Approved by_________ MEO 

Date Issued: 02/01/08 

Date Revised: 09/07/11

I. SCOPE 

When authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Commodity 

Procurement Division (CPD), Contracting Branch, the following protocol shall be 

applied by an AMS, Livestock and Seed (LS) Program, Grading and Verification 

Division (GVD) agent to assess the application of a contractor’s pre-approved 

production plan and adherence to IDCR requirements. 

The Contractor’s production plan will be approved by the Contracting Officer prior to 

any production of finished products destined for USDA delivery. The production 

must adequately address the checklist of requirements listed within the IDCR. The 

GVD agent must be present during production of finished products and monitor and 

verify the processing steps, quality assurance activities, and corrective actions to 

assure that all requirements outlined in the approved production plan are in 

compliance. The GVD agent will conduct monitoring and production verification 

activities in accordance with applicable GVD instructions. Any deviations to 

contractual requirements will be reported immediately to the Contracting Officer. 

II. EVALUATION CHECKLIST 

A. Documentation 

1. Domestic Origin and Harvest Requirements 

All documentation regarding origin and harvest requirements will be made 

available to the GVD agent upon request. 

2. Quality Assurance and Test Results 

All recorded measurements and test results supporting quality assurance of 

product to be delivered to USDA will be made available to the GVD agent 

upon request. 

3. All findings with regards to documentation will be recorded by the GVD

agent on the attached ASSESSMENT FORM. 

 

Monitoring and Evaluation Protocol 

for Conformity Assessment of 

ITEM DESCRIPTION AND 

CHECKLIST OF REQUIREMENTS 

(IDCR) Specifications 

Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) 

Livestock and Seed Program, Standardization Division

Room 2607 S-Bldg, Phone: (202) 260-8295

Effective: September 2011
Approved by_________ MEO 

Date Issued: 02/01/08 

Date Revised: 09/07/11 2

B. Physical Characteristics - Material Requirements for Handling and 

Objectionable Materials/Cut/Fat Trim Requirements, 

1. Four sample units shall be randomly selected from each lot. Lot size shall 

be designated by the contractor. Each sample unit shall be a minimum of 

10 patties, 10 pounds of adjacent lean, a single roast or 5 adjacent 

steaks/chops or similar individual serving style units. 

2. Each sample unit will be evaluated. All findings will be recorded by the 

GVD agent on the attached ASSESSMENT FORM. 

C. Processing 

1. The GVD agent will observe and monitor the process assuring all quality 

assurance activities are implemented in accordance with the production 

plan and IDCR. 

2. Any deviations will be recorded by the GVD agent on the attached 

ASSESSMENT FORM. 

D. Finish Product Limitations 

1. The GVD agent shall assure that all testing stated within the production 

plan is being implemented. 

2. All test results for each lot and any deviations to IDCR requirements will be 

recorded by the GVD agent on the attached ASSESSMENT FORM. 

3. Physical Characteristics – Finished Product Requirements 

a. Four sample units shall be randomly selected from each lot. Lot size 

shall be designated by the contractor. Each sample unit shall be a 

minimum of 10 patties, 10 pounds of adjacent lean, a single roast or 5 

adjacent steaks/chops or similar individual serving style units. 

b. Each sample unit will be evaluated. All findings will be recorded by the 

GVD agent on the attached ASSESSMENT FORM. 

E. Preparation for Delivery 

1. The production lot shall be scanned for compliance with the IDCR Packing, 

Packaging, Closure, and Labeling requirements. 

2. Any deviations to requirements shall be described in detail on the attached 

ASSESSMENT FORM. 
Approved by_________ MEO 

Date Issued: 02/01/08 

Date Revised: 09/07/11 3

III. QUALITY ASSURANCE MONITORING 

The GVD agent shall use the attached ASSESSMENT FORM to record their 

observations of the following deviations of quality. All findings shall be made 

available to the contractor and the Contracting Officer. Additionally, any production 

lots that are in less than excellent condition as determined by the GVD agent must 

be immediately diverted from all USDA purchase programs. 

 Presence of unauthorized cuts or materials, 

 Presence of any non meat components such as bones, cartilages, spinal 

cord, organ tissue, and foreign material, 

 Raw materials and finished product not trimmed, fabricated, or packaged as 

specified or described within the approved quality plan, 

 Test results or measurements that do not meet IDCR requirements or that 

are outside tolerances within approved production plan, 

 Does not match the prototype (when applicable) submitted for approval by 

USDA, or 

 Inability of the contractor to have documentation supporting traceability of 

materials to a facility that confirms compliance with domestic origin and 

harvest requirements. 

If deviations to the IDCR requirements are reported, the contractor shall 

immediately invoke corrective actions by either reworking the entire production lot, 

or any portion of the production lot (as identified by the GVD agent) to comply or 

offer production lots to the GVD agent that are correctly processed to meet the 

IDCR requirements. The GVD agent will reject production lots due to failure of the 

contractor for not taking appropriate corrective actions. 

The GVD agent shall compile the ASSESSMENT FORMS and submit them to the 

Contracting Officer on a weekly basis. However, should any deviation occur, the 

ASSESSMENT FORM shall be sent to the Contracting Officer. Based on 

evaluation of the ASSESSMENT FORMS, the Contracting Officer reserves the right 

to declare any portion of production as unacceptable for delivery to USDA. 
Approved by_________ MEO 

Date Issued: 02/01/08 

Date Revised: 09/07/11 4

ASSESSMENT FORM 

Specification: IDCR ________________ 

Sample Size – 4 Sample Units 

Lot Number/Size: 

GVD Agent:

Evaluation Date: 

Notes/Digital Photo 1/ 

Documentation Describe the type of 

documentation 

Supports or does not 

support production plan 

Physical 

Characteristics 

Sample Cut/Muscle 

Identification 2/ 

Sample Unit 1 

Sample Unit 2 

Sample Unit 3 

Sample Unit 4 

Finished Product 

Limitations 

List Test Results for 

each lot or show 

supporting 

documentation for nutrifacts panel 
Approved by_________ MEO 

Date Issued: 02/01/08 

Date Revised: 09/07/11 5

Physical 

Characteristics – 

Finished Product

Sample 

Cut/Muscle/item 

Identification 2/ 

Sample Unit 1 

Sample Unit 2 

Sample Unit 3 

Sample Unit 4 

Preparation for Delivery Packaging, Packing, Closure, 

Labeling 

(Lot Scan) 

ACTIONS Taken by GVD Agent (Accept/Reject) Contractor Representative Signature 

Reserved for use by Contracting Officer 

1/ Describe all deviations to specified requirements. Please include description of any negative 

and/or positive attributes associated with the sample unit or lot. Attach digital photo if available. 

2/ Please describe sample unit examined by cut name or muscle(s).