Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 06/10/12

Date Revised: 08/03/17

SUPPLEMENT 404 TO THE AMS 

MASTER SOLICITATION FOR 

PURCHASE OF FROZEN 

COOKED BEEF AND PORK 

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 404 March 2016 – Changes 

from previous requirements in blue

 

Effective: August 2017

100 OVERVIEW

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

Cooked Beef and Pork Products by the Department of Agriculture (USDA), including the 

applicable Federal Purchase Program Specification (FPPS) (Exhibit A, A1 and A2).

200 INSTRUCTIONS TO POTENTIAL SUPPLIERS

210 The frozen cooked beef and pork products shall be purchased on a competitive bid basis from 

qualified suppliers who have met the requirements described in this Section. Interested 

suppliers may submit sample(s) and 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 technical proposal is not binding on USDA. Additional 

procurement requirements shall be described in the AMS Master Solicitation for Commodity 

Procurements and Solicitations.

230 Documentation Requirements

231 Technical Proposal Requirement

231.1 Include a detailed description of the cooked beef and pork 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: 06/10/12

Date Revised: 08/03/17

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

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 C. 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, forms provided with the technical proposal, if appropriate 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 their technical proposal and their 

eligibility to bid.

233. Animal Welfare Requirements

233.1 All contractors and subcontractors shall meet the animal handling and welfare requirements 

set forth in the Federal Purchase Program Specification (FPPS) For Animal Handling and 

Welfare, effective August 2017 (Exhibit B).

240 Product Sample

241 Potential suppliers shall submit samples that are produced in accordance with their

submitted technical proposal.

242 Supplier shall submit one 5-pound sample (or two samples if a sample unit is less than 5-

pounds) along with a legible product label which illustrates the ingredient statement, 

Nutrition Facts, and allergen declaration (if applicable). All samples shall arrive in the 

frozen state (0 °F or lower).

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 which is to be used in preparing 

the technical proposal (see Exhibit C). 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.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 06/10/12

Date Revised: 08/03/17

310.2. The technical proposal shall be submitted by an authorized agent of the company.

310.3 While it is not the desire of the Government to penalize an offeror 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 

offeror’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).

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

strikeouts.

400 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 contractors’ and subcontractors’ food defense plan. 

Documentation shall support the contractor’s or subcontractor’s food defense plan. If the 

report demonstrates that the food defense plan is inadequate, the applicant shall be 

notified by the FSCS Division that they are ineligible to bid. The applicant shall have an 

opportunity to correct identified deficiencies, modify their food defense plan and resubmit a 

brief description for further consideration. Eligibility shall depend on whether the 

modifications demonstrate compliance with their food defense plan.

422 Documentation shall support:

422.1 the production of the cooked products that complies with the applicable specification and 

the potential contractor’s approved technical proposal, and

422.2 the contractor’s or subcontractor’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.
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Date Issued: 06/10/12

Date Revised: 08/03/17

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 

applicant 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, food defense

plan, and/or technical proposal, and resubmit for further consideration.

423.2 Eligibility shall depend on whether the modifications demonstrate that:

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

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

423.2.3 includes the applicable assessment by USDA, and

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 the FSCS 

Division or other 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 the FSCS Division or other AMS agents.

432 The QA Division shall conduct an onsite audit of the contractor’s and subcontractor’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 contractors or subcontractors with continuous or multiple 

contracts, or once per contract for intermittent contractors. 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 contractor regarding eligibility to continue to participate as a 

contractor. 

442 Contractor shall assure that the delivered product complies with the provisions of the 

FPPS, the applicable assessment by USDA, and the contractor’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 contractor. This includes, but is not limited to, audits, 

examinations, supervision, official documentation, and related services.
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Date Issued: 06/10/12

Date Revised: 08/03/17

460 AMS Monitoring and Production Assessment

461 The contractor has the option for using an AMS monitoring and production assessment 

system.

