Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/10/14

Date Revised: 04/19/16

SUPPLEMENT 511 TO THE 

AMS MASTER SOLICITATION

FOR PURCHASE OF CATFISH 

PRODUCTS FOR 

DISTRIBUTION TO FEDERAL 

FOOD AND NUTRITION 

ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

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: Supplement 213 June 2012 – Changes from 

previous requirements in blue

Effective: April 2016

100 OVERVIEW

110 This document provides additional program requirements for the purchase of Catfish 

Products by the Department of Agriculture (USDA), including the applicable Federal 

Purchase Program Specification (FPPS) (Exhibits A, A1, A2).

200 INSTRUCTIONS TO POTENTIAL SUPPLIERS

210 The catfish products shall be purchased on a competitive bid basis from qualified suppliers

who are operating under USDA, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regulations 

and have met the requirements described in this Section. Interested suppliers may submit

sample(s) and a technical proposal at any time during the purchase program. Suppliers

should allow 10 working days, from USDA’s receipt of the product sample(s) and technical 

proposal for notification of evaluation results. A supplier is deemed eligible upon notification 

of approval of the sample(s) and technical proposal by the FSCS Division.

220 Submission of sample(s) and a technical proposal is not binding on USDA. Actual 

purchases shall be described in the AMS Master Solicitation and Solicitations.

230 Documentation Requirements

231 Technical Proposal Requirement

231.1 Include a detailed description of the catfish products offered and each of the production 

steps that are taken to meet or exceed the minimum product requirements set forth in the 

FPPS. (Plan/Do)

231.2 Describe all the quality assurance methods used to verify conformance to all requirements. 

This shall include the monitoring and measurements taken during the process to verify 

conformance with each requirement. All measurement results shall be recorded and made 

available to AMS. (Check)
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/10/14

Date Revised: 04/19/16

231.3 Identify all corrective actions to be taken if deviations from contractual and FPPS

requirements occur during production, and all preventative actions to be taken to preclude 

a reoccurrence. (Act)

231.4 The technical proposal shall follow the format as shown in Exhibit B. Technical proposals 

should be brief and concise.

231.5 The technical proposal shall be preceded by the following, as required by the template:

231.5.1 Table of Contents listing the major areas as they appear in the technical proposal; and

231.5.2 List of attachments and forms provided with the technical proposal with the applicable 

document name and reference number.

232 The FSCS Division shall review each technical proposal to determine if the proposal is 

adequate and shall notify the supplier of the status of its technical proposal and its eligibility 

to bid.

300 INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

310 The following procedures establish the acceptable minimum requirements for the 

format and content of the technical proposal:

310.1 The Government has provided a technical proposal format to be used in preparing the 

technical proposal (see Exhibit B). The supplier shall submit the technical proposal as an

email file attachment to AMS (Darin.Doerscher@ams.usda.gov and 

Steve.Whisenant@ams.usda.gov). The technical proposal shall be saved in a non-portable 

document file format (not PDF; e.g., Microsoft Word). The technical proposal shall be 

submitted in its entirety. If the file size of the technical proposal is too large to send in a single

email, it may be divided and sent in multiple emails (i.e., Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, etc.). The

collection of attachments and appendices may be submitted as a separate document as well.

310.2 While it is not the desire of the Government to penalize a supplier for non-compliance with 

formatting instructions, technical evaluators may have difficulty evaluating the technical 

proposal to the fullest extent possible if the proposal is not presented in the proper format. 

Technical evaluators shall not be required to search other subsections or sections of the 

supplier’s technical proposal for information requested in the evaluation.

320 Technical Proposal Revisions

321 Changes to a supplier’s technical proposal may be submitted at any time or at the request of 

the FSCS Division. All technical proposal revisions shall meet the following criteria:

321.1 Any changes to a technical proposal made by the supplier after its initial submittal shall be 

accomplished by submitting an entire technical proposal. A cover letter shall be submitted 

with the changes identified and an explanation of the need for the change. The supplier

shall include the revision date and the appropriate page number(s).
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/10/14

Date Revised: 04/19/16

321.2 Changes from the original technical proposal shall be highlighted and deletions in

strikeouts.

400 ASSESSMENT BY THE QUALITY ASSESSMENT (QA) DIVISION

410 Once a supplier is notified by the FSCS Division that the technical proposal meets the 

applicable criteria, the QA Division shall contact the supplier to set up a pre-award onsite 

capability assessment audit of the facility’s processes, food defense plan, and quality 

control program used to produce the product(s) to determine the supplier’s ability to meet 

contractual requirements.

420 Pre-Award Onsite Capability Assessment Audit

421 Food Defense Assessment

421.1 The QA Division shall conduct a food defense audit that shall include, but is not limited to, a 

thorough evaluation of the potential supplier’s food defense plan. Documentation shall

support the supplier’s food defense plan. If the report demonstrates that the food defense 

plan is inadequate, the supplier shall be notified by the FSCS Division that it is ineligible to 

bid. The supplier shall have an opportunity to correct identified deficiencies, modify its food 

defense plan and contact the QA Division. Eligibility shall depend on whether the 

modifications demonstrate compliance with the food defense plan.

