A-A-20274B 

August 9, 2007

SUPERSEDING 

A-A-20274A 

June 24, 1999 

COMMERCIAL ITEM DESCRIPTION

BEANS, WESTERN STYLE, CANNED 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has authorized 

the use of this Commercial Item Description (CID). 

1. SCOPE. This CID covers canned western style beans, packed in commercially acceptable 

containers, suitable for use by Federal, State, local governments, and other interested parties; and 

as a component of operational rations. 

2. PURCHASER NOTES.

2.1 Purchasers shall specify the following:

 - Type(s) of beans required. 

 - Manufacturer’s/distributor’s certification (Sec. 8.2) or USDA certification (Sec. 8.3). 

2.2 Purchasers may specify the following:

 - Manufacturer’s quality assurance (Sec. 8.1 with 8.1.1) or (Sec. 8.1 with 8.1.2). 

 - Packaging requirements other than commercial (Sec. 9). 

3. CLASSIFICATION. The western style beans shall conform to the following list, which 

shall be specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order. 

Types.

Type I - Pinto 

Type II - Pink 

Type III - Red 

Type IV - Black 

Type V - Lentil 

Type VI - Combination of two or more types of beans (purchaser specification) 

Type VII - Other 

AMSC N/A FSC 8915 

METRIC
A-A-20274B 

2 

4. MANUFACTURER’S/DISTRIBUTOR’S NOTES. Manufacturer’s/distributor’s 

products shall meet the requirements of the: 

 - Salient characteristics (Sec. 5). 

 - Manufacturer’s/distributor’s product assurance (Sec. 6). 

 - Regulatory requirements (Sec. 7). 

 - Quality assurance provisions: as specified by the purchaser (Sec. 8). 

 - Packaging requirements other than commercial: as specified by the purchaser (Sec. 9). 

5. SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS. 

5.1 Processing. The canned western style beans shall be processed in accordance with good 

manufacturing practices (21 CFR Part 110).

5.2 Finished product. The finished product shall contain beans, water, tomato paste, spices, 

other suitable seasonings and flavorings, and may contain a blend of vegetable oils, animal fat, 

and vegetables such as chili peppers, peppers, tomatoes, onions, and corn, etc. 

5.2.1 Flavor and odor. The canned western style beans shall possess characteristic flavor and 

odor. The canned western style beans shall be free from objectionable or foreign flavors or 

odors; e.g., scorched, sour, bitter, etc. 

5.2.2 Color. The color of the canned western style beans shall be typical of the type of 

seasoning and type of bean used. 

5.2.3 Texture. The canned western style beans shall be soft, not hard or mushy. 

5.2.4 Defects. The canned western style beans shall be practically free from loose skins, 

mashed, broken, or blemished beans. 

5.2.5 Age requirement. Unless otherwise specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase 

order, the canned western style beans shall be prepared and processed from the latest season’s 

crop. 

5.2.6 Foreign material. All ingredients shall be clean, sound, wholesome, and free from glass, 

dirt, insect parts, burnt, scorched, stale, sour, rancid, musty, and evidence of rodent or insect 

infestation. 

6. MANUFACTURER’S/DISTRIBUTOR’S PRODUCT ASSURANCE. The manufacturer/ 

distributor shall certify that the canned western style beans provided shall meet the salient 

characteristics of this CID, conform to their own specifications, standards, and quality assurance 
A-A-20274B 

3 

practices, and be the same canned western style beans offered for sale in the commercial market. 

The purchaser reserves the right to require proof of conformance. 

7. REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. The delivered canned western style beans shall 

comply with all applicable Federal, State, and local mandatory requirements and regulations 

relating to the preparation, packaging, labeling, storage, distribution, and sale of canned western 

style beans within the commercial marketplace. Delivered canned western style beans shall 

comply with all applicable provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the Fair 

Packaging and Labeling Act, and regulations promulgated thereunder. 

8. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS. Purchaser shall specify 8.2 or 8.3; purchaser 

may specify 8.1 with 8.1.1 or 8.1 with 8.1.2.

8.1 Manufacturer’s quality assurance. When required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase 

order, the product manufacturer shall be required to provide evidence, by certificate, 

that the manufacturing plant has undertaken one of the following quality assurance measures 

within 12 months prior to providing a bid, or no later than 10 business days from the date of 

awarding of the contract. Failure to provide this documentation within the proper time frame 

may result in the contract being terminated for cause. 

