, casseroles and pasta dishes.

110 Formula – Pork shall comprise at least 90 percent of the raw formula.

120 Non-Meat Component – Non-meat components shall comprise no more than 

10 percent of the raw formula.

130 Fat – Fat shall not exceed 9 g / 100 g basis.

140 Sodium – Sodium content shall not exceed 440 mg / 100 g basis.

150 Packing – Eight (8) 5-pound immediate containers (packages) or twenty (20) 

2-pound immediate containers (packages) shall be packed in a 40-pound (net 

weight) shipping container.

160 Delivery Unit – Each delivery unit shall consist of 1,000 cases and 40,000 

pounds.

200 CHECKLIST OF REQUIREMENTS

210 All items shall be produced in accordance with Food Safety and Inspection 

Service (FSIS) regulations. The contractor’s technical proposal, submitted to 

the FSCS Division, shall adhere to the following Checklist of Requirements. A 

technical proposal is not required to be submitted when the contractor is 

operating under the QAD Grading-based Monitoring and Certification service

option (See Section 1020).

300 MATERIALS 
Approved by: DBJ 

Date Issued: 03/03/16

Date Revised: 10/16/19 2

310 The contractor’s technical proposal shall include procedures to address 

conformance with the following material requirements.

320 MEAT COMPONENT

321 Pork shall be derived from suitable lean (e.g. Boston butt and leg cushion; 

shank meat precluded) from any portion of the sow and/or hog carcass and 

be the only meat component allowed. Pork derived from boars is not

permissible.

322 Domestic Origin of Meat Component – All sows and/or hogs shall originate 

from U.S. produced livestock as defined in the AMS Master Solicitation for 

Commodity Procurements – Domestic Programs (MSCP-D) and the

Supplement.

323 Harvesting (Slaughtering) – All sows and/or hogs shall be harvested in 

facilities that comply with the following requirements: 

323.1 Humane Handling – All sows and/or hogs shall be humanely handled in 

accordance with all applicable FSIS regulations and AMS requirements.

323.2 Non-Ambulatory Disabled Animals – Meat from carcasses of non-ambulatory 

disabled livestock shall not be included in USDA Purchase Programs.

324 Boneless Pork – Boneless pork shall comply with the following requirements:

324.1 Traceability – Contractors are responsible for providing sufficient product 

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

in each lot of product.

324.2 Handling – All boneless pork shall 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. Frozen boneless pork may be used provided 

it is processed into the final product within 90 days from the date of pack.

324.3 Objectionable Materials – Boneless pork shall be free of skin, bones, 

cartilages, organ tissue, heavy connective tissue, significant glandular tissue, 

spinal cord, and foreign materials.

325 Mechanical Separation - Pork that is mechanically separated from bone with 

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

systems is not allowed.

326 Pathogen Testing – Boneless pork previously tested and found positive 

for any pathogen shall not be allowed. 

330 NON-MEAT COMPONENTS
Approved by: DBJ 

Date Issued: 03/03/16

Date Revised: 10/16/19 3

331 Domestic Origin of Non-Meat Component – Significant ingredients (more than 

one percent) shall be derived from U.S. produced products.

332 Seasonings and Other Ingredients – Seasonings and other ingredients 

shall be used to produce a finished product with mild flavor profiles suitable 

for institutional feeding systems and shall comprise no more than 10 

percent of the raw formula.

333 The following non-meat ingredients shall be precluded from use in the 

formulation:

333.1 MSG – Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). 

333.2 Soy Protein Products (SPP).

333.3 Gluten-containing ingredients.

400 PROCESSING 

410 AGGREGATION

411 The pulled pork shall be aggregated such that it is coarsely striated in 

appearance (i.e. shredded with minimal chunking; not ground or 

comminuted).

420 COOKING TEMPERATURE

421 All products shall be fully cooked in accordance with FSIS regulations.

430 METAL DETECTION

431 All products shall be free of metal contaminants. Detection of stainless steel, 

ferrous, and non-ferrous (e.g., lead, copper, and aluminum) metals is 

required. The contractor's technical proposal shall identify and describe the 

equipment, location, detection procedure, sensitivity levels, frequency of 

equipment validation, and corrective action procedures. 

