Agricultural Marketing Service, Specialty Crops Program, Specialty Crops Inspection Division

Inspection Program for TEFAP (June 2021) 

SCI Division Inspection Series 

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USDA INSPECTION PROGRAM FOR THE EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE 

PROGRAM (TEFAP) FRESH PRODUCE PACKAGES 

Background 

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federal program that helps supplement the 

diets of low-income Americans by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost. 

Through TEFAP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) purchases a variety of nutritious, 

high-quality USDA Foods, and makes those foods available to State Distributing Agencies. The 

types of foods USDA purchases for TEFAP vary depending on the preferences of States and on 

agricultural market conditions but nutritious, high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables are prevalent. 

Fresh fruits and vegetables will comprise the TEEFAP fresh produce packages distributed. These

fresh produce packages will contain a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables produced and grown 

domestically. 

Overview

The Specialty Crops Inspection (SCI) Division will inspect and certify that the fresh fruits and 

vegetables used within TEFAP meet the applicable grade and produce quality requirements stated 

in TEFAP Fresh Produce Package Specification and Amendment 1. Inspections may occur at 

either the Vendor Box Assembly Facility (VBAF) or at TEFAP destination with a goal of 33% 

occurring at the TEFAP destination when and where possible. USDA certification will consist of a

SC-301, or FV-E301 or FV-301 certificate.

Determination of Inspection

Number of Inspections 

The number of inspections performed will be based on the number of boxes delivered per vendor 

with an established minimum number of inspections and a maximum number of additional 

inspections (see Table 1 below). Additional inspections will be determined by AMS Commodity 

Procurement Program (CPP) based on: 

• Vendor risk factors based on previous non-compliance.

• Vendor failures of the established TEFAP Fresh Produce Package Specification Grade and

Quality and Amendment 1 specification requirements as reported on a SCI inspection

certificate.
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• Verifiable complaints received by CPP from a destination recipient.

• Poor performance at the discretion of CPP.

• Subcontractors are used to supply products in other parts of the country. 

Table 1: Inspections required per vendor

Number of Boxes 

Delivered

Minimum 

Number of 

Inspections

Maximum Number of 

Additional Inspections

1 – 1000 1 1

1001 – 5,000 1 2

5001 – 10,000 1 3

10,001 – 20,000 1 4

20,001 – 30,000 1 5

30,001 – 45,000 1 6

45,001 – 60,000 2 7

60,001 – 90,000 2 8

90,001 – 120,000 2 9

121,000 – 160,000 2 10

160,001 – 200,000 2 11

200,001 – 240,000 3 12

240,001 – 280,000 3 13

280,001 - 320,000 3 14

320,001 – 360,000 3 15

Location of Inspection

Inspections will be performed at either the Vendor Box Assembly Facility (VBAF) or the TEFAP

destination facility with a goal of 33% occurring at the TEFAP destination facility when and where 

possible. 

Determination

CPP will provide SCI National Programs Mission Support, Commodity Procurement Support 

(CPS) the Purchase Orders (POs) awarded for the program. From the POs CPS will:

• Determine which shipments will be inspected for each vendor for minimum number of 

inspections. 

• Determine the location of inspection for each selected shipment.

• Determine, based upon CPP request, which additional shipments will be inspected for each 

vendor.

• Forward to CPP the determined location of inspections per PO.
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Vendor Notification

CPP will inform the TEFAP vendor of their determined inspection location and provide the 

following request for inspection information:

• The vendor must provide the appropriate SCI inspection office a complete SC-237 

Specialty Crops Inspection Division Request For Inspection form within 72 hours of the 

requested start of the inspection. The SC-237 form can be found at 

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/SC237.pdf.

• The appropriate SCI inspection office will be the USDA/AMS Federal Fresh inspection 

office nearest to the inspection site. See ”USDA, AMS, Specialty Crops Program, 

Specialty Crops Inspection Division, Federal Fresh Inspection” locations only. Listing can 

be found at https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/sci-contacts/field-inspection-offices.

• Include the Solicitation number, Solicitation Sales Order number, Purchase Order number 

and Purchase Line Item number in the Remarks/ Special Instructions section of the SC-237.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable TEFAP Requirements

The TEFAP fresh produce package requirements are as follows: 

• Grade Requirements: U.S. No. 1 or better. 90% free from defects for product with no 

established U.S. Grade Standard.

• Produce Quality: Fresh produce items shall be sound and wholesome, and in suitable 

shipping condition to arrive at the contract destination without abnormal deterioration. 

Product will not be packed in ice. No fresh cut fruit or vegetables.

Inspection Procedure

Inspections will be performed by SCI Agricultural Commodity Graders (ACGs) or Fed-State 

Market Licensees to determine compliance with the TEFAP fresh produce package requirements. 

Inspections will occur either at the vendor box assembly facility or the TEFAP destination facility. 

Regardless of inspection location the following inspection procedure will be performed.

Sampling

Sample 1% of the number of TEFAP produce packages present in the lot at time of inspection. 

