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Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/29/2013

Date Revised: 06/05/2015

APPROVED

FEDERAL PURCHASE 

PROGRAM SPECIFICATION 

(FPPS) FOR SHELL EGGS

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

Livestock, Poultry and Seed (LPS) Program 

Food Safety and Commodity Specification (FSCS) Division

Room 2624 S-Bldg, Phone: (202) 692-0342

Effective: June 2015

100 SCOPE

110 This FPPS – Shell Eggs – 2015 is for use by the United States Department of 

Agriculture (USDA), AMS, Commodity Procurement Staff (CPS) to procure Shell 

Eggs

200 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

210 U.S. Grade AA or A, Large or Medium Eggs (15 dozen case) (100936). Shell eggs 

must be of current production from domestic chickens; the eggs must be packaged 

in one dozen cartons and packed in fiberboard cases with 15 dozens per case. A 

purchase unit will total 1,500 cases.

300 FOOD DEFENSE REQUIREMENTS

310 Contractors and subcontractors participating in the commodity purchase program 

must have a documented and operational food defense plan that provides for the 

security of a plant’s production processes and includes the storage and 

transportation of finished product after production. The plan shall address the 

following areas: (1) food defense plan management; (2) outside and inside security 

of the production and storage facilities; (3) processing, including all raw material 

sources; (4) shipping and receiving; (5) storage; (6) water supply; (7) mail handling; 

(8) personnel security; and (9) controlled access to production and storage areas. 

The food defense plan shall be made available to United States Department of 

Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Auditor immediately 

upon request. Verification of the Food Defense Program at the processing, storage, 

and distribution facility will be conducted by the USDA/AMS Auditor. For guidance 

regarding development of a food defense plan, visit the following web site: 

http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodDefense
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Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/29/2013

Date Revised: 06/05/2015

400 COMMODITY COMPLAINTS

410 The contractor must immediately report all complaints received on the commodity to 

the Contracting Officer.

500 COMMODITY SPECIFICATION

510 Once awarded a contract, the contractor must provide a copy of this FPPS to the 

USDA Grader.

520 Basic Requirements

521 Origin of Shell Eggs – The shell eggs from domesticated chickens must have been 

produced in the United States, its territories or possessions, Puerto Rico, or the 

Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands. If the contractor uses or handles shell eggs 

originating from sources other than the United States, its territories or possessions, 

Puerto Rico, or the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands, the contractor must have 

an acceptable identification and segregation plan for those shell eggs to ensure they 

are not used in the commodities produced under this FPPS. This plan must be 

made available to the USDA Grader and the Contracting Officer or agent thereof 

upon request. The contractor must ensure that both the contractor and 

subcontractor(s) maintain records such as invoices, or production and inventory 

records evidencing product origin (name and address of producer), and make such 

records available for review by the Grader or other Government official(s).

522 USDA Requirements – The commodity must be produced and processed in an 

official plant operating under the USDA/AMS voluntary shell egg grading program, 

be accurately marked and/or labeled, and meet all USDA regulatory requirements 

currently in place.

523 Shell Eggs – All shell eggs are to be fresh, certified U.S. Grade AA or A Large or 

Medium of current production as defined in 7 CFR § 56.1. Eggs must be processed 

in accordance with 7 CFR § 56. Eggs must be processed no more than 10 calendar 

days from the date of shipment. Sampling of the product will be as detailed in the 

Shell Egg Graders Handbook (AMS/Livestock, Poultry and Seed (LPS) (formerly 

PY) program Instruction No. 910 (Shell Eggs)-1).

530 Packaging and Packing Materials

531 Requirements – All packaging and packing materials must be clean and in new 

condition and must not impart objectionable odors. All packing materials (shipping 

containers) must be tamper evident. Tamper-evident is defined as packing 

materials with one or more indicators or barriers to entry, which, if breached or 

missing, can reasonably be expected to provide visible evidence of tampering.
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Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/29/2013

Date Revised: 06/05/2015

A purchase unit must consist of only one size of eggs in one type of packaging and 

packing material, with only one format of labeling. Mixing egg sizes, packaging and 

packing materials and labeling format are not permitted in a purchase unit.