500 FINISHED PRODUCT LIMITATIONS

510 The declared serving size, fat content and sodium level shall be stated on the 

nutrition facts panel on each label according to FSIS nutritional labeling 

regulations. 

520 FAT

521 The fat content of the finished product shall not exceed nine (9) percent 

522 (Percent Fat = (Total Fat ÷ Serving Size) x 100). 
Approved by: DBJ

Date Issued: 03/03/16

Date Revised: 10/16/19 4

530 SODIUM

531 Sodium level shall not exceed 440 mg / 100 g basis.

532 ((Declared Sodium Level (mg) X 100) ÷ Declared Serving Size (grams - racc*) 

< 440)).

540 CHILD NUTRITION (CN) LABELING

541 The CN Labeling Program is run by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)

directly with commercial food processing firms and in cooperation with AMS 

and FSIS and other Federal agencies. The Program requires an evaluation 

of a product's formulation by FNS to determine its contribution toward meal

pattern requirements.

542 To carry a CN label, the eligible product’s formulation shall be evaluated by 

FNS to verify its contribution toward meal pattern requirements using yields in 

the USDA Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs. 

543 The manufacturer shall have an approved QC Program in order to participate, 

and products shall be produced under Federal inspection.

544 Bulk Packaged Fully Cooked Pulled Pork Item 110730 requires CN Labels.

545 For information on the CN Labeling Program, see the section on Food 

Manufacturers/Industry on the FNS website www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/cnlabeling

and/or contact the following:

545.1 Child Nutrition Labeling Program Operations Office

USDA, AMS, FV, PPB Stop 0247, Room 0710-S

1400 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC 20250

Email: CNLabeling@usda.gov

Phone Number: 202-720-9939

Fax Number: 202-690-3824

550 MICROBIAL

551 Contractor shall have documented plan to comply with the latest FSIS 

Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes requirements for ready-to-eat foods. 

Product tested positive for any pathogen shall not be allowed as rework or 

delivery to USDA.

600 HEATING INSTRUCTIONS

610 Heating instructions for the end-user shall be provided in the contractor’s 

technical proposal and shall be included on the immediate container and/or in 

the shipping container (e.g. flyer, included on the package label, etc.).

700 PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY
Approved by: DBJ

Date Issued: 03/03/16

Date Revised: 10/16/19 5

710 The shipping containers shall be in compliance with the National Motor 

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

720 PACKAGING AND PACKING

721 Packaging – All products shall be vacuum packaged or packed in a sealed 

(tamper proof) immediate package.

722 Packing 1 – Eight (8) 5-pound immediate containers (packages) for Material 

Number 110730 or twenty (20) 2-pound immediate containers (packages) for 

Material Number 110980 shall be packed in a 40-pound (net weight) shipping 

container.

730 LABELING

731 Both 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 required information listed below.

732 Immediate Container Labels – Immediate container labels for the bulk 

packaged item shall contain the following information:

732.1 A “Best-If-Used-By” date.

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

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

lot, and date.

733.4 The heating instructions shall be included in/on the shipping container and/or 

on the immediate container.

733.5 Ingredient declaration (including single ingredient products).

734 Immediate Container Labels – Immediate container labels for the 2-pound 

packaged item shall contain the following information:

734.1 Product name.

734.2 Manufacturer name and address.

734.3 Ingredient declaration.

734.4 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 or 

wheat; e.g. Allergen: Contains ______.

1 The contracting officer shall designate the packaging orientation permitted for each solicitation.
Approved by: DBJ

Date Issued: 03/03/16

Date Revised: 10/16/19 6

734.5 A traceability code that includes information regarding production 

establishment, production date and production lot.

734.6 Nutrition Facts panel based on actual nutritional analysis of the product.

734.7 Heating Instructions.

734.8 Safe handling instructions.

734.9 A “Best-if-Used-By” date.

734.10 Labels shall be contractor’s own retail (i.e. commercially available, off-theshelf) labels. Immediate package labels shall include two colors other than 

black and white (exclusive of package color). Distributor’s labels are not 

permitted.