462 If the contractor uses the AMS monitoring and production assessment system, a QA 

Division agent shall be present during the production of the finished product for all USDA 

contracts. The QA Division agent shall monitor and verify the processing steps, quality 

assurance activities, and any corrective actions to assure that all requirements outlined in 

the approved technical proposal and FPPS are complied with. The QA Division agent shall 

conduct the monitoring and production assessment in accordance with applicable QA 

Division procedures. Any deviations to contractual requirements shall be reported to the 

contractor and AMS (FSCS Division and QA Division). The Contracting Officer shall make 

all determinations as to the acceptability of the product relative to findings documented by 

the QA Division agent. 

463 Should a contractor choose to use the AMS monitoring and production assessment 

system, a concurrent, performance-based audit system shall apply in lieu of the audit 

frequency discussed in Section 432 of this Supplement.

463.1 Performance-based Audit System

463.2 MONTHLY – Until two (2) consecutive successfully passed audits are attained, an audit 

shall be conducted on a MONTHLY basis.

463.3 QUARTERLY – Once two (2) consecutive successfully passed MONTHLY audits are 

attained, audit frequency shall move to a QUARTERLY basis. If at any time an audit 

identifies a major (or higher) nonconformance while in the QUARTERLY phase, auditing 

shall be required to be conducted on a MONTHLY basis once corrective and preventative 

actions have been approved by the FSCS Division, implemented and proven effective. 

463.4 SEMI-ANNUAL – Once two (2) consecutive successfully passed QUARTERLY audits are 

attained, audit frequency shall move to a SEMI-ANNUAL basis. If at any time an audit 

identifies a major (or higher) nonconformance while in the SEMI-ANNUAL phase, auditing 

shall be required to be conducted on a MONTHLY basis once corrective and preventative 

actions have been approved by the FSCS Division, implemented and proven effective. 

463.5 FOR-CAUSE – Any non-conformances cited by QA Division graders during monitoring 

and production assessment or if finished product complaints are identified by recipients a 

FOR-CAUSE audit shall be initiated. Subsequent audit frequency shall be determined by 

results of the AMS audit, as described above. AMS monitoring and production 

assessment shall continue as prescribed.

464 Under the AMS monitoring and production assessment system, the contractor shall remain 

responsible for conducting its own checkloading activities as referenced in Section 700 of 

this Supplement.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 06/10/12

Date Revised: 08/03/17

470 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 contractor agrees to include this 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 CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMANCE (COC)

610 In addition to the referenced payment documents required in the Master Solicitation,

please include a copy of the Contractor’s Certificate of Conformance (Exhibit D).

700 CONTRACTOR CHECKLOADING

710 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:

710.1 Purchase Order Number,

710.2 Sales Order and Sales Order Item Number,

710.3 Name of product,

610.4 Shipping Date,

710.5 Production lot number(s) and date each lot was produced,

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

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

applicable

710.8 Contractor certification that product conforms with the FPPS,

710.9 Count and projected net weight verified, and

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

Date Issued: 06/10/12

Date Revised: 08/03/17

800 CHILD NUTRITION (CN) LABELING

810 The CN Labeling Program is run by USDA’s 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 pattern requirements. 

811 To carry a CN label, the eligible product’s formulation shall be evaluated by FNS to verify 

its contribution toward meal pattern requirements using yields in the USDA Food Buying 

Guide for Child Nutrition Programs. 

812 The manufacturer shall have an approved QC Program in order to participate, and products 

shall be produced under Federal inspection.

813 Cooked Pork Items 100145, 100144, 110730 and Cooked Beef Items 100130, 110321, 

110322, 100134, 110264, 110711 require CN Labels.

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

Manufacturers/Industry on the FNS website www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/cnlabeling and contact 

the following:

814.1 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

900 EXHIBITS
APPROVED

FEDERAL PURCHASE 

PROGRAM SPECIFICATION 

(FPPS) FOR 

COOKED BEEF ITEMS

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 Cooked Beef Items March 2017 –

changes from previous requirements in blue

Effective: July 2017

Approved by CMS 

Date Issued: 02/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17

100 ITEM DESCRIPTIONS

101 Beef Patties with SPP, Homestyle, Fully Cooked – These items consist of 

ground beef with soy protein product (SPP) with a handmade appearance 

and Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) for use as sandwiches or a stand-alone 

item. Portion Weight – 1.7, 2.2 and 2.7 ounces. 