422 Documentation shall support:

422.1 the production of catfish products that complies with the applicable FPPS and the potential 

supplier’s approved technical proposal, and

422.2 the supplier’s food defense plan. In addition, the audit shall consist of the review of records 

related to purchasing, receiving, production, quality control, inventory and shipping records, 

and interviews with management and production personnel.

423 Upon completion of the onsite capability assessment, the auditor shall provide either a 

verbal or email notification of the audit findings to the FSCS Division to determine (based 

on the audit findings), supplier eligibility to bid. Supplier shall be notified by the FSCS 

Division and the official final report shall be sent once released from the QA Division.

423.1 If the audit findings demonstrate that the process or food defense plan is inadequate, the 

supplier shall be notified by the FSCS Division that it is ineligible to bid. The supplier shall

have an opportunity to correct identified deficiencies, modify its process, and/or technical 

proposal, and resubmit to FSCS Division for further consideration.

423.2 Eligibility shall depend on whether the modifications demonstrate that:

423.2.1 the process is capable of delivering catfish products in compliance with the FPPS,

423.2.2 the supplier is in compliance with its food defense plan,

423.2.3 a successful QA Division corrective action audit is conducted, and 
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/10/14

Date Revised: 04/19/16

423.2.4 the supplier complies with other applicable contractual requirements.

430 Post-Award Assessment Audit

431 Eligible suppliers who receive contracts shall have their documented food defense plan, 

technical proposal, and supporting documentation readily available for review by AMS 

agents. Records may be maintained on hard copy or electronic media. However, records 

maintained as electronic media shall be made available in printed form immediately upon 

request by AMS agents.

432 The QA Division shall conduct an onsite audit of the supplier’s facility(s) and processes 

when production commences for the first contract awarded. Additional audits shall be 

conducted as determined by the FSCS Division, but not less than once per month for 

suppliers with continuous or multiple contracts, or once per contract for intermittent 

suppliers. At the discretion of the FSCS Division, more frequent audits may be conducted 

when audit deficiencies are detected.

440 Post-Award Actions

441 Any deviation from contractual requirements shall be immediately reported by the 

contractor to the Contracting Officer and FSCS Division. The Contracting Officer or FSCS 

Division shall notify the supplier regarding eligibility to continue to participate as a supplier.

442 Suppliers shall assure that the delivered product complies with the provisions of the FPPS, 

the applicable assessment by USDA, and the supplier’s technical proposal approved by the 

FSCS Division.

450 The cost of all audit, product monitoring, and certification services performed by the AMS 

agents shall be borne by the supplier. This includes, but is not limited to, audits, 

examinations, supervision, official documentation, and related services.

460 Questions concerning charges and the availability of AMS agents can be directed to

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.

500 DOMESTIC ORIGIN CERTIFICATION CLAUSE

510 The supplier agrees to include the below domestic origin certification clause in its entirety in 

all subcontracts for meat or meat products used in fulfilling any contracts awarded under 

this Supplement and Master Solicitation. The burden of proof of compliance is on the 

Contractor. All raw materials shall be shipped in containers labeled as “Domestic Only 

Product” on the principle display panel and the bill of lading accompanying the shipment 

shall contain the statement “Domestic Only Product.”

600 CHILD NUTRITION (CN) LABELING OR PRODUCT FORMULATION STATEMENT 

(PFS)

610 Products requiring either a CN Label or a PFS are identified in the FPPS (Exhibit A). The 

CN label information (and evidence of approval for use) or the PFS shall be submitted as 
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/10/14

Date Revised: 04/19/16

part of the supplier’s technical proposal.

620 The CN Labeling Program is run by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) directly with 

commercial food processing firms and in cooperation with AMS and FSIS and other 

Federal agencies. The Program requires an evaluation of a product's formulation by FNS to 

determine its contribution toward Meal Patterns Requirements (MPR) for meals served 

under USDA’s Child Nutrition Programs. To carry a CN label, the eligible product’s 

formulation must be evaluated by USDA to verify its contribution toward meal pattern 

requirements using yields in the USDA Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs. 

For information on the CN Labeling Program, see the section for Food 

Manufacturers/Industry on the FNS website http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnlabeling/childnutrition-cn-labeling-program and contact the following: 

Child Nutrition Labeling Program Operations Office 

USDA, AMS, FV, PPB Stop 0247, Room 0710-S 

1400 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC 20250 

Email: CNLabeling@ams.usda.gov 

Phone Number: 202-720-9939 

Fax Number: 202-690-3824

630 As an alternative to participation in the CN Labeling Program, the supplier may submit a 

completed and signed Manufacturer’s Product Formulation Statement (PFS) which 

demonstrates how the product(s) contribute to the meal pattern requirements for the 

National School Lunch Program. Guidance for preparing the PFS, as well as a template for 

a PFS for Meat/Meat Alternate Product, (note “meat alternate” is not applicable to USDA 

Frozen Catfish Products) is available at the website provided above. 

640 The PFS for Frozen Catfish Products described in Exhibit A shall be based on a 2.0 oz. 

portion. Reference Section 1, Meat/Meat Alternates, Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition 

Programs (page 1-56).

700 CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMANCE (COC)

710 Include a copy of the contractor’s Certificate of Conformance (Exhibit C) in addition to the

referenced payment documents required in the Master Solicitation.