8.1.1 Plant systems audit. A plant systems audit (PSA) shall be conducted by USDA, 

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), or another third party auditing service and is required 

within 12 months prior to the date of the awarding of the contract. (An AMS PSA verifies the 

manufacturer's capability to produce products in a clean, sanitary environment in accordance 

with Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations Part 110 - Current Good Manufacturing Practice in 

Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food; and have in place an internal quality 

assurance program. The AMS PSA determines the manufacturer's ability to produce under this 

CID, if the products of interest are identified at the time of the PSA.)

8.1.2 Plant survey. A plant survey shall be conducted by USDA, AMS, or other third party 

auditing service and is required within 12 months prior to the date of the awarding of the 

contract. (An AMS plant survey audit verifies that, at the time of the survey, the manufacturer 

produces products in a clean, sanitary environment in accordance with Title 21 Code of Federal 

Regulations Part 110 - Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or 

Holding Human Food.)

8.2 Manufacturer’s/distributor’s certification. When required in the solicitation, contract, or 

purchase order, the manufacturer/distributor will certify that the finished canned western style 

beans distributed meets or exceeds the requirements of this CID. 
A-A-20274B 

4 

8.3 USDA certification. When required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order that 

product quality and acceptability or both be determined, the Processed Products Branch (PPB), 

Fruit and Vegetable Programs (FVP), AMS, USDA, shall be the certifying program. PPB 

inspectors shall certify the quality and acceptability of the canned western style beans in 

accordance with PPB procedures which include selecting random samples of the canned western 

style beans, evaluating the samples for conformance with the salient characteristics of this CID 

and other contractual requirements, and documenting the findings on official PPB score sheets 

and/or certificates. In addition, when required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, 

PPB inspectors will examine the canned western style beans for conformance to the United 

States Standards for Condition of Food Containers in effect on the date of the solicitation. 

9. PACKAGING. Preservation, packaging, packing, labeling, and case marking shall be 

commercial unless otherwise specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order. 

10. USDA INSPECTION NOTES. When Section 8.3 is specified in the solicitation, 

contract, or purchase order, USDA certification shall include evaluation of the quality and 

condition of samples of packaged canned western style beans, and compliance with 

requirements in the following areas:

 - Salient characteristics (Sec. 5). 

 - Packaging requirements (Sec. 9 or as specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase 

order). 

11. REFERENCE NOTES.

11.1 USDA certification contact. For USDA certification, contact the Branch Chief, PPB, 

FVP, AMS, USDA, STOP 0247, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-

0247 telephone (202) 720-4693, Fax (202) 690-1527, or via E-mail: terry.bane@usda.gov. 

11.2 Sources of documents. 

11.2.1 Sources of information for governmental documents are as follows: 

Applicable provisions of: the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act are contained in 16 CFR Parts 

500 to 503, and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act are contained in 21 CFR Parts 1 to 

199. These documents may be purchased from: Superintendent of Documents, ATTN: New 

Orders, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. Credit card (MasterCard or Visa) 

purchases may be made by calling the Superintendent of Documents (202) 512-1800 or on 

the Internet at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.
A-A-20274B 

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Copies of this CID and the United States Standards for Condition of Food Containers are 

available from: Branch Chief, PPB, FVP, AMS, USDA, STOP 0247, 1400 Independence 

Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-0247, telephone (202) 720-9939, Fax 

(202) 690-0102, via E-mail: FQAStaff@usda.gov or on the Internet at: 

www.ams.usda.gov/fv/fvqual.htm. 

Beneficial comments, recommendations, additions, deletions, clarifications, etc., and any data 

which may improve this document should be sent to: Commander, Defense Supply Center 

Philadelphia, ATTN: DSCP-FTSA, 700 Robbins Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5092 or 

Fax (215) 737-2963, or via E-mail: Sally.A.Gallagher@dla.mil. 

Military activities should submit requests for copies of this CID to: Standardization 

Documents Order Desk, Document Automation And Production Service, 700 Robbins 

Avenue, Building 4D, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094 or on the Internet at: 

http://assist.daps.dla.mil/quicksearch. 

MILITARY INTERESTS: CIVIL AGENCY COORDINATING ACTIVITIES:

Custodians DOJ - BOP 

 HHS - NIH, IHS 

 Army - GL USDA - FV 

 Navy - SA VA - OSS 

 Air Force - 35 

Review Activities PREPARING ACTIVITY:

Army - MD, QM DLA - SS

 Navy - MC (Project No. 8915-2006-001) 

NOTE: The activities listed above were interested in this document as of the date of this 

document. Since organizations and responsibilities can change, you should verify the currency of 

the information above using the ASSIST Online database at http://assist.daps.dla.mil. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, 

national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual 

orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any 

public assistance program (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative 

means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center 

at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 

1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.