540 Fiberboard Shipping Containers

541 Requirements – The fiberboard shipping container must: (a) be of such size to pack 

the cartons of product without slack filling or bulging; (b) protect the interior cartons 

against loss and damage; (c) withstand the humidity and temperature during the 

conditions of use; and (d) have the combined facings weight, the bursting strength, 

and the compression strength (edge crush value) to withstand the stress of 

handling, shipping, stacking, and storage.

542 Final Closure – The final closure of the fiberboard shipping containers must be 

secure and made with commercially acceptable adhesive filament-reinforced 

plastic-type tape, plastic-film package tape, gummed adhesive paper tape, or other 

similar types of materials that are applicable to refrigerated temperature storage 

conditions and that provide for safe handling of the shell eggs and a tamper-evident 

seal. Tape must be 2 to 3 inches wide applied across the top of the case and a 

minimum of 2 inches down each end. All fiberboard shipping containers within a 

purchase unit must be sealed with a similar type of commercially available tamperevident seal. Steel or wire straps must not be used for the final closure. Staples 

must not be used for the final closing of fiberboard shipping containers. However, 

staples may be used to manufacture and to assemble the fiberboard shipping 

containers, provided the staples are fastened into the container and tightly clenched 

to eliminate sharp edges prior to packing cartons of product into the shipping 

containers.

600 LABELING

610 Commercial Labeling Must be Used – The contractor must use the same label 

format within a purchase unit. 

611 Commercially labeled packages and shipping containers must be approved in 

accordance with USDA requirements (7 CFR § 56). Labeling must be approved by 

AMS/LPS Program prior to acceptance for use under this FPPS. Commercial 

packages (cartons) for one dozen eggs must bear official identification in the form of 

the USDA Grademark (shield).

612 Commercial Labels

612.1 Commercial labels must be the processor’s own commercial label (brand name). 

Distributors’ labels are not allowed.

620 Traceable Product
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Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/29/2013

Date Revised: 06/05/2015

621 The processor must establish a product identification and record system that clearly 

links product by place and time of production and processing to specific USDA 

contracts and destinations. When the company uses the same commercial label for 

the product certified as complying with this FPPS and commercial product, the 

identification system must differentiate between USDA purchased and other 

commercial products. An alpha numeric code may be used for information that is in 

addition to USDA labeling requirements. Processor must maintain records to 

demonstrate the ability to trace the eggs to the production source (flocks). These 

records must be made available to the Grader and the Contracting Officer or agent 

thereof upon request.

622 Changes made to a processor’s identification and record system must be submitted

to the USDA Grader for approval prior to instituting such changes. USDA may 

select the commodity and audit the required product identification and record 

system for compliance purposes.

700 FINAL EXAMINATION OF PACKAGED AND PACKED COMMODITY

710 Verification of Packaging and Packing Material

711 The contractor must verify compliance with packaging, packing, and marking 

material requirements by furnishing the Grader the following certification on 

company stationery signed by a person authorized to do so by the contractor: 

“(I)(We) certify that the packaging, packing, and marking materials used for any 

commodity presented for acceptance under the terms of the Commodity 

Specification for Shell Eggs dated May 2015 comply or will comply with the terms of 

the Commodity Specification. 

Name ________________________________

Title _________________________________”

712 One certification is adequate for all production under this FPPS.

720 Examination of Packed and Packaged Commodity

721 The shipping containers in a delivery unit will be examined for condition and for 

labeling and markings defects in accordance with the United States Standards for 

Condition of Food Containers (7 CFR § 42).

730 Inspection and Checkloading
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Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/29/2013

Date Revised: 06/05/2015

731 Requirements – Inspection for contract compliance will be made by a USDA 

representative, in accordance with 7 CFR § 56, USDA regulatory requirements, and 

this FPPS, at the site of processing, both during and after processing and 

packaging. The USDA representative may inspect the product at any point in transit 

and after delivery to the point of destination. Inspection records must be complete 

and made available to USDA/AMS as requested, to assure contract compliance.

732 Procedures – The inspection and checkloading must be performed by a USDA/AMS 

Grader. Procedures to be followed and a schedule of fees for these services may 

be obtained by contacting the appropriate USDA/AMS Regional Office. The quality, 

quantity, size/weight, packaging, packing, and checkloading of the commodity 

(including acceptance of the transport container for conveyance) will be evidenced 

by certificates issued by the USDA/AMS Grader. The contractor must not ship the 

commodity unless informed by the USDA/AMS Grader that the designated lot meets 

contract specifications.