102 Beef Taco Filling, Fully Cooked – This item consists of ground beef cooked in 

lightly seasoned ingredients for use in a variety of applications, including taco 

fillings, burritos, enchiladas and similar items.

103 Beef Sloppy Joe Mix, Fully Cooked – This item consists of ground beef 

cooked in seasoned tomato product for use in a variety of applications, 

including sandwich fillings and similar items. 

104 Breaded Beef Patties, Fully Cooked – This item consists of ground beef that 

is formed into round or oval patties, breaded and IQF for use as sandwiches 

or a stand-alone item. Portion Weight – 3.0 ounces. 

105 Beef Crumbles, Fully Cooked – This item consists of ground beef with SPP 

that is lightly seasoned to a crumble size of 1⁄4-inch maximum for use in a 

variety of applications such as chili, sloppy joe, tacos, spaghetti sauce, pizza, 

lasagna, casseroles, pasta dishes, and any recipe that calls for ground beef.

106 Beef Crumbles, Fully Cooked (LFTB Optional) – This item consists of ground 

beef with SPP that is lightly seasoned to a crumble size of 1⁄4-inch maximum 

for use in a variety of applications such as chili, sloppy joe, tacos, spaghetti 

sauce, pizza, lasagna, casseroles, pasta dishes, and any recipe that calls for 

ground beef. Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB) may be used in the product 

formulation as outlined in Section 327 below.

SUPPLEMENT 404 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT A
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 02/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17 2

107 Beef Patties, Homestyle, Fully Cooked – This item consist of ground beef,

containing no binders or extenders, with a handmade appearance and IQF

for use as sandwiches or a stand-alone item. Portion Weight – 2.2 ounces.

110 Formula – Beef shall comprise at least 75 percent of the raw formula for all 

items with the exception of Beef Patties, Homestyle, Fully Cooked. For this 

item, beef shall comprise at least 95 percent of the raw formula.

120 Non-Meat Component – Non-meat components shall comprise no more than 

25 percent of the raw formula for all items with the exception of Beef Patties, 

Homestyle, Fully Cooked. For this item, non-meat components shall

comprise no more than 5 percent of the raw formula.

130 Fat – Fat shall not exceed 13 g per 100 g basis.

140 Sodium – The sodium content shall not exceed 340 mg per 100 g basis.

150 Packing – Four (4) 10-pound, five (5) 8-pound, eight (8) 5-pound, or twenty 

(20) 2-pound immediate containers (packages) shall be packed in a 40-pound

(net weight) shipping container.

160 Delivery Unit – Each delivery unit shall consist of 1,000 cases and 40,000 

pounds, except for Beef Patties with SPP, Homestyle, Fully Cooked – 1.7, 2.2 

and 2.7 ounces and Beef Patties, Homestyle, Fully Cooked – 2.2 ounces, 

which shall consist of 950 cases and 38,000 pounds.

200 CHECKLIST OF REQUIREMENTS 

210 All items shall be produced in accordance with Food Safety and Inspection 

Service (FSIS) regulations. The contractor’s technical proposal, submitted to 

the FSCS Division, shall adhere to the following Checklist of Requirements.

300 MATERIALS 

310 The contractor’s technical proposal shall include procedures to address 

conformance with the following material requirements.

320 MEAT COMPONENT 

321 Beef shall be the only meat component allowed. 

322 Domestic Origin of Meat Component – All cattle shall originate from 

U.S. produced livestock as described in the Master Solicitation for 

Commodity Procurements and Supplement. 

323 Harvesting – Cattle shall be harvested in facilities that comply with the 

following requirements: 
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Date Revised: 07/17/17 3

323.1 Humane Handling – Cattle shall be humanely handled in accordance with all 

applicable FSIS regulations and AMS requirements. 