Follow representative sampling guidelines as established within the General Market Manual. 

Examine all fruit and vegetable contents within the TEFAP produce package.
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Product Assessment

A. Grade Requirements

Verify TEFAP grade requirements by examining each commodity within the sample.

TEFAP grade requirements are met if quality and condition defects present are within the 

destination lot tolerance established for the commodity or not more than 10% for product 

with no established U.S. Grade Standard. The following grade requirements are not 

applicable:

• Size (e.g. undersize, oversize)

• Minimum soluble solids (e.g., grapes or kiwifruit)

• One Color (e.g., red sweet peppers and green sweet peppers)

• One Type (e.g., Green Apples and Red Apples)

• Similar Varietal Characteristics (e.g., red Northern onions and Vidalia onions)

• Minimum Sample Size Requirements (e.g., minimum 20 pound sample for 

potatoes), including cut sample requirements.

• Application of Tolerances (i.e. sample tolerances) per commodity 

B. Produce Quality Requirements

Verify TEFAP Produce Quality requirements by determining if all product per sample is 

sound and wholesome, and in suitable shipping condition to arrive at the contract 

destination without abnormal deterioration, is not packed in ice and is not fresh cut.

1. Products are considered sound and wholesome if via organoleptic assessment (i.e. 

sight, smell, and touch) if: 

• They are generally free from condition defects

• Fruits are generally firm or firm ripe

• Vegetables are generally fresh and firm, crisp, or tender

• They have normal color and odor characteristic for the product

• They are practically free of soft, flabby, overripe, decay or rot 

• There is no apparent evidence product has been adulterated

2. Product is considered in suitable shipping containers if the TEFAP produce 

packages (boxes) are fiberboard containers of such size to pack the commodities 

without slack filling or bulging. Product that is: Tight, Well Filled, Fairly Tight,

Fairly Well Filled, or Level Fill will meet the suitable shipping containers 

requirement. Slack pack will be reported in fractions of inches on the certificate. 

Refer to the General Market Manual for additional guidance on slack pack and 

bulge.

3. Product will not be packed in ice. 
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4. No fresh cut fruit or vegetables allowed.

If either the TEFAP Grade or Produce Quality requirements are not met as listed above the lot will 

not meet the requirements of the solicitation.

C. Digital Photos

Whenever possible include digital photos of TEFAP packages, brands (product inside 

and/or the TEFAP master package), codes (all visible codes from product inside and/or the 

TEFAP master package). For failing lots include 1-5 digital photos to demonstrate the 

reason for the failure (i.e. account slack pack, or account condition).

Certification

A Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Certificate of Miscellaneous Inspection Services (SC-301, FV-E301 

or FV-301) will be issued that documents compliance of TEFAP grade and produce quality 

requirements.

See Appendix I for example:

• For FEIRS FV-E301 select “Commodity Procurement Branch” under Purpose.

• Complete Applicant, Receiver, Inspection Site, Market Office, Carrier ID/Order Number as 

applicable.

• Contractor will be the shipper.

• List all products inspected under Product as separate lines. Enter “See Below” for Number 

and Type of Container for each product listed. 

• Under Description of Product enter all markings for products and master TEFAP produce 

package. This includes brands, varieties, and all visible codes

• Under Grade enter Meets/Fails TEFAP Requirements for each product.

• Under Number and Type of Container enter the total number and type of master TEFAP 

produce packages inspected below the listed products. Include markings located on the 

master TEFAP produce packages where applicable.

o Enter a remark if the number of containers inspected is less than the original 

quantity listed on the PO and/or SC-237: “Applicant States Lot Originally 

Manifested/Received as 1000 Cartons.”

• Enter CWT or Total Weight of total number of packages as applicable.

• Enter “See Remarks” under Above Products Meet Specifications Of.

• Enter “Meets (Fails to Meet) the Requirements of Solicitation ___, Solicitation Sales 

Order number __, Purchase order number ___, and Purchase Line Item number”

under Remarks. 

o If the Grade and Produce Quality requirements are not met, an additional statement 

of “account ___” will be added to clarify the factor that caused the failure, such as

“...account fruits not generally firm or firm ripe” or “...account slack pack”

• Enter estimated fee.
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The certificate will be sent to the applicant with a copy sent to the NPMS Commodity Procurement 

Support staff (CPS) via SCIinspectionoperations@usda.gov. 

Fees

Fees are based on the time spent on-site performing the inspection and must be charged on an 

Hourly Based Inspection Services basis with a 1⁄2 hour minimum for work performed during the 

grader's regularly scheduled work week. All applicable premium time and travel charges will also 

be charged.
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APPENDIX I – FV E301 CERTIFICATE EXAMPLE
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“SCI moving forward in the 21st Century using technology, innovation, and old fashioned hard work”

Non-Discrimination Policy: In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and 

employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from 

discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender 

expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income 

derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil 

rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all 

programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information 

(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible 

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through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be 

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To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination 

Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and 

at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the 

information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. 

Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

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