Agricultural Marketing Service 

Commodity Procurement Staff 

PO Box 419205, MS 8718 

Kansas City, MO 64141-6205

 

USDA COMMODITY REQUIREMENTS 

RC10

INSTANT RICE CEREAL PRODUCTS 

FOR USE IN DOMESTIC PROGRAMS 

Effective Date: January 20, 2016

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 
USDA COMMODITY REQUIREMENTS RC10

INSTANT RICE CEREAL PRODUCTS FOR USE IN DOMESTIC 

PROGRAMS 

Table of Contents

Section 1.3 QUALITY ASSURANCE_______________________________________________ 3

Part 2 CONTAINER AND PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS _________________________ 3

Section 2.1 GENERAL___________________________________________________________ 3

Section 2.2 COMMERCIAL PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS ________________________ 3

Section 2.3 CONTAINERS AND MATERIALS ______________________________________ 4

Section 2.4 UNITIZATION REQUIREMENTS ______________________________________ 4
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 

Part 1 COMMODITY SPECIFICATIONS Section 1.1 COMMODITIES 

The commodity delivered shall meet the requirements as specified in the Cereal for 

Babies, Instant, Commercial Item Descriptions (CID), A-A-20022D (April 23, 2008) at 

http://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/CID%20Cereal%20for%20Babies%2

C%20Instant.pdf

Section 1.2 WARRANTY 

The product shall have a shelf life of at least one year from date of manufacturer. Product 

shall not be manufactured more than 45 days prior to shipping. 

Section 1.3 QUALITY ASSURANCE

A. The contractor shall perform the product testing and quality analysis to ensure that 

the product meets the commodity specifications. The results shall be evidenced 

by a Certificate of Analysis (COA). 

B. Contractors shall notify the Government immediately of lots that fail to meet 

contract requirements. 

Part 2 CONTAINER AND PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS 

Section 2.1 GENERAL 

This part provides the container specifications and packaging materials requirements used 

under this contract. 

Section 2.2 COMMERCIAL PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS 

A. Contractors shall supply commercial brand products only and shall certify at 

the time of submission of an offer that the commercial product being delivered 

has a history of successful distribution and use in domestic commercial 

channels and is sold on the commercial market with an established level of 

consumer acceptance. 

B. Container and packaging requirements are those used in the current commercial 

shipping practices and shall comply with: (1) Unitization requirements 

in Section 2.4. 

(2) At contractor’s option, a statement such as “Not for Retail Sale” may be 

printed on the principal display panel of the food label. 

(3) The manufacturer’s lot code/lot identification number shall be shown on 

the commercial bill of lading. 

(4) Shipping containers shall be marked to show the maximum safe stacking 

height. It is the responsibility of the contractor in cooperation with the 

shipping container manufacturers to determine the safe stacking height. 
(5) For identification upon receipt at delivery warehouses, all 

commerciallabeled product shipping documents shall specify “FOR 

USDA FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS.” 

RC10 Page 1 of 2 

Section 2.3 CONTAINERS AND MATERIALS 

A. All containers and packaging shall be constructed to meet the 

requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for safe 

contact with the packaged product. The contractor shall obtain and 

maintain documentation from the container or packaging material 

manufacturer to verify that the containers and packaging materials 

used in this contract were in compliance with the Government’s 

regulatory requirements for safe contact with food products as required 

in the Master Solicitation, Part 3, Section A, Number 3. 

B. Questions concerning the containers and materials should be directed 

to: Senior Contracting Officer Ray Boyd – Phone: 816-926-2612 –

Email Address: Roy.Boyd@ams.usda.gov

C. If the contractor purchases packaging and container ingredients from a 

foreign country and/or the package and container is manufactured in a 

foreign country, the package and container SHALL NOT display 

country of origin labeling. Phrases similar to but not inclusive of, 

“Made in [Name of Foreign Country.]” or “Product of [Name of 

Foreign Country.]” are strictly prohibited. 

Section 2.4 UNITIZATION REQUIREMENTS 

Shipments shall comply with the following unitization requirements: 

A. Unless otherwise specified by the Government, all shipments of 

packaged products shall be unitized (palletized and stretch wrapped). B.

Pallets shall be: 

(1) Constructed to facilitate the safe handling and transportation of the 

packaged product, as a unit, without loss or damage. 

(2) A Number 2, four-way, reversible flush stringer with no broken runners or 

slats. 

(3) Suitable for use in the shipment of food products. C. Plastic stretch wrap 

shall be: 

(1) Constructed of a plastic film which is to be stretched a minimum of 50 

percent beyond its original length when stretched around the pallet load. 

(2) Applied as tightly as possible around all tiers of the palletized shipping 

containers. The shipping containers shall be held firmly in place by the 

stretch wrap. 
D. Pallet loads shall be: 

(1) Stacked in such a way as to minimize the amount that shipping containers 

overhang the edges of pallets. 

(2) Blocked and braced or otherwise loaded into the conveyance in a manner 

that prevents shifting during transit. 

RC10 Page 2 of 2