323.2 Spinal Cord Removal – All spinal cord tissue shall be removed during the 

harvesting process. 

324 Boneless Beef – Boneless beef shall comply with the following requirements:

324.1 Traceability – Contractors shall provide sufficient product traceability and 

shall have records to verify the source of raw materials used in each lot of 

product. 

324.2 Handling – All boneless beef shall be maintained in excellent condition. The 

contractor’s technical proposal shall include detailed production scheduling 

that addresses time and temperature controls necessary to maintain excellent 

condition of the boneless beef. Frozen boneless beef may be used provided 

it is processed into the final product within 60 days from the date of pack.

324.3 Objectionable Materials – The following objectionable materials shall be 

excluded: Major lymph glands (prefemoral, popliteal, and prescapular), 

thymus gland, the sciatic (ischiatic) nerve (lies medial to the outside round), 

all bone, cartilage, shoulder tendon, elbow tendon, silver skin, sacrociatic 

ligament, opaque periosteum, serous membrane (peritoneum), tendinous 

ends of shanks, gracilis membrane, patellar ligament (associated with the 

stifle joint), achilles tendon, back strap and abdominal tunic. 

325 Mechanical Separation - Boneless beef that is mechanically separated from 

bone with automatic deboning systems or advanced lean (meat) recovery 

(AMR) systems is not allowed.

326 Pathogen Testing – Boneless and ground beef previously tested and found 

positive for any pathogen shall not be allowed. 

327 LFTB – When specified, LFTB, or meat components produced using similar 

methods may be used as a raw material in the production of material 

number 110264. When LFTB is used, the following criteria shall be met:

327.1 LFTB may be used at a rate not to exceed 15 percent of the meat 

component. 

327.2 Red Color – The producer of LFTB shall assure that the product has a 

discernible redness in color. The LFTB shall maintain the same redness in 

color until time of processing to minimize the effect of the color to the 

finished ground beef.

327.3 Fat Content - Does not exceed 10 percent fat.
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Date Issued: 02/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17 4

330 NON-MEAT COMPONENTS 

331 Domestic Origin of Non-Meat Component – Significant ingredients (more 

than 1 percent) shall be derived from U.S. produced products.

332 Seasoning and Ingredient – Seasonings and other ingredients shall be used 

to produce products with mild flavor profiles suitable for institutional feeding 

systems. For crumbles and patties, seasonings and other ingredients shall

comprise no more than 2 percent of the raw formula.

333 The following non-meat ingredients shall be precluded from use in the 

formulation:

333.1 MSG – Monosodium Glutamate (MSG).

333.2 Gluten-containing ingredients.

334 Soy Protein Product (SPP) – Beef Patties with SPP, Homestyle, Fully 

Cooked and Beef Crumbles, Fully Cooked shall contain SPP in the raw 

formula that meets the following requirements: 

334.1 The source of the SPP shall be soy and shall be hydrated to yield no less 

than 18 percent protein (as-is basis).

334.2 The physical characteristics of SPP, in the dry form, shall be either granular 

or textured. The types of soy that may be used are soy concentrate or 

isolate (65 percent and 85 percent as-is basis, respectively).

335 Batter and Breading – For Breaded Beef Patties, Only – If flour is used in 

the batter and breading combination, it shall be enriched. 

400 PROCESSING 

410 GRINDER PLATE

411 The size of the grinding plate for grinding boneless beef shall be declared.

420 BONE COLLECTOR / EXTRUDER SYSTEM 

421 A bone collector/extruder system shall be in operation to effectively remove 

bone, cartilage, and heavy connective tissue during the final grind. 

430 PATTIES 

431 Beef Patties with SPP, Homestyle, Fully Cooked and Beef Patties, 

Homestyle, Fully Cooked, only – Patties shall comply with the following: 

431.1 Handmade Appearance – Patties shall have a “handmade” appearance.
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Date Issued: 02/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17 5

431.2 Grill Marks – At least one side of the patties shall have grill (char) marks.

432 Breaded Beef Patties, Fully Cooked, only – Patties shall have a round or oval 

shape. 

