Agricultural Marketing Service

Commodity Procurement Program

P.O. Box 419205, Mailstop 8718

Kansas City, MO 64141-6205

USDA COMMODITY REQUIREMENTS 

VP10

VEGETABLE OIL PRODUCTS

FOR USE IN DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

Effective Date: July 2023

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
USDA COMMODITY REQUIREMENTS

VP10 

VEGETABLE OIL PRODUCTS

FOR USE IN DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

Table of Contents

Part 1 COMMODITY SPECIFICATIONS ............................................................................... 1

Section 1.1 COMMODITIES ................................................................................................. 1

Section 1.2 WARRANTY ....................................................................................................... 2

Section 1.3 “KOSHER ONLY” PRODUCTS ...................................................................... 2

Section 1.4 QUALITY ASSURANCE ................................................................................... 2

Part 2 CONTAINER AND PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS ................................................ 2

Section 2.1 GENERAL ........................................................................................................... 2

Section 2.2 COMMERCIAL PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS ...................................... 2

Section 2.3 CONTAINERS AND MATERIALS.................................................................. 3

Section 2.4 UNITIZATION REQUIREMENTS .................................................................. 3
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Part 1 COMMODITY SPECIFICATIONS

Section 1.1 COMMODITIES

The commodity delivered shall meet the requirements as specified in the Commercial 

Item Descriptions (CID) as follows:

A. Salad Oils, Vegetable, CID A-A-20091E (April 14, 2021) at: 

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/AA20091E_Salad_Oils%2C

_Vegetable.pdf

Types I and IV, Style A or B, except those requirements of Sections 9, 10, 11, and 

12.1 

(1) Peanut oil is excluded from the list of oils allowed under Section 3 of the 

CID.

(2) Salad oils (vegetable) shall meet the following net weightrequirements:

Vegetable Oil Net Weight

Pack Size Unit Net Weight

Allowable Unit 

Variation

Under-Fill 

Limit

48 fluid ounces 2.9 pounds 0.1 pounds 2.8 pounds

1 gallon 7.7 pounds 0.2 pounds 7.5 pounds

(3) Low saturated fat vegetable oil cannot exceed one (1) gram of saturated 

fat per one (1) tablespoon serving as defined by the Food and Drug 

Administration in 21 CFR 101.62. The vegetable oil shall be 

manufactured and labeled “low saturated fat” in accordance with National 

Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) guidelines cited in 21 CFR 101.9. 

(4) Bulk oils are limited to Type 1 soybean oil only. 

B. Mayonnaise, Salad Dressing, and Tartar Sauce, CID A-A-20140E (May 3, 2017) 

at: 

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/CID%20Mayonnaise%2C%2

0Salad%20Dressing%2C%20and%20Tartar%20Sauce.pdf

(1) Salad dressings, reduced calorie salad dressings and fat free salad 

dressings (mayonnaise type), except those requirements for packaging, 

labeling, and markings. 

(2) Reduced calorie and fat free salad dressings (mayonnaise type) shall also 

meet the following microbiological requirements:

Aerobic Plate Count Less than 1,000/gram

Acid Tolerant Micro-organisms Less than 10/gram

Yeast and Molds Less than 10/gram

C. Buttery Spreads, CID A-A-20357 (November 6, 2008), at:
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http://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/CID%20Buttery%20Spreads.p 

df Type II (Light), Style A (Tub) Size (Retail). 

D. Bulk Oil Shipments

For bulk shipments by railroad car or truck, the weight of the quantity shipped 

shall be evidenced by an official weight certificate and included with the invoice. 

If official weights are not available at the plant location, the contractor shall 

obtain the official weight certificates at an intermediate point or at destination.

Bladder containers are not acceptable. 

Section 1.2 WARRANTY

The product shall have a shelf life of at least one year from date of manufacturer. 

Product shall not be manufactured more than 30 days prior to shipping. 

Section 1.3 “KOSHER ONLY” PRODUCTS

Occasionally, USDA solicits offers to sell Kosher products that comply with 

applicable dietary (kosher) laws as established by the “613 Council of Kashruth.” 