800 CONTRACTOR CHECKLOADING

810 Contractor shall perform checkloading examinations as described in the FPPS at the 

time of shipment and issue contractor’s certificate to accompany each shipment that 

includes all of the following information:

810.1 Purchase Order Number,

810.2 Sales Order and Sales Order Item Number,

810.3 Destination of shipment,

810.4 Name of product and applicable Material Number,

810.5 Shipping Date,

810.6 Production lot number(s) and date each lot was produced,
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/10/14

Date Revised: 04/19/16

810.7 Count of shipping containers and total projected net weight in each production lot,

810.8 Identity of car or truck (car numbers and letters, seals, truck license, etc.) as 

applicable

810.9 Contractor certification that product conforms with the FPPS,

810.10 Count and projected net weight verified, and

810.11 Signature of company official responsible for checkloading.

900 EXHIBITS
APPROVED

FEDERAL PURCHASE 

PROGRAM SPECIFICATION 

(FPPS) FOR CATFISH 

STRIPS, BREADED, OVEN 

READY, FROZEN

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

Livestock, Poultry and Seed (LPS) Program 

Food Safety and Commodity Specification (FSCS) Division

Room 2628 S-Bldg, Phone: (202) 692-0342

Supersedes: FPPS for Catfish Strips, Breaded, Oven 

Ready March 2015 – Changes from previous requirements 

in blue

Effective: February 2016

Approved by CMS 

Date Issued: 08/22/12

Date Revised: 02/05/16

100 ITEM DESCRIPTION

110 Breaded, Oven Ready, Freshwater Catfish Strips, Frozen

120 Portion Weight – The portion weight for breaded, oven ready, catfish strips

shall be 2.0 ounces.

130 Formulation – The frozen, breaded, oven ready, catfish strips shall consist of 

not less than 75% catfish flesh in the raw formula.

140 Packing – The catfish strips shall be packaged in twenty (20) 2-pound, eight

(8) 5-pound or four (4) 10-pound immediate container bags and placed into 

shipping containers weighing 40 pounds. 

150 Delivery Unit – Each delivery unit shall consist of 1,000 shipping containers 

with a net weight of 40,000 pounds.

200 CHECKLIST OF REQUIREMENTS

201 Product shall be produced under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 

Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regulations and the AMS checklist 

of requirements. 

210 MATERIALS

210.1 Contractors’ technical proposal shall describe in detail the necessary 

processing steps, supported with digital images, to comply with the 

requirements below.

SUPPLEMENT 511 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT A
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 08/22/12

Date Revised: 02/05/16 2

211 FISH FLESH

211.1 Domestic Origin of Fish Flesh – The catfish shall be harvested from 

commercial, U.S. farm-raised freshwater catfish of the Ictaluridae family: 

channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus), and 

white catfish (Ictalurus catus)) and its hybrids.

211.2 Fresh Only – Only fresh (not previously frozen) catfish shall be allowed.

211.3 Flesh Characteristics – The catfish flesh shall have characteristics of good 

quality, including, but not limited to, flavor, texture, and odor and shall be 

evaluated during the prototype review.

211.4 Fillets – The catfish strips shall be prepared from trimmed catfish shank fillets 

(without belly-flap section).

211.5 Objectionable Materials – The Contractor shall identify and develop a 

strategy and have a written quality plan to effectively remove all bones, skin, 

organs, tails, fins, and foreign materials.

211.6 Fish Flesh Content – The breaded, oven ready, catfish strips, frozen shall 

consist of not less than 75% catfish flesh in the raw formula. 

211.7 Catfish injected with added ingredients is prohibited.

212 INGREDIENTS

212.1 Domestic Origin of Ingredients – Significant ingredients (more than 1%) shall 

be derived from U.S. produced products when U. S. produced products are 

available from ingredient suppliers.

212.2 Batter/Breading – The catfish strips shall be breaded in a cornmeal based 

breading similar to those normally used for commercial marketed breaded 

catfish strips. Additional ingredients that include spices, seasonings, salt, etc. 

may be used as needed to produce the desired flavor, color, texture, and 

crispness.

212.2.1 The batter/breading shall be made with whole grain meal/flour or whole grain 

rich meal/flour using one of the following options:

212.2.1.1 Option 1: 100% whole grain, or 

 

212.2.1.2 Option 2: whole grain-rich - shall contain at least 50% whole grains and the 

remaining grains in the product shall be enriched.

212.3 Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) – Use of MSG is not allowed.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 08/22/12

Date Revised: 02/05/16 3

213 FINISHED PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS

213.1 Sodium – Maximum sodium content shall be 360 mg or less per 100 grams.

213.2 Fat – Maximum fat content shall be 9 grams or less per 100 grams.

213.3 Trans fat – 0 grams per 100 grams.

213.4 Portion Weight –The portion weight for catfish strips shall be 2.0 ounces and 

shall have a uniform shape and size to meet the portion weight requirement. 

Quality assurance plans shall apply upper and lower specification limits of 2.5

and 1.5 ounces, respectively.

214 INDIVIDUALLY QUICK FROZEN (IQF)

214.1 The breaded, oven ready, catfish strips shall be IQF so the individual strips

do not stick together after they are packaged and packed. The product 

temperature at the time of shipment and delivery shall not exceed 0°F.

215 PREPARATION/COOKING METHODS

215.1 The breaded catfish strips shall be prepared (par-fried) so that the end-user 

may bake them in a conventional or convection type oven. Baking

instructions shall be declared and appear on the individual bags (immediate 

container).