733 Contract Compliance Stamp – Each shipping container must be identified with a 

USDA Contract Compliance stamp with the applicable certificate number. The 

Grader, or other authorized personnel under the supervision of the Grader, will 

stamp one end of each shipping container prior to shipment.

800 UNITIZATION

810 Each delivery unit of commodity must be unitized (palletized and stretch wrapped) 

and must comply with the following:

811 Pallets – Pallets must be good quality, 48 inches x 40 inches, non-reversible, flush 

stringer, and partial four-way entry. Each pallet of shipping containers must be 

stretch-wrapped with plastic film in a manner that will secure each container and 

layer of containers on the pallet. Palletized product must be loaded in a way that 

will prevent shifting and damage to the containers of product. Pallet loads shall be 

stacked in a manner that minimizes the overhang of the shipping containers over 

the edges of the pallets and exposes the principle shipping container display panels

to the extent possible to facilitate certification examinations. Eggs that are shipped 

immediately after packaging and packing must be stretch-wrapped to secure the 

cases in a manner that would allow cooling of the eggs during transport yet having 

secure containment for the egg cases on a pallet.

820 Pallet Exchange

821 Contractors may arrange for pallet exchange with consignees; however, USDA is 

not responsible for such arrangements.
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Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/29/2013

Date Revised: 06/05/2015

900 SHIPMENT AND DELIVERY

910 Shipment and delivery must be made in accordance with the AMS Master 

Solicitation, the Solicitation, and this FPPS. In addition, the contractor must adhere 

to the following provisions:

911 Grading Certificate – A copy of the original USDA Shell Egg Grading Certificate

(PY-210S) must accompany each shipment. The driver must, upon delivery, give 

the certificate to the warehouseman, or consignee, as applicable.

920 Loading and Sealing of Vehicles

921 Loading must be in accordance with good commercial practices and the sealing with 

tamper-resistant, serially numbered seal provided by contractor, must be done at 

origin under the supervision of the USDA Grader. Thereafter, all delivery units--

truck lot and less-than-truck lot (LTL) quantities--must be secured at all times prior 

to unloading with tamper resistant, serially numbered, high security seals. Suppliers 

of commodities, products and/or services shall be responsible for placing a seal(s) 

on all doors of each transportation conveyance upon completion of loading or 

servicing. Seals shall be serially numbered, barrier-type and meet the American 

Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards (F-1157-04). Seals shall be 1⁄8th

inch diameter cable, high security bolt, or equivalent. The contractor must maintain 

a record of each seal number used for truck lot and LTL delivery units. Additionally,

the contractor must ensure that the applicable seal identification number is on each 

bill of lading, shipment manifest, certificate, or other delivery documents for each 

delivery destination. When LTL delivery units are transported on the same trailer 

and destined for multiple recipients, the trailer must be sealed after each delivery. 

The seal number must be recorded on the appropriate delivery documents and 

correspond with the applied seal at the time of arrival at the next destination. It will 

be the responsibility of the contractor to provide a sufficient number of tamperresistant seals to the carrier service and to ensure that the trailer is sealed after 

each delivery destination. Failure to seal the trailer after each stop will result in 

rejection of the shipment by the recipient agency at the next scheduled stop and 

rejection of any subsequent deliveries on the trailer. Truck shipments must be 

sealed at origin. Split deliveries require sealing after each drop in accordance with 

this Section of the FPPS.

930 Delivery Notification

931 The contractor must comply with the AMS Master Solicitation regarding Advance 

Shipping Notices (ASNs) and unloading appointments.

940 Split Deliveries
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Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/29/2013

Date Revised: 06/05/2015

941 The contractor is responsible to deliver the quantity stated on each Sales 

Order/Item Number to each destination. Contractor must provide to the Grader, at 

the time of shipment, the number of cases for each destination.

942 At the option of the contractor, a purchase unit for multiple destinations (split 

deliveries) may be delivered on separate trucks provided each truck ships the total 

quantity stated on the Sales Order/Item Number. Any additional costs will accrue to 

the contractor’s account.