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Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/15/2013

Date Revised: 08/11/2016

FEDERAL PURCHASE 

PROGRAM SPECIFICATION 

(FPPS) FOR CONSUMER 

PACK CHICKENS, FROZEN

APPROVED

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

Livestock, Poultry and Seed (LPS) Program

Food Safety and Commodity Specification (FSCS) Division

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

Supersedes: Consumer Pack Chicken April 2013 – Changes

from previous requirements in blue

Effective: August 2016

100 ITEM DESCRIPTION

110 Consumer Pack Whole Chicken (100880) – Frozen U.S. Grade A ready-to-cook 

broiler/fryer chickens, with neck and giblets or without neck and giblets. 

Individual chickens shall weigh 3.0 to 5.5 pounds (1.36 to 2.49 kg) per carcass 

without neck and giblets. The commodity shall be commercially labeled and 

packed in individual plastic-film bags with necks and giblets or without neck and 

giblets and packed 10-12 chickens per fiberboard container. A purchase unit 

shall total 39,600 pounds (17,962 kg). 

120 Consumer Pack Split Chicken Breast (110154) – Individually frozen U.S. Grade 

A Split Chicken Breast. The Split Chicken Breast shall be produced from readyto-cook broiler/fryer chicken weighing no more than 8.0 pounds (3.63 kg), 

without neck and giblets. The commodity shall be packaged 5.0 pounds per resealable (Ziploc-style) commercially labeled bag. A purchase unit shall total 

39,000 pounds (17,690 kg). 

200 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

210 The following documents are incorporated as part of this USDA, AMS, FSCS 

Division FPPS – Consumer Pack Chickens, Frozen – August 2016:

210.1 AMS/LPS/Quality Assessment (QA) Division Policies and Procedures (QAD 600 

Series).

210.2 Poultry Products Inspection Regulations (9 CFR § 381).

210.3 Regulations Governing the Voluntary Grading of Poultry Products and Rabbit

Products (7 CFR § 70) and the U.S. Classes, Standards, and Grades for Poultry

(AMS 70.200 et seq., 9 CFR § 381.170 to 172).

210.4 AMS Master Solicitation for Commodity Procurements and Solicitation.
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Date Issued: 04/15/2013

Date Revised: 08/11/2016

300 CHECKLIST OF REQUIREMENTS

310 Domestic Products – Refer to the current AMS Master Solicitation of 

Commodity Procurements.

320 Food Defense – Refer to the current AMS Master Solicitation of 

Commodity Procurements. 

400 HARVESTING

410 All harvesting activities shall comply with all applicable Food Safety and 

Inspection Service (FSIS) regulations and requirements, including 9 CFR § 381, 

and shall be done under FSIS inspection.

420 Humane Handling – All poultry shall be humanely handled in accordance with 

FSIS Directive 6100.3.

500 PROCESSING

510 All processing activities shall comply with all applicable FSIS regulations and 

requirements, including 9 CFR § 381, and shall be done under FSIS inspection.

520 Performance Standards – Product shall be produced under FSIS pathogen 

reduction standards, as specified in 9 CFR § 381. 

530 The commodity shall not be processed or packaged more than 60 days prior to 

the first day of the delivery period.

540 Inspection for contract and FPPS compliance shall be in accordance with the 

Regulations Governing the Voluntary Grading of Poultry Products and Rabbit 

Products (7 CFR § 70) and the U.S. Classes, Standards, and Grades for Poultry 

(AMS 70.200 et seq.). Grading shall be under the supervision of an AMS Grader

using LPS Program’s Sample Plan Level 1 (SPL-1). The AMS Grader shall be 

responsible for certification of compliance with the requirements of this FPPS for 

whole chickens; split chicken breasts, freezing; packaging and packing; labeling 

and marking; net weight; sampling; and checkloading.

541 AMS Certification – USDA/AMS, LPS Program’s QA Division field office or the

Director of the QA Division, LPS Program, AMS, USDA, Room 3953-S, STOP

0258, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0258,

telephone (202) 720-3271. 

