USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

 Farm Service Agency 

 Kansas City Commodity Office 

 P.O. Box 419205, MS 8698 

 Kansas City, MO 64141-6205

USDA COMMODITY REQUIREMENTS

EVD4

EVAPORATED MILK 

FOR USE IN DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

FedBizOpps Posting Date: July 29, 2013

Effective Date: July 29, 2013
USDA COMMODITY REQUIREMENTS

EVD4

EVAPORATED MILK

FOR USE IN DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

Table of Contents

Part 1 COMMODITY SPECIFICATIONS ________________________________ 1

Section 1.1 COMMODITIES ______________________________________________ 1

Section 1.2 WARRANTY__________________________________________________ 1

Section 1.3 QUALITY ASSURANCES ______________________________________ 1

Part 2 CONTAINER AND PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS_________________ 1

Section 2.1 GENERAL____________________________________________________ 1

Section 2.2 COMMERCIAL PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS _________________ 1

Section 2.3 CONTAINERS AND MATERIALS _______________________________ 2

Section 2.4 UNITIZATION REQUIREMENTS _______________________________ 3

Section 2.5 MONTH/YEAR OF PACK ______________________________________ 3

Section 2.6 LOT CODE/CERTIFICATE NUMBER ___________________________ 3
EVD4 Page 1 of 3

Part 1 COMMODITY SPECIFICATIONS

Section 1.1 COMMODITIES

A. Quality of Product

The evaporated milk purchased shall be Type I, Vitamin D added, in accordance 

with Commercial Item Description (CID) A-A-20072C (March 26, 2008). CID

A-A-20072C is available at 

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3006748.

B. Production Requirements

(1) The product delivered to the Government shall have been processed in the 

United States from fluid milk which was produced in the United States.

(2) The plants in which the product is to be processed shall be inspected and 

approved by the Dairy Grading Branch, Dairy Division, Agricultural 

Marketing Service (AMS).

Section 1.2 WARRANTY

The product shall have a shelf life of at least one year from date of delivery to the 

Government. Product shall not be manufactured more than 60 days prior to delivery. 

Section 1.3 QUALITY ASSURANCES

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.
EVD4 Page 2 of 3

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.”

C. A company name or brand name shall be shown on all shipping containers.

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:

USDA/FSA/DACO

Room 5755 – South Bldg, STOP 0551

1400 Independence Avenue SW

Washington, DC 20250-0551

ATTN: Packaging

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. 
EVD4 Page 3 of 3

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.

C. 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.

Section 2.5 MONTH/YEAR OF PACK

A. The month/year of pack shall be shown on all shipping containers.

B. A date fill code may be applied in addition to, but not in lieu of, the month/year of 

pack.

Section 2.6 LOT CODE/CERTIFICATE NUMBER

A lot code or official inspection certificate number shall be legibly marked on all primary 

shipping materials. Contractors may use any type of lot coding system provided a unique 

code is used to identify each lot under a contract. When requested contractors shall 

provide to the Government an explanation of the lot coding system utilized.