433 Raw Weight – The raw weight of the patties shall be declared and charted on 

control charts featuring average weight and range.

434 IQF – Patties shall be IQF so the individual pieces do not stick together after 

they are packaged and packed.

435 Pink Appearance – Patties with pink appearance after cooking shall not be 

allowed.

440 CRUMBLES 

441 Size – The size of the crumbles shall be 1⁄4-inch maximum with an allowance 

of five percent ‘fines’ (<1/16-inch) in each immediate package. ‘Fines’ per 

immediate package shall be charted on control charts featuring average 

value and range.

442 IQF – The crumbles shall be IQF or may be produced from IQF’s materials to 

prevent it from sticking together after freezing.

443 Flavor – Crumbles shall not have a ‘char-broil’ flavor.

450 COOKING TEMPERATURE 

451 All products shall be fully cooked in accordance with FSIS regulations. 

460 METAL DETECTION

461 All products shall be free of metal contaminants. Detection of stainless steel, 

ferrous, and non-ferrous (e.g., lead, copper, and aluminum) metals is 

required. The contractor's technical proposal shall identify and describe the 

equipment, location, detection procedure, sensitivity levels, frequency of 

equipment validation, and corrective action procedures. 

500 FINISHED PRODUCT LIMITATIONS 

510 The declared serving size, fat content and sodium level shall be stated on the 

nutrition facts panel on each label according to FSIS nutritional labeling 

regulations. 

520 FAT

521 The fat content of the finished product shall not exceed 13 percent

522 (Percent Fat = (Total Fat ÷ Serving Size (racc)) x 100).
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Date Revised: 07/17/17 6

530 SODIUM

531 Sodium level shall not exceed 340 mg per 100 g basis

532 ((Declared Sodium Level (mg) X 100) ÷ Declared Serving Size (grams - racc) 

< 340)).

540 MEAT / MEAT ALTERNATES

541 Beef Patties with SPP, Homestyle, Fully Cooked and Beef Patties, 

Homestyle, Fully Cooked, only – Patties shall comply with the following Meat / 

Meat Alternate (MMA) designations: 

Material Number Portion Weight (ounces) MMA (ounces)

110321 1.7 1.5

110322, 110711 2.2 2.0

100130 2.7 2.5

550 MICROBIAL

551 The contractor shall have a documented plan to comply with the 

current FSIS Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes requirements for 

ready-to-eat foods. Product tested positive for any pathogen shall not 

be allowed as rework or delivery to USDA.

600 HEATING INSTRUCTIONS

610 Heating instructions for the end-user shall be provided in the contractor’s 

technical proposal and shall be included on the immediate container and/or in 

the shipping container (e.g. flyer, included on the package label, etc.) as 

specified for a particular packing orientation discussed in Section 722.4

below. Finished product shall be processed so that the end-user may 

prepare them in a conventional or microwave type oven for serving.

700 PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY 

710 PACKAGING AND PACKING

711 Packaging – All products shall be vacuum packaged or packed in a sealed 

(tamper proof) immediate package. In addition, beef taco fillings and sloppy 

joe mix shall be hot-filled into reheatable high oxygen and high moisture 

barrier pouches. 

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

(20) 2-pound immediate containers (packages) shall be packed in a 40-pound

(net weight) shipping container.

1/The contracting officer shall designate the packing orientation permitted for each solicitation.
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Date Issued: 02/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17 7

720 LABELING2/

721 The shipping containers shall be in compliance with the National Motor 

Freight Classification, or the Uniform Freight Classification, as applicable. 

Both immediate and shipping containers shall be labeled to include all 

information required by FSIS regulations.

722 Immediate Container Labels – Immediate container labels shall contain the 

following information:

722.1 A “Best-If-Used-By” date.

722.2 A nutrition facts panel based on actual nutritional analysis of the product.

722.3 A traceability code that is traced back to establishment number, production 

lot, and date. 