542 All steps in the manufacturing process shall be under the direct supervision of 

AMS Grader and as outlined in QA Division Policies and Procedures (QAD 600 
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Date Revised: 08/11/2016

Series). Quality and compliance with product requirements shall be determined 

in accordance with those policies and procedures. The AMS Grader may also 

select samples for laboratory analyses or inspect the commodity at any point in

transit and after delivery to point of destination.

543 AMS Sampling Option – AMS may select additional commodity for further 

inspection or may draw samples for laboratory analyses.

544 Lot Definition – A lot is the amount of packaged commodity produced during a 

processing shift.

550 Chicken from Other Plants – Chilled chicken and chicken parts may be 

transferred or obtained from other processing plants provided they: 

550.1 Have been processed, handled, and identified in accordance with this FPPS, 

and 

550.2 Comply with the freshly harvested, organoleptic, temperature, and other 

applicable requirements of this FPPS as evidenced by USDA certification.

551 Type, class and specific name of the product, or grade; date harvested as 

applicable; and the USDA-assigned plant number shall be shown on each 

shipping container.

552 The chilled chicken and chicken parts shall be at an internal product 

temperature not higher than 40 °F (4.4 °C) and not lower than 26 °F (-3.3 °C)

when shipped from the origin plant and when received at the destination plant.

560 Chilling Requirements

561 Consumer Pack Whole Chicken (100880) – The chilled commodity shall be 

processed, packaged and packed, and placed in a freezer within 7 calendar 

days after the date of harvest.

561.1 Consumer Pack Whole Chicken (100880) – Within this 7- day timeframe, the 

commodity shall be placed in a freezer within 48 hours of packaging or packing. 

If the chilled commodity is not placed in a freezer immediately after packaging or 

packing, the commodity shall be held at a temperature not higher than 36 °F (2.2

°C) and not lower than 26 °F (-3.3 °C). The packaged and packed commodity 

shall be frozen (internal product temperature lowered to 0 °F (-17.8 °C) or lower 

within 72 hours from the time of entering the freezer. When packaged or packed 

commodity is held at a temperature below 26 °F (-3.3 °C), the commodity shall 

be considered to be in a freezer and subject to the 72-hour freezing requirement 

which begins at the end of the shift the commodity enters the 26 °F (-3.3 °C) or 

lower facility.
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Date Revised: 08/11/2016

570 Organoleptic Requirements – The chilled ready-to-cook chicken and chicken 

parts shall be examined on a continuous basis for the following organoleptic 

requirements: chilled chicken and chicken parts shall be free of rancidity; free of 

fruity, sulfide-like, cardboardy, tallowy, oily, metallic, chlorine-like, or other 

foreign and off-odors; free of foreign materials (e.g., glass, paper, rubber, plastic, 

wood, metal); shall show no evidence of mishandling or deterioration; and shall

have a bright color and show no evidence of dehydration or freezing and 

thawing. 

580 Weight Requirements

581 Carcasses shall be examined for compliance prior to packaging with the 

individual weight requirements. A sample of 10 carcasses shall be randomly 

drawn and weighed.

582 The frequency of sampling shall be according to LPS Program’s SPL-2. 

590 Freezing

591 Tare Weight for Ice Glazed Split Breast – When ice glazing methods are used 

for the Individually Frozen (IF) Split Breasts, the AMS Grader shall randomly 

weigh 10 parts according to established LPS Program procedures for 

determining tare weight for ice glazed products. Both unglazed and glazed parts 

shall be weighed to determine the tare weight.

592 Consumer Pack Whole Chicken (100880) – The packaged or packed commodity 

shall be frozen (internal product temperature lowered to 0 °F (-17.8 °C) or lower 

within 72 hours from the time of entering the freezer).