216 METAL DETECTION

216.1 Detection of stainless steel, ferrous, and non-ferrous (e.g., lead, copper, and 

aluminum) metals is required. The equipment, location, detection procedure, 

sensitivity levels, frequency of equipment validation, and corrective action 

procedures shall be identified and described.

217 FINISHED PRODUCT EVALUATION

217.1 The finished products shall be evaluated for cooked flavor, odor, color, and 

texture in accordance with established sampling and cooking procedures 

developed by the contractor.

220 PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY

221 PACKAGING AND PACKING

221.1 Packaging1/

– The catfish strips shall be packaged in twenty (20) 2-pound, 

eight (8) 5-pound or four (4) 10-pound immediate container bags. The 

immediate container bags shall be closed by heat seal or metal clips.

1/The contracting officer shall designate the packaging orientation permitted for each solicitation.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 08/22/12

Date Revised: 02/05/16 4

221.2 Shipping Container - The shipping containers (cases) shall be in compliance 

with the National Motor Freight Classification or Uniform Freight 

Classification.

221.3 Net Weight – Immediate containers shall be packed into new 40-pound net 

weight shipping containers of a size to accommodate the product without 

slack filling or overfilling.

221.4 Style and Size of Container – Only one size and style of immediate and 

shipping container shall be offered in an individual shipping unit.

222 LABELING

222.1 Both immediate and shipping containers shall be labeled to include all 

information required by FSIS regulations, be illustrated in the contractor’s 

technical proposal and contain the required information listed below. 

222.2 Immediate Container – The following information shall be on each bag:

222.2.1 A traceability code that includes information regarding production 

establishment, production date and production lot.

222.2.2 Nutrition facts based on actual nutritional analysis of the product.

222.2.3 Baking Instructions.

222.3 Shipping Container –The following information shall be on each case:

222.3.1 USDA Shield – The shield shall be at least 2 inches high and appear on top 

or on the principal display panel of each case.

 222.3.2 The applicable purchase order number.

222.3.3 A traceability code that includes information regarding production 

establishment, production date and production lot.

222.3.4 Nutrition facts based on actual nutritional analysis of the product.

222.3.5 Baking Instructions (optional).

222.3.6 Material Number – 100200 for the 2-pound bags, and 100201 for the 5-pound 

and 10-pound bags.

222.3.7 Product name – Catfish Strips, Breaded, Oven Ready, Frozen.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 08/22/12

Date Revised: 02/05/16 5

222.3.8 An allergen statement in a format which complies with the Food Allergen

Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) for any product which 

contains milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, soy or 

wheat; e.g. Allergen: This product contains ______.

222.3.9 Ingredient declaration.

223 PALLETIZED UNIT LOADS

223.1 All product shall be stacked on new or well-maintained pallets and palletized 

with shrink wrap plastic, unless otherwise specified in the invitation. 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.

230 PRODUCT ASSURANCE

231 QUALITY ASSURANCE

231.1 Facilities used in fulfilling USDA contracts shall operate in accordance with all 

applicable FSIS regulations. All breaded oven ready, catfish strips, frozen

shall be produced under continuous FSIS inspection

232 DELIVERED PRODUCT

232.1 Delivery Unit - Each delivery unit shall consist of 1,000 shipping containers 

with a net weight of 40,000 pounds.

232.2 Sealing – All products shall be delivered to AMS assigned destinations under 

seal with tamper proof, tamper resistant, serially numbered, high security 

seals that meet the American Society for Testing and Materials Standard 

(ASTM) F 1157-04 and/or the International Organization for Standards (ISO) 

17712-2010 as required under this Supplement. Seals shall be >1⁄8th inch 

diameter cable, high-security bolt, or equivalent.

233 WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT RESOLUTION

233.1 Warranty – The contractor shall guarantee that the product complies with all 

contractual requirements.

233.2 Complaint Resolution – The contractor’s technical proposal shall provide the 

steps taken to resolve complaints received on the product, i.e., point of 

contact, cause and effect analysis, product replacement, monetary 

compensation and corrective and preventative actions taken.

240 NON-CONFORMING PRODUCT
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 08/22/12

Date Revised: 02/05/16 6

241.1 The contractor shall include a plan and supporting documentation to assure 

that non-conforming product is not delivered under USDA contracts. The plan 

shall address 1) control and segregation of non-conforming product, 2) 

removal of any USDA markings, and 3) disposition of non-conforming 

product, including vendor documentation of final disposition (e.g., diverted to 

commercial production, cooked or destroyed).