722.4 For the twenty (20) 2-pound packing orientation, the heating instructions shall

be included on the immediate container. The heating instructions for the four 

(4) 10-pound, five (5) 8-pound and eight (8) 5-pound packing orientations 

shall be included in/on the shipping container and/or on the immediate 

container.

722.5 Ingredient declaration (including single ingredient products).

723 Shipping Container Labels – Shipping container labels shall contain the 

following information:

723.1 USDA shield at least 2 inches high and appearing on the top of the container 

or on the principal display panel.

723.2 Applicable purchase order number.

723.3 A traceability code that is traced back to establishment number, production 

lot, and date.

723.4 A nutrition facts panel based on actual nutritional analysis of the product.

2/All labeling illustrations shall be provided.
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Date Issued: 02/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17 8

723.5 The appropriate product name and material number listed in the table below 

for each of the items.

Item Material Number 

Beef Patties with SPP, Homestyle, Fully Cooked –

1.7 oz. (MMA 1.5 oz.) 110321

Beef Patties with SPP, Homestyle, Fully Cooked –

2.2 oz. (MMA 2.0 oz.) 110322

Beef Patties with SPP, Homestyle, Fully Cooked –

2.7 oz. (MMA 2.5 oz.) 100130 

Beef Taco Filling, Fully Cooked 100131 

Breaded Beef Patties, Fully Cooked 100132

Beef Sloppy Joe Mix, Fully Cooked 100133

Beef Crumbles, Fully Cooked 100134

Beef Crumbles, Fully Cooked (LFTB Opt) 110264

Beef Patties, Homestyle, Fully Cooked – 2.2 oz. 

(MMA 2.0 oz.) 110711

723.6 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 ______.

730 CLOSURE

731 Shipping containers shall be closed by strapping, taping or gluing. When 

strapping is used, the initial closure (usually the bottom of container) shall be 

secured by the gluing or taping method.

740 PALLETIZED UNIT LOADS 

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

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

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

shipping containers over the edges of the pallets and exposes each shipping 

container’s principal display panel to facilitate certification examinations.

800 DELIVERY UNIT 

810 Each delivery unit shall consist of 1,000 cases and 40,000 pounds except 

for Beef Patties with SPP, Homestyle, Fully Cooked – 1.7, 2.2 and 2.7 

ounces and Beef Patties, Homestyle, Fully Cooked – 2.2 ounces, which 

shall consist of 950 cases and 38,000 pounds. 
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 02/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17 9

900 DELIVERED PRODUCT

910 SIZE AND STYLE OF CONTAINER 

911 Only one size and style of immediate and shipping containers may be offered 

in an individual shipping unit.

920 TEMPERATURE 

921 All products shall not exceed 0°F at the time of shipment and delivery.

930 SEALING

931 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 the Master Solicitation. Seals shall be >1⁄8th

inch diameter cable, high-security bolt, or equivalent.

1000 PRODUCT ASSURANCE

1010 WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT RESOLUTION

1011 Warranty – The contractor shall guarantee that the product complies with all 

contractual requirements required under the Master Solicitation and

Supplement.

1012 Complaint Resolution – The contractor’s technical proposal shall provide 

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

contact, cause and effect analysis, corrective and preventative actions taken, 

and product replacement).

1020 AMS MONITORING AND PRODUCTION ASSESSMENT

1021 The contractor has the option for using an AMS audit-based system or an 

AMS monitoring and production assessment system.

1022 If the contractor uses the AMS monitoring and production assessment 

system, it shall be implemented in accordance with Sections 460 and 470 of 

Supplement 404.

1023 The contractor’s technical proposal shall identify the AMS oversight option 

employed.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 02/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17 10

1030 NON-CONFORMING PRODUCT

1031 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 

cooked product or destroyed).