593 Consumer Pack Split Chicken Breast (110154) Individual Freezing – The chilled 

parts for IF cut-up commodity shall be individually frozen in an in-line freezing 

system so the individual parts do not stick together after they are packaged and 

packed in shipping containers. NOTE: Ice glazing methods are permitted. The 

determination of commodity for 72-hour freezing verification shall be made as 

the commodity exits the in-line freezing system as follows:

593.1 Individually frozen commodity exiting an in-line freezing system with internal 

product temperatures higher than 0 °F (-17.8 °C) shall be packaged and placed 

in a freezer. The internal product temperature shall be lowered to 0 °F 

(-17.8 °C) or lower within 72 hours from the time the commodity enters the 

freezer.

593.2 Individually frozen commodity exiting an in-line freezing system with internal 

product temperatures 0 °F (-17.8 °C) or lower is in compliance with the 72-hour 

freezing requirement.
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Date Revised: 08/11/2016

 

600 PACKAGING AND PACKING

610 The contractor shall assure that all packaging, packing, labeling, closure, 

marking, and palletization comply with the National Motor Freight Regulations 

and FSIS regulations and the requirements listed below.

620 Packaging – All packaging and packing materials shall be clean and in new 

condition, shall not impart objectionable odors or flavors to the commodity, shall

be safe for use in contact with food products (cannot adulterate product or be 

injurious to health), and shall be tamper-evident. Tamper-evident is defined as 

packaging and packing materials with one or more indicators or barriers to entry, 

which, if breached or missing, can reasonably be expected to provide visible 

evidence that tampering has occurred. All packaging material shall comply with 

FSIS regulations (9 CFR § 381.144(c)).

621 Consumer Pack Whole Chicken (100880) – The commodity shall be packaged 

by using one of the following options:

621.1 Option 1 – The commodity may be individually packaged in commercially 

acceptable plastic-film bags. A drip pad, or single sheet of similarly constructed 

material, must be placed under the commodity to absorb purge. Each bag must 

snugly adhere to the commodity and be sealed to enclose the commodity and 

prevent leaking; or 

621.2 Option 2 – The commodity may be vacuum packaged using commercial 

practices to prevent leaking and purge. The bag used for this method must be 

designed specifically to be used without a drip pad.

622 Consumer Pack Split Chicken Breast (110154) – The commodity shall be 

packaged in commercially acceptable plastic-film bags, consumer-labeled, and 

re-sealable (Ziploc-style).

630 Shipping Containers – Shipping containers shall:

630.1 Be good commercial fiberboard containers that are acceptable by common or 

other carrier(s) for safe transport to point of destination, 

630.2 Be of such size to pack the commodity without slack filling or bulging, 

630.3 Withstand the stresses of handling, shipping, stacking, and storage, and 

630.4 Be closed by commercially accepted methods and materials. 
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Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/15/2013

Date Revised: 08/11/2016

631 Steel or wire straps shall not be used for final closure. Staples shall not be used 

for final closure of shipping containers. Adhesive or staples cannot be used to 

fasten the top portion of telescope-style containers to the bottom portion. 

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 the commodity into the 

shipping containers.

640 Packing 

641 Consumer Pack Whole Chicken (100880) – 10-12 packages of commodity shall

be packed in a fiberboard shipping container.

642 Consumer Pack Split Chicken Breast (110154) – Six-5-pound packages of 

commodity shall be packed in a fiberboard shipping container.

700 LABELING

710 Commercial Labeling Shall Be Used – The contractor shall use the same label 

commercial format within a purchase unit. Both the packages and shipping 

containers within a purchase unit shall be labeled in that format. 

711 USDA Grademark

711.1 U.S. Grade A shall appear on each package and shipping container of 

commodity.

712 Commercial Labeling Requirements

712.1 Commercially labeled packages and shipping containers shall be labeled in 

accordance with FSIS requirements. Labeling shall be approved by FSIS prior 

to acceptance for use under this FPPS.