250 CONTRACTOR CHECKLOADING

251 Contractor shall perform checkloading examinations at the time of shipment

and issue a contractor’s certificate to accompany each shipment that includes 

all of the following information:

251.1 Purchase Order Number/Purchase Order Line Item Number;

251.2 Sales Order Number/Sales Order Line Item Number;

251.3 Destination of shipment;

251.4 Name of Product and applicable Material Number;

251.5 Shipping Date;

251.6 Production lot number(s) and date each lot was produced along with shipping

container and immediate container code(s) and the code used that provides 

traceability to establishment number, production lot and date;

251.7 Count of shipping containers and total projected net weight in each 

production lot;

251.8 Identity of car or truck (car numbers and letters, seals, truck license, etc.) as

applicable;

251.9 Contractor certification that product conforms with the applicable specification

(FPPS-COR-2016);

251.10 Count and projected net weight verified and;

251.11 Signature of company official responsible for checkloading.
APPROVED

FEDERAL PURCHASE 

PROGRAM SPECIFICATION 

(FPPS) FOR CATFISH 

STRIPS, BREADED, FROZEN

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

Livestock, Poultry and Seed (LPS) Program 

Food Safety and Commodity Specification (FSCS) Division

Room 2628 S-Bldg, Phone: (202) 692-0342

Supersedes: FPPS for Catfish Strips, Breaded, Frozen 

March 2015 – Changes from previous requirements in blue

Effective: February 2016

Approved by CMS 

Date Issued: 01/01/09

Date Revised: 02/05/16

100 ITEM DESCRIPTION

110 Breaded, Freshwater Catfish Strips, Frozen

120 Portion Weight – The target portion weight for breaded, catfish strips shall be 

2.0 ounces.

130 Formulation – The frozen, breaded, catfish strips shall consist of not less than 

75% catfish flesh in the raw formula.

140 Packing – The catfish strips shall be packaged in twenty (20) 2-pound

immediate container bags and placed into shipping containers weighing 40 

pounds.

150 Delivery Unit – Each delivery unit shall consist of 1,000 shipping containers 

with a net weight of 40,000 pounds.

200 CHECKLIST OF REQUIREMENTS

201 Product shall be produced under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 

Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regulations and the AMS checklist 

of requirements.

210 MATERIALS

210.1 Contractors’ technical proposal shall describe in detail the necessary 

processing steps, supported with digital images, to comply with the 

requirements below.

211 FISH FLESH

SUPPLEMENT 511 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT A1
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 01/01/09

Date Revised: 02/05/16 2

211.1 Domestic Origin of Fish Flesh – The catfish shall be harvested from 

commercial, U.S. farm-raised freshwater catfish of the Ictaluridae family: 

channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus), and 

white catfish (Ictalurus catus)) and its hybrids.

211.2 Fresh Only – Only fresh (not previously frozen) catfish shall be allowed.

211.3 Flesh Characteristics – The catfish flesh shall have characteristics of good 

quality, including, but not limited to, flavor, texture, and odor and shall be 

evaluated during the prototype review.

211.4 Fillets – The catfish strips shall be prepared from trimmed catfish shank fillets 

(without belly-flap section).

211.5 Objectionable Materials – The Contractor shall identify and develop a 

strategy and have a written quality plan to effectively remove all bones, skin, 

organs, tails, fins, and foreign materials.

211.6 Fish Flesh Content – The breaded, catfish strips, frozen shall consist of not 

less than 75% catfish flesh in the raw formula. 

211.7 Catfish injected with added ingredients is prohibited.

212 INGREDIENTS

212.1 Domestic Origin of Ingredients – Significant ingredients (more than 1%) shall 

be derived from U.S. produced products when U. S. produced products are 

available from ingredient suppliers.

212.2 Batter/Breading – The catfish strips shall be breaded in a cornmeal based 

breading similar to those normally used for commercial marketed breaded 

catfish strips. Batter/Breading shall be applied in a manner so that resulting 

breaded catfish strips shall be completely covered by breading without parfrying or heating in any way. Additional ingredients that include spices, 

seasonings, salt, etc. may be used as needed to produce the desired flavor, 

color, texture, and crispness.

212.3 Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) – Use of MSG is not allowed.

213 FINISHED PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS

213.1 Sodium – Maximum sodium content shall be 360 mg or less per 100 gram 

basis.

213.2 Fat – Maximum fat content shall be 8 grams or less per 100 gram basis.

213.3 Trans fat – 0 grams per 100 gram basis.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 01/01/09

Date Revised: 02/05/16 3

213.4 Portion Weight –The portion weight for catfish strips shall be 2.0 ounces and 

shall have a uniform shape and size to meet the portion weight requirement. 

Quality assurance plans shall apply upper and lower specification limits of 2.5

and 1.5 ounces, respectively.

214 INDIVIDUALLY QUICK FROZEN (IQF)

214.1 The breaded, catfish strips shall be IQF so the individual strips do not stick 

together and are completely covered with batter/breading after they are 

packaged and packed. The product temperature at the time of shipment and 

delivery shall not exceed 0°F.

215 PREPARATION/COOKING METHODS

215.1 Handling, preparation and cooking instructions for the end user shall be 

declared and appear on the individual bags (immediate container).

216 METAL DETECTION

216.1 Detection of stainless steel, ferrous, and non-ferrous (e.g., lead, copper, and 

aluminum) metals is required. The equipment, location, detection procedure, 

sensitivity levels, frequency of equipment validation, and corrective action 

procedures shall be identified and described.

217 FINISHED PRODUCT EVALUATION

217.1 The finished products shall be evaluated for cooked flavor, aroma, color, and 

texture in accordance with established sampling and cooking procedures 

developed by the contractor.

220 PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY

221 PACKAGING AND PACKING

221.1 Packaging – The catfish strips shall be packaged in twenty (20) 2-pound

immediate container bags. The immediate container bags shall be closed by 

heat seal.

221.2 Shipping Container - The shipping containers (cases) shall be in compliance 

with the National Motor Freight Classification or Uniform Freight 

Classification.