735 Shipping Container Labels – Shipping container labels shall contain the 

following information: 

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

or on the principal display panel.

735.2 Applicable purchase order number.

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

lot, and date.

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

735.5 Material number - 110730 for the bulk packed 5-pound immediate containers 

(packages), and 11098 for the 2-pound immediate containers (packages).

735.6 Product Name - Fully Cooked Pulled Pork, Frozen

735.7 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 ______.

735.8 Ingredient declaration.

735.9 The CN label information for Material Number 110730.

740 CLOSURE
Approved by: DBJ

Date Issued: 03/03/16

Date Revised: 10/16/19 7

741 Shipping containers shall be closed by strapping, taping or gluing. When 

strapping is used, the initial closure (usually the bottom of container) shall be 

secured by the gluing or taping method.

750 PALLETIZED UNIT LOADS

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

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

800 DELIVERY UNIT

810 Each delivery unit shall consist of 1,000 cases and 40,000 pounds.

900 DELIVERED PRODUCT

910 SIZE AND STYLE OF CONTAINER

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

in an individual shipping unit.

920 TEMPERATURE

921 All products shall not exceed 0°F at the time of shipment and delivery.

930 SEALING

931 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 the Master Solicitation. Seals shall 

be > 1⁄8th-inch diameter cable, high-security bolt, or equivalent.

1000 PRODUCT ASSURANCE

1010 WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT RESOLUTION

1011 Warranty – The contractor shall guarantee that the product complies with all 

contractual requirements required under the Master Solicitation and

Supplement.

1012 Complaint Resolution – The contractor’s technical proposal shall 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).
Approved by: DBJ

Date Issued: 03/03/16

Date Revised: 10/16/19 8

1020 AMS MONITORING AND PRODUCTION ASSESSMENT

1021 The contractor may request to use either AMS’s QAD Grading-based 

Monitoring and Certification service or QAD Audit-based Verification service, 

for assessing contract compliance of the finished product.

1022 If the contractor uses the AMS QAD Grading-based Monitoring and 

Certification service, it shall be implemented in accordance with Section 710, 

720, 730 and 740 of Supplement 404.

1023 The contractor’s technical proposal shall specify that the AMS QAD Auditbased Verification service option will be used.

1030 NON-CONFORMING PRODUCT

1031 The contractor shall include a plan and supporting documentation 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, including vendor documentation of final disposition (e.g., diverted to 

cooked product or destroyed).

1032 The Contractor shall be deemed ineligible to supply to USDA purchase 

programs (while under contract) should one of the following circumstances 

arise:

1032.1 The Contractor is subject to a Class I recall for Fully Cooked Pulled Pork.

1032.2 The Contractor’s supplier for any ingredient is subject to a Class I recall for 

that ingredient.

1032.3 The Contractor shall be ineligible until it:

1032.3.1 Submits a written corrective action to the FSCS Division.

1032.3.2 The FSCS Division approves the written corrective action.

1032.3.3 The Quality Assessment Division verifies implementation of the written 

corrective action through an onside audit.

1040 CONTRACTOR CHECKLOADING

1041 Under both the QAD Grading-based Monitoring and Certification option and 

the QAD Audit-based Verification service option, the Contractor shall 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:

1041.1 Purchase Order Number/Purchase Order Line Item Number;
Approved by: DBJ

Date Issued: 03/03/16

Date Revised: 10/16/19 9

1041.2 Sales Order Number/Sales Order Line Item Number;

1041.3 Destination of shipment;

1041.4 Name of Product and applicable Material Number;

1041.5 Shipping Date;

1041.6 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;

1041.7 Count of shipping containers and total projected net weight in each production 

 lot;

1041.8 Identity of car or truck (car numbers and letters, seals, truck license, etc.) as 

 applicable;

1041.9 Contractor certification that product conforms with the applicable specification 

 (FPPS-PP-2019);

1041.10 Count and projected net weight verified and;

1041.11 Signature of company official responsible for checkloading.
Approved by: DBJ

Date Issued: 03/03/16

Date Revised: 10/16/19 10