712.2 Commercial labels shall be the processor’s own commercial label. 

713 Traceable Product – The processor shall establish a product identification and 

record system that clearly links product by place and time of manufacture 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 shall differentiate between USDA 

and non-USDA products. An alpha numeric code may be used for information 

that is in addition to FSIS labeling requirements. The required product 

identification and record system, including codes, shall be reviewed by 

USDA/AMS before production begins for the contract(s).

714 Nutrition Facts, Ingredients and Allergen Statements on Shipping Containers 

Nutrition Facts shall be provided. The ingredient statement, even for single 
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ingredient foods, shall be included as a statement separate from the name of the 

product, e.g. Ingredients: _____________. The allergen statement shall be 

provided in the format which complies with the Food Allergen Labeling and 

Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), and 9 CFR § 317.2(b), 9 CFR 381.116(a) 

for any product which contains milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, 

peanuts, soy or wheat; e.g. Allergen: This product contains ______. For 

additional guidance refer to the Compliance Guidance at: 

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/f9cbb0e9-6b4d-4132-ae27-

53e0b52e840e/Allergens-Ingredient.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

720 Unacceptable Labeling 

721 Commercial labels that do not have a processor traceability system and code.

722 Commercial labeling traceability coding and systems that have not been 

reviewed by a representative of LPS Program, QA Division.

723 Distributor Commercial Labels

724 Two or more different commercial labels in the same purchase unit.

730 Free Along Side (FAS) Vessel Deliveries 

731 FAS vessel deliveries that are not source loaded in a refrigerated seavan are 

required to show the final destination’s overseas address as provided in the 

Sales Order/Item Number. The address shall be clearly printed on at least two 

sides of each pallet.

800 FINAL EXAMINATION OF PACKAGED AND PACKED COMMODITY

810 Packaging Defects – Packages in a delivery unit shall be examined for defects 

that affect protection, expose product, or permit dehydration or freezer burn, or 

quality deterioration during storage, such as tears, holes, or improperly sealed or 

closed packages.

820 Packing Defects – Shipping containers in a delivery unit shall be examined for 

condition, labeling, and marking defects according to the United States 

Standards for Condition of Food Containers.

830 Purchase or Delivery Unit

831 Consumer Pack Whole Chicken (100880) – Commodity shall total 39,600 

pounds (17,962 kg). A weight variation of minus 1 percent (39,204 pounds 

(17,782 kg)) is permitted on each delivery unit. USDA will pay only for the 

amount of commodity delivered within the required weight range.
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Date Revised: 08/11/2016

832 Consumer Pack Split Chicken Breast (110154) – Commodity shall total 39,000 

pounds (17,690 kg).

833 Each delivery unit shall be examined for compliance with the net weight 

requirements at time of checkloading.

834 As an alternative to test weighing at time of checkloading, the contractor may 

request on-line verification of net weights. Upon receiving the request, a 

Federal-State supervisor (or his/her designee) shall determine that the facilities 

and procedures are in accordance with the applicable LPS Program’s 

instructions for this FPPS.

840 Loading and Shipping Commodity

841 Internal Product Temperature

841.1 Frozen – Commodity shall be 2 °F (-16.7 °C) or lower at the time of loading. 

Delivery units with internal product temperatures exceeding 2 °F (-16.7 °C) and

up to 5 °F (-15 °C) shall be tentatively rejected. Tentatively rejected delivery

units may be returned to the freezer and the temperature reduced to 2 °F 

(-16.7°C) or lower and reoffered one time only. Delivery units exceeding 5 °F

(-15 °C) or delivery units that have been tentatively rejected and exceed 2 °F

(-16.7 °C) when reoffered shall be rejected for use under this FPPS.

842 Optional Temperature Verification – The contractor may request an alternate 

method utilizing product temperature-sensing devices. If this option is selected,

a Federal-State Supervisor shall determine that the facilities, equipment,

procedures, and the contractors’ current level of freezing compliance are in

accordance with the established guidelines outlined in the applicable USDA,

AMS, LPS Program’s instructions for this FPPS.

850 Inspection and Checkloading

851 Requirements – Inspection for contract compliance shall be made by a USDA 

representative, in accordance with 7 CFR § 70, FSIS regulatory requirements, 

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

packaging. Inspection records shall be complete and made available to USDA, 

as requested, to assure contract compliance.

852 Procedures – The inspection and checkloading shall be performed by an AMS

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

may be obtained by contacting the nearest QA Division field office or the 

Director of QA Division, LPS Program, AMS, USDA, Room 3953-S, STOP 0258, 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-0258, telephone 

(202) 690-3147. The quality, quantity, weight, packaging, packing, and 

checkloading of the commodity shall be evidenced by certificates issued by the 
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AMS Grader. The contractor shall not ship the commodity unless informed by 

the AMS Grader that the designated commodity to be shipped meets the 

requirements of the AMS Master Solicitation of Commodity Procurements, 

Solicitation, and this FPPS.

900 PALLETIZED UNIT LOADS

910 All products shall be stacked on new or well-maintained pallets and palletized 

with shrink wrap plastic, unless otherwise specified in the Solicitation. Pallet 

loads shall be stacked in a manner that minimizes the overhang of the shipping 

containers over the edges of the pallets and exposes each shipping container’s 

principal display panel to facilitate certification examinations.

920 Size and Style of Container – Only one size and style of shipping container shall 

be used in any one delivery unit.

1000 SHIPMENT AND DELIVERY

1010 Shipment and Delivery – Refer to the current AMS Master Solicitation of 

Commodity Procurements. 

1011 In addition, the contractor shall adhere to the following provisions:

1011.1 Each shipping container shall be identified with a USDA Contract Compliance 

stamp with the applicable certificate number. An AMS Grader or other 

authorized personnel under the supervision of the AMS Grader shall stamp one 

end of each shipping container prior to shipment. If there is inadequate space 

available on either end of the shipping container, the stamp may be applied to a 

side of the container.

1012 A copy of the original USDA Poultry Products Grading Certificate issued at time 

of checkloading shall accompany each shipment. 

1012.1 Railcar or Piggyback – If shipment is by rail or piggyback, the certificate shall be 

placed in the railcar or trailer for easy access to the Grader, warehouseman, or 

consignee, as applicable.

1012.2 Trucks – If shipment is by truck, the driver shall, upon delivery, give the 

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

1020 Loading and Sealing of Vehicles

1021 Refer to the current AMS Master Solicitation of Commodity Procurements.

1030 Delivery Notification
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1031 Refer to the current AMS Master Solicitation of Commodity Procurements.

1040 Split Deliveries

1041 Refer to the current AMS Master Solicitation of Commodity Procurements.

1100 DESTINATION EXAMINATION

1110 The cost of a destination examination, before or after delivery, by an AMS

Grader on accepted product shall be for the account of USDA. Costs for 

destination examinations of rejected delivery units shall be for the account of the 

contractor. The origin AMS Grader shall make arrangements for destination 

examination prior to delivery.

1111 Commodity Requirements – Before acceptance by consignee, the commodity 

may be examined by an AMS Grader on a spot-check basis for temperature, 

condition, identity, and when applicable, count. The commodity may be 

examined for conformance to contract provisions at any time required by the 

Contracting Officer. 

1112 Temperature – The commodity shall arrive at destination at an average internal 

product temperature not to exceed 10 °F (-12.2 °C) with no individual 

temperature exceeding 15 °F (-9.4 °C). 

1200 PRODUCT ASSURANCE AND COMPLAINT RESOLUTION

1210 Product Assurance – The Contractor shall guarantee that the product complies 

with all FPPS requirements and provisions set forth in the AMS Master 

Solicitation of Commodity Procurements and Solicitation.

1220 Complaint Resolution – Customer complaint resolution procedures shall be the 

responsibility of the Contractor. These procedures shall include: a point of 

contact, investigation steps, and intent to cooperate with AMS, and product 

replacement or monetary compensation. The procedures shall be used to 

resolve product complaints from recipient agencies or AMS.