221.3 Net Weight – Immediate containers shall be packed into new 40-pound net 

weight shipping containers of a size to accommodate the product without 

slack filling or overfilling.

221.4 Style and Size of Container – Only one size and style of immediate and 

shipping container shall be offered in an individual shipping unit.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 01/01/09

Date Revised: 02/05/16 4

222 LABELING

222.1 Both immediate and shipping containers shall be labeled to include all 

information required by FSIS regulations, be illustrated in the contractor’s 

technical proposal and contain the required information listed below. 

222.2 Immediate Container – The following information shall be on each bag:

222.2.1 A traceability code that includes information regarding production 

establishment, production date and production lot.

222.2.2 Nutrition facts based on actual nutritional analysis of the product.

222.2.3 Cooking Instructions.

222.3 Shipping Container –The following information shall be on each case:

222.3.1 USDA Shield – The shield shall be at least 2 inches high and appear on top 

or on the principle display panel of each case.

 222.3.2 The applicable purchase order number.

222.3.3 A traceability code that includes information regarding production 

establishment, production date and production lot.

222.3.4 Nutrition facts based on actual nutritional analysis of the product.

222.3.5 Cooking Instructions (optional).

222.3.6 Material Number – 110155.

222.3.7 Product name – Catfish Strips, Breaded, Frozen.

222.3.8 An allergen statement in a format which complies with the Food Allergen 

Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) for any product which 

contains milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, soy or 

wheat; e.g. Allergen: This product contains ______.

222.3.9 Ingredient declaration.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 01/01/09

Date Revised: 02/05/16 5

223 PALLETIZED UNIT LOADS

223.1 All product shall be stacked on new or well-maintained pallets and palletized 

with shrink wrap plastic, unless otherwise specified in the invitation. 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 principle display panel to facilitate certification examinations.

230 PRODUCT ASSURANCE

231 QUALITY ASSURANCE

231.1 Facilities used in fulfilling USDA contracts shall operate in accordance with all 

applicable FSIS regulations. All breaded, catfish strips, frozen shall be 

produced under continuous FSIS inspection

232 DELIVERED PRODUCT

232.1 Delivery Unit - Each delivery unit shall consist of 1,000 shipping containers 

with a net weight of 40,000 pounds.

232.2 Sealing – All products shall be delivered to AMS assigned destinations under 

seal with tamper proof, tamper resistant, serially numbered, high security 

seals that meet the American Society for Testing and Materials Standard 

(ASTM) F 1157-04 and/or the International Organization for Standards (ISO) 

17712-2010 as required under this Supplement. Seals shall be >1⁄8th inch 

diameter cable, high-security bolt, or equivalent

233 WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT RESOLUTION

233.1 Warranty – The contractor shall guarantee that the product complies with all 

contractual requirements.

233.2 Complaint Resolution – The contractor’s technical proposal shall provide the 

steps taken to resolve complaints received on the product, i.e., point of 

contact, cause and effect analysis, product replacement, monetary 

compensation and corrective and preventative actions taken.

240 NON-CONFORMING PRODUCT

241.1 The contractor shall include a plan and supporting documentation to assure 

that non-conforming product is not delivered under USDA contracts. The plan 

shall address 1) control and segregation of non-conforming product, 2) 

removal of any USDA markings, and 3) disposition of non-conforming 

product, including vendor documentation of final disposition (e.g., diverted to 

commercial production, cooked or destroyed).
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 01/01/09

Date Revised: 02/05/16 6

250 CONTRACTOR CHECKLOADING

251 Contractor shall perform checkloading examinations at the time of shipment

and issue a contractor’s certificate to accompany each shipment that includes 

all of the following information:

251.1 Purchase Order Number/Purchase Order Line Item Number;

251.2 Sales Order Number/Sales Order Line Item Number;

251.3 Destination of shipment;

251.4 Name of Product and applicable Material Number;

251.5 Shipping Date;

251.6 Production lot number(s) and date each lot was produced along with shipping

container and immediate container code(s) and the code used that provides 

traceability to establishment number, production lot and date;

251.7 Count of shipping containers and total projected net weight in each 

production lot;

251.8 Identity of car or truck (car numbers and letters, seals, truck license, etc.) as

applicable;

251.9 Contractor certification that product conforms with the applicable specification

(FPPS-CSB-2016);

251.10 Count and projected net weight verified and;

251.11 Signature of company official responsible for checkloading.
APPROVED

FEDERAL PURCHASE 

PROGRAM SPECIFICATION 

(FPPS) FOR CATFISH 

FILLETS, UNBREADED, 

RAW, FROZEN

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

Livestock, Poultry and Seed (LPS) Program 

Food Safety and Commodity Specification (FSCS) Division

Room 2628 S-Bldg, Phone: (202) 692-0342

Supersedes: FPPS for Catfish Fillets, Unbreaded, Raw, 

Frozen March 2015 – Changes from previous

requirements in blue

Effective: February 2016

Approved by CMS 

Date Issued: 08/22/12

Date Revised: 02/05/16

100 ITEM DESCRIPTION

110 Freshwater Catfish Fillets, Unbreaded, Raw, Frozen

120 Portion Weight – The target portion weight for catfish fillets shall be 4.0 

ounces.