1040 CONTRACTOR CHECKLOADING

1041 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:

1041.1 Purchase Order Number/Purchase Order Line Item Number;

1041.2 Sales Order Number/Sales Order Line Item Number;

1041.3 Destination of shipment;

1041.4 Name of Product and applicable Material Number;

1041.5 Shipping Date;

1041.6 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;

1041.7 Count of shipping containers and total projected net weight in each production 

 lot;

1041.8 Identity of car or truck (car numbers and letters, seals, truck license, etc.) as 

applicable;

1041.9 Contractor certification that product conforms with the applicable specification 

 (FPPS-CB-2017);

1041.10 Count and projected net weight verified and;

1041.11 Signature of company official responsible for checkloading.
APPROVED

FEDERAL PURCHASE 

PROGRAM SPECIFICATION 

(FPPS) FOR 

COOKED PORK ITEMS

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 Cooked Pork Items March 2016 –

changes from previous requirements in blue

Effective: July 2017

Approved by CMS 

Date Issued: 01/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17

100 ITEM DESCRIPTIONS 

101 Pork Taco Filling, Fully Cooked – This item consists of ground pork cooked in 

lightly seasoned ingredients for use in a variety of applications, including taco 

fillings, burritos, enchiladas and similar items.

102 Pork Sloppy Joe Mix, Fully Cooked – This item consists of ground pork 

cooked in seasoned tomato product for use in a variety of applications, 

including sandwich filling and similar items.

103 Breaded Pork Patties, Fully Cooked – This item consists of ground pork that 

is formed into round or oval patties, breaded and Individually Quick Frozen 

(IQF) for use as sandwiches or a stand-alone item. Portion Weight – 3.0 

ounces.

104 Pork Patties with SPP, Fully Cooked - 2.7 oz. – This item consists of ground 

pork with soy protein product (SPP) and sausage seasonings, formed into 

round or oval patties, fully cooked, and then IQF for use as sandwiches or a 

stand-alone item. Portion Weight – 2.7 ounces.

105 Pork Patties with SPP, Fully Cooked – 1.2 oz. – This item consists of ground 

pork with SPP and sausage seasonings, formed into round or oval patties, 

fully cooked, and then IQF for use as sandwiches or a stand-alone item. 

Portion Weight – 1.2 ounce.

106 Pork Patty Links with SPP, Skinless, Fully Cooked – This item consists of 

ground pork with SPP and sausage seasonings, processed into skinless links 

cylindrical in shape, fully cooked, and then IQF for use as a stand-alone item. 

Portion Weight - 1.0 ounce.

SUPPLEMENT 404 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT A1
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 01/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17 2

107 Pork Patty Crumbles, Fully Cooked – This item consists of ground pork with 

SPP that is lightly seasoned and processed to a crumble size of 1⁄4-inch 

maximum for use in a variety of applications such as chili, sloppy joe, tacos, 

spaghetti sauce, pizza, lasagna, casseroles, pasta dishes, and any recipe 

that calls for ground pork.

110 Formula – Pork will comprise at least 75 percent of the raw formula for all 

items.

120 Non-Meat Component – Non-meat components will comprise no more than 

25 percent of the raw formula.

130 Fat – Fat will not exceed 13 g per 100 g basis.

140 Sodium – The sodium content will not exceed 440 mg per 100 g basis.

150 Packing – Four (4) 10-pound, five (5) 8-pound, eight (8) 5-pound, or twenty 

(20) 2-pound immediate containers (packages) will be packed in a 40-pound 

(net weight) shipping container.

160 Delivery Unit – Each delivery unit will consist of 1,000 cases and 40,000 

pounds, except for the pork patties 1.2/2.7 ounces which will consist of 950 

cases and 38,000 pounds.

200 CHECKLIST OF REQUIREMENTS

210 All items must be produced in accordance with Food Safety and Inspection 

Service (FSIS) regulations. The contractor’s technical proposal, submitted to 

the FSCS Division, must adhere to the following Checklist of Requirements.

300 MATERIALS 

310 The contractor’s technical proposal must include procedures to address 

conformance with the following material requirements.

320 MEAT COMPONENT

321 Pork (shall be derived from suitable lean from any portion of the sow and/or 

hog carcass) will be the only meat component allowed. Pork derived from 

boars is not permissible.

322 Domestic Origin of Meat Component – All sows and/or hogs will originate 

from U.S. produced livestock as defined in the Master Solicitation for 

Commodity Procurements and the Supplement.

323 Harvesting (Slaughtering) – All sows and/or hogs will be harvested in facilities 

that comply with the following requirements:
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 01/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17 3

323.1 Humane Handling – All sows and/or hogs will be humanely handled in 

accordance with all applicable FSIS regulations and AMS requirements.

323.2 Non-Ambulatory Disabled Animals – Meat from carcasses of non-ambulatory 

disabled livestock will not be included in USDA Purchase Programs.

323.3 Raw Material Type1/ – The type of boneless pork utilized shall be specified 

from the following options:

323.3.1 Type I – Sow Trimmings Only

323.3.2 Type II – Hog Trimmings Only

323.3.3 Type III – Combination of Sow and Hog Trimmings2/

323.4 The contracting officer will designate the raw material type permitted for each 

solicitation.

324 Boneless Pork – Boneless pork will comply with the following requirements:

324.1 Traceability – Contractors are responsible for providing sufficient product 

traceability and must have records to verify the source of raw materials used 

in each lot of product.

324.2 Handling – All boneless pork must be maintained in excellent condition. The 

contractor’s technical proposal shall include detailed production scheduling 

that addresses time and temperature controls necessary to maintain excellent 

condition of the boneless pork. Frozen boneless pork may be used provided 

it is processed into the final product within 60 days from the date of pack.

324.3 Objectionable Materials – Boneless pork shall be free of skin, bones, 

cartilages, organ tissue, heavy connective tissue, significant glandular tissue, 

spinal cord, and foreign materials.

325 Mechanical Separation - Pork that is mechanically separated from bone with 

automatic deboning systems or advanced lean (meat) recovery (AMR) 

systems is not allowed.

326 Pathogen Testing – Boneless pork previously tested and found positive 

for any pathogen will not be allowed. 

330 NON-MEAT COMPONENTS

331 Domestic Origin of Non-Meat Component – Significant ingredients (more than 

one percent) will be derived from U.S. produced products.

1/One, two, or all of these types may be represented in the contractor’s technical proposal. 

2/The contractor shall specify the ratio of these two raw material types in their technical 

proposal.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 01/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17 4

332 Seasonings and Other Ingredients – Seasonings and other ingredients will 

be used to produce products with mild flavor profiles suitable for 

institutional feeding systems. For pork patty crumbles and breaded patties, 

seasonings and other ingredients will comprise no more than 2 percent of 

the raw formula.

333 The following non-meat ingredients shall be precluded from use in the 

formulation:

333.1 MSG – Monosodium Glutamate (MSG).

333.2 Gluten-containing ingredients.

334 Soy Protein Product (SPP) – Pork Patties with SPP, Pork Patty Links with 

SPP, and Pork Patty Crumbles must contain SPP in the raw formula that 

meets the following requirements: 

334.1 The SPP will be hydrated to yield no less than 18 percent protein (as-is 

basis).

334.2 The physical characteristics of SPP, in the dry form, must be either granular 

or textured. The types of soy that may be used are soy concentrate or isolate 

(65 percent and 85 percent as-is basis, respectively).

335 Batter and Breading – For Breaded Pork Patties, Only – If flour is used in the 

batter and breading combination, it must be enriched.

400 PROCESSING 

410 GRINDER PLATE

411 The size of the grinding plate for grinding boneless pork will be declared.

420 BONE COLLECTOR / EXTRUDER SYSTEM

421 A bone collector/extruder system must be in operation to effectively remove 

skin, bone, cartilage, and heavy connective tissue during the final grind.

430 PATTIES 

431 Raw Weight – The raw weight of the patties will be declared and charted on 

control charts featuring average weight and range.

432 Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) – Patties will be IQF so the individual pieces 

do not stick together