Such products are identified on the solicitation with the letter “K” incorporated into 

the WBSCM material descriptions. Manufacturing plants shall be certified for 

compliance with the requirement by contacting the Board of Jewish Education of 

Greater New York (BJENY) at 646-472-5368. Additional information regarding 

practices and protocols required for kosher certified production for BJENY 

schools can be found at the following link: BJENY Kosher Resource 

(usda.gov).

At no cost to the vendor, a rabbinic supervisor will be sent to certify compliance of 

the manufacturing plant with the dietary (kosher) laws. Vendors must not bid on 

these purchase units unless they can be properly certified. Kosher products 

purchased solely for the #613 Council of Kashruth do not require a symbol on the 

primary or secondary container. 

Section 1.4 QUALITY ASSURANCE

A. The contractor shall perform the product testing and quality analysis to ensure that 

the product meets the commodity specifications. The results shall be evidenced 

by a Certificate of Analysis (COA).

B. Contractors shall notify the Government immediately of lots that fail to meet 

contract requirements.

Part 2 CONTAINER AND PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS 

Section 2.1 GENERAL

This part provides the container specifications and packaging materials 

requirements used under this contract. 

Section 2.2 COMMERCIAL PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS
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A. Contractors shall supply commercial brand products only and shall certify at 

the time of submission of an offer that the commercial product being delivered 

has a history of successful distribution and use in domestic commercial

channels and is sold on the commercial market with an established level of 

consumer acceptance.

B. Container and packaging requirements are those used in the current commercial 

shipping practices and shall comply with:

C. (1) Unitization requirements in Section 2.4. 

(2) At contractor’s option, a statement such as “Not for Retail Sale” may be 

printed on the principal display panel of the food label.

(3) The manufacturer’s lot code/lot identification number shall be shown on 

the commercial bill of lading. 

(4) Shipping containers shall be marked to show the maximum safe stacking 

height. It is the responsibility of the contractor in cooperation with the 

shipping container manufacturers to determine the safe stacking height. 

(5) For identification upon receipt at delivery warehouses, all commercial 

labeled product shipping documents shall specify “FOR USDA FOOD 

DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS.”

Section 2.3 CONTAINERS AND MATERIALS

A. All containers and packaging shall be constructed to meet the requirements of the 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for safe contact with the packaged product. 

The contractor shall obtain and maintain documentation from the container or 

packaging material manufacturer to verify that the containers and packaging 

materials used in this contract were in compliance with the Government’s 

regulatory requirements for safe contact with food products as required in the 

Master Solicitation, Part 3, Section A, Number 3. 

B. If the contractor purchases packaging and container ingredients from a foreign 

country and/or the package and container is manufactured in a foreign country, the 

package and container SHALL NOT display country of origin labeling. Phrases 

including, but not limited to, “Made in [Name of Foreign Country.]” or “Product of 

[Name of Foreign Country.]” are strictly prohibited. 

Section 2.4 UNITIZATION REQUIREMENTS

Shipments shall comply with the following unitization requirements:

A. Unless otherwise specified by the Government, all shipments of packaged 

products shall be unitized (palletized and stretch wrapped).

B. Pallets shall be:
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(1) Constructed to facilitate the safe handling and transportation of the 

packaged product, as a unit, without loss or damage.

(2) A Number 2, four-way, reversible flush stringer with no broken runners or 

slats.

(3) Suitable for use in the shipment of food products.

C. Plastic stretch wrap shall be:

(1) Constructed of a plastic film which is to be stretched a minimum of 50 

percent beyond its original length when stretched around the pallet load.

(2) Applied as tightly as possible around all tiers of the palletized shipping 

containers. The shipping containers shall be held firmly in place by the 

stretch wrap.

D. Pallet loads shall be:

(1) Stacked in such a way as to minimize the amount that shipping containers 

overhang the edges of pallets.

(2) Blocked and braced or otherwise loaded into the conveyance in a manner 

that prevents shifting during transit.

E. USDA does not participate in a pallet exchange program.