130 Packing – The catfish fillets shall be packaged in four (4) 10-pound, five (5) 8-

pound, eight (8) 5-pound or twenty (20) 2-pound immediate containers 

(packages) and placed into shipping containers weighing 40 pounds.

140 Delivery Unit – Each delivery unit shall consist of 950 shipping containers with 

a net weight of 38,000 pounds.

200 CHECKLIST OF REQUIREMENTS

201 Product shall be produced under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 

Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regulations and the AMS checklist 

of requirements. 

210 MATERIALS

210.1 Contractors’ technical proposal shall describe in detail the necessary 

processing steps, supported with digital images, to comply with the 

requirements below.

211 FISH FLESH

211.1 Domestic Origin of Fish Flesh – The catfish shall be harvested from 

commercial, U.S. farm-raised freshwater catfish of the Ictaluridae family: 

channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus), and 

white catfish (Ictalurus catus)) and its hybrids.

SUPPLEMENT 511 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT A2
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 08/22/12

Date Revised: 02/05/16 2

211.2 Fresh Only – Only fresh (not previously frozen) catfish shall be allowed.

211.3 Flesh Characteristics – The catfish flesh shall have characteristics of good 

quality, including, but not limited to, flavor, texture, and odor and shall be 

evaluated during the prototype review.

211.4 Fillets – The end item shall consist of trimmed catfish shank fillets (without 

belly-flap section).

211.5 Objectionable Materials – The contractor shall identify and develop a strategy 

and have a written quality plan to effectively remove all bones, skin, organs, 

tails, fins, and foreign materials.

211.6 Catfish injected with added ingredients is prohibited.

212 FINISHED PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS

212.1 Portion Weight – During production, target portion weight for catfish fillets 

shall be 4.0 ounces. Quality assurance plans shall apply upper and lower 

specification limits of 5.0 and 3.0 ounces, respectively.

212.2 Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) – The catfish fillets shall be IQF so the 

individual fillets do not stick together. Glazing, in accordance with USDA

requirements, is permitted. The product temperature at the time of shipment 

and delivery shall not exceed 0°F.

213 PREPARATION/COOKING METHODS

213.1 Handling, preparation and cooking instructions for the end user shall be 

declared and appear on individual bags (immediate container).

214 METAL DETECTION

214.1 Detection of stainless steel, ferrous, and non-ferrous (e.g., lead, copper, and 

aluminum) metals is required. The equipment, location, detection procedure, 

sensitivity levels, frequency of equipment validation, and corrective action 

procedures shall be identified and described.

220 PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY

221 PACKAGING AND PACKING

221.1 Packaging – The immediate containers (packages) shall be closed by heat 

seal.

221.2 Packing1/ – Four (4) 10-pound, five (5) 8-pound, eight (8) 5-pound or twenty 

(20) 2-pound packages shall be packed in a 40-pound (net weight) shipping 

container.

1/The contracting officer shall designate the packaging orientation permitted for each solicitation.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 08/22/12

Date Revised: 02/05/16 3

221.3 Shipping Container - The shipping containers (cases) shall be in compliance 

with the National Motor Freight Classification or Uniform Freight 

Classification.

221.4 Style and Size of Container – Only one size and style of immediate and 

shipping container shall be offered in an individual shipping unit.

222 LABELING

222.1 Both immediate and shipping containers shall be labeled to include all 

information required by FSIS regulations, be illustrated in the contractor’s 

technical proposal and contain the required information listed below.

222.2 Immediate Container – The following information shall be on each bag:

222.2.1 A traceability code that includes information regarding production 

establishment, production date and production lot.

222.2.2 Nutrition facts based on actual nutritional analysis of the product.

222.2.3 Cooking Instructions.

222.3 Shipping Container –The following information shall be on each case:

222.3.1 USDA Shield – The shield shall be at least 2 inches high and appear on top 

or on the principal display panel of each case.

222.3.2 The applicable purchase order number.

222.3.3 A traceability code that includes information regarding production 

establishment, production date and production lot.

222.3.4 Nutrition facts based on actual nutritional analysis of the product.

222.3.5 Cooking Instructions (optional).

222.3.6 Material Number – 110390.

222.3.7 Product name – Catfish Fillets, Unbreaded, Raw, Frozen.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 08/22/12

Date Revised: 02/05/16 4

222.3.8 An allergen statement in a format which complies with the Food Allergen 

Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) for any product which 

contains milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, soy or 

wheat; e.g. Allergen: This product contains ______.

223 PALLETIZED UNIT LOADS

223.1 All product shall be stacked on new or well-maintained pallets and palletized 

with shrink wrap plastic, unless otherwise specified in the invitation. 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.

230 PRODUCT ASSURANCE

231 QUALITY ASSURANCE

231.1 Facilities used in fulfilling USDA contracts shall operate in accordance with all 

applicable FSIS regulations. All catfish fillets (frozen) shall be produced under 

continuous FSIS inspection.

232 DELIVERED PRODUCT

232.1 Delivery Unit - Each delivery unit shall consist of 950 shipping containers with 

a net weight of 38,000 pounds.

232.2 Sealing –All products shall be delivered to AMS assigned destinations under 

seal with tamper proof, tamper resistant, serially numbered, high security 

seals that meet the American Society for Testing and Materials Standard 

(ASTM) F 1157-04 and/or the International Organization for Standards (ISO) 

17712-2010 as required under this Supplement. Seals shall be >1⁄8th inch 

diameter cable, high-security bolt, or equivalent.

233 WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT RESOLUTION

233.1 Warranty – The contractor shall guarantee that the product complies with all 

contractual requirements.

233.2 Complaint Resolution – The contractor’s technical proposal shall provide the 

steps taken to resolve complaints received on the product, i.e., point of 

contact, cause and effect analysis, product replacement, monetary 

compensation and corrective and preventative actions taken.

240 NON-CONFORMING PRODUCT
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 08/22/12

Date Revised: 02/05/16 5

241.1 The contractor shall include a plan and supporting documentation to assure 

that non-conforming product is not delivered under USDA contracts. The plan 

shall address 1) control and segregation of non-conforming product, 2) 

removal of any USDA markings, and 3) disposition of non-conforming 

product, including vendor documentation of final disposition (e.g., diverted to 

commercial production, cooked or destroyed).

250 CONTRACTOR CHECKLOADING

251 Contractor shall perform checkloading examinations at the time of shipment

and issue a contractor’s certificate to accompany each shipment that includes

all of the following information:

251.1 Purchase Order Number/Purchase Order Line Item Number;

251.2 Sales Order Number/Sales Order Line Item Number;

251.3 Destination of shipment;

251.4 Name of Product and applicable Material Number;

251.5 Shipping Date;

251.6 Production lot number(s) and date each lot was produced along with shipping

container and immediate container code(s) and the code used that provides 

traceability to establishment number, production lot and date;

251.7 Count of shipping containers and total projected net weight in each 

production lot;

251.8 Identity of car or truck (car numbers and letters, seals, truck license, etc.) as

applicable;

251.9 Contractor certification that product conforms with the applicable specification

(FPPS-CF-2016);

251.10 Count and projected net weight verified and;

251.11 Signature of company official responsible for checkloading.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/10/14

Date Revised: 04/19/16

SUPPLEMENT 511 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT B

Cover Page:

Company Name

Company Address

Contact Person, including title, phone number, including emergency contact information, e-mail 

address (shall be authorized to represent the company).

Technical Proposal for: [Supplement Number] and [FPPS]

Table of Contents (all pages and attachments shall be numbered and identified – all attachments 

shall be identified and referenced in the Technical Proposal).

The technical proposal should document a quality control program that includes procedures, 

records, forms, pictures, etc., which demonstrates conformance with the following checklist of 

requirements:

100 ITEM DESCRIPTION

Provide a brief description of the product that will be addressed in the technical proposal.

200 CHECKLIST OF REQUIREMENTS

Provide a brief description of the planning, production steps (do), check and

corrective/preventive (act) measures that the company will do to assure compliance with the

checklist of requirements section of the specification.

210 Materials - Provide a brief description of the planning, production steps (do), check and

corrective/preventative (act) measures that the company will do to assure compliance with the

material section of the specification.

211 Fish Flesh

211.1 Domestic Origin

211.2 Fresh Only

211.3 Flesh Characteristics

211.4 Fillets

211.5 Objectionable Materials

211.6 Fish Flesh Content
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/10/14

Date Revised: 04/19/16

211.7 Catfish Injection

212 Ingredients

212.1 Domestic Origin

212.2 Batter/Breading

212.3 MSG

213 Finished Product Requirements

213.1 Sodium

213.2 Fat

213.3 Trans fat

213.4 Portion weight

214 Individually Quick Frozen

215 Preparation/Cooking Methods

216 Metal Detection

217 Finished Product Evaluation

220 Preparation for Delivery

221 Packaging and Packing

221.1 Packaging

221.2 Shipping Container

221.3 Net Weight

221.4 Style and Size of Container

222 Labeling

222.1 All labeling shall be illustrated in the Supplier’s technical proposal.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/10/14

Date Revised: 04/19/16

223 Palletized Unit Loads

230 Product Assurance

231 Quality Assurance

232 Delivered Product

232.1 Delivery Unit

232.2 Sealing

233 Warranty and Complaint Resolution

233.1 Warranty

233.2 Complaint Resolution

240 Non-Conforming Product

250 Contractor Checkloading

Attachments or Appendixes - Please attach all referenced documents with the applicable 

document name and reference number.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 04/10/14

Date Revised: 04/19/16

SUPPLEMENT 511 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT C

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE 

LIVESTOCK, POULTRY AND SEED PROGRAM

CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMANCE FOR

THE PROCUREMENT OF CATFISH PRODUCTS

CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMANCE

I certify the following:

(1) On [delivery date(s)], [Contractor’s name] furnished the (insert the appropriate commodity 

description) called for by Purchase Order Number via [Carrier] under Sales Order 

Number/Item number(s):

(2) The (insert the appropriate material name) is of the quality specified and conforms in all 

respects with the purchase order requirements, including [Contractor’s name] Technical 

Proposal as approved by the AMS, LPS Program, FSCS Division.

(3) Product identification, (i.e. production lot number(s)) is in the quantity shown on the 

attached acceptance document.

(4) Contractor assures all meat or meat products used in fulfilling this contract was produced 

in the United States as defined in the AMS Master Solicitation Section I.E.

Date:

Signature:

(Signed by an officer or representative authorized to sign offers)

Title: