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Date Revised: 06/13/2017

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 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. 

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

Split Chicken Breast. The Split Chicken Breast shall be produced from ready-tocook broiler/fryer chicken weighing between 3.0 to 5.5 pounds without neck and 

giblets. The commodity shall be packaged 5.0 pounds per re-sealable (Ziploc-style) 

commercially labeled bag. A purchase unit shall total 39,000 pounds. 

130 Consumer Pack Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (XXXXXX) – Individually frozen 

U.S. Grade A Boneless Chicken Breast. The Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast 

shall be produced from ready-to-cook broiler/fryer chicken weighing between 3.0 to 

5.5 pounds without neck and giblets. The commodity shall be packaged in ten 3-

pound or six 5-pound re-sealable (Ziploc-style) commercially labeled bag. A 

purchase unit shall total 39,000 pounds. 

200 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

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

Division FPPS – Consumer Pack Chickens, Frozen – June 2017:

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

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

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 Bldg., Phone: 202-692-0342

Supersedes: Consumer Pack Chickens August 2016

– Changes from pervious requirements in blue

Effective: June 2017 
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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.

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.). The AMS Grader shall be responsible for certification of 

compliance with the requirements of this FPPS for whole chickens; split chicken 

breasts; boneless, skinless chicken breasts; freezing; packaging and packing; 

labeling and marking; net weight; sampling; and checkloading.

541 AMS Certification – USDA/AMS, LPS Program’s QAD field office or the Director of

QAD, LPS Program, AMS, USDA, Room 3953-S, STOP 0258, 1400 Independence

Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0258, telephone (202) 720-3271. 
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542 All steps in the manufacturing process shall be under the direct supervision of AMS 

Grader and as outlined in QAD Policies and Procedures. Quality and compliance 

with product requirements shall be determined in accordance with QAD 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 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 it:

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

550.2 Complies 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, during transit and when received at the destination plant.

560 Meat Time Requirements

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

processed, packaged, 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.

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, 
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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 (110154) and Boneless Skinless Breast 

(XXXXXX) – When ice glazing methods are used for the Individually Frozen (IF) 

product, 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) and Boneless Skinless Breast 

(XXXXXX) 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.

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 
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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) and Boneless Skinless Breast 

(XXXXXX) – The commodity shall be packaged in commercially acceptable plasticfilm 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. Steel or wire straps 

shall not be used for final closure.

631 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.
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642 Consumer Pack Split Chicken Breast (110154) – Six 5-pound packages of 

commodity shall be packed in a fiberboard shipping container.

643 Consumer Pack Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (XXXXX) – Ten 3-pound or 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 

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
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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, QAD.

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. 

A weight variation of minus 1 percent (39,204 pounds) is permitted on each delivery 

unit. USDA will pay only for the amount of commodity delivered within the required 

weight range.

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

pounds.

833 Consumer Pack Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (XXXXXX) – Commodity shall 

total 39,000 pounds.

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

requirements at time of checkloading.
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835 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 FederalState 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 Frozen Commodity

841 Internal Product Temperature

841.1 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 QAD field office or the Director of QAD, 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 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 
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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

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.
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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.

1211 Waiver Requests – Contractor shall submit all waiver requests directly to the Commodity 

Procurements Staff (CPS) Contracting Officer for review and determination. Full list of CPS 

contacts can be found at: 

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/AMS%20Commodity%20Procurement%

20Staff%20Contact%20List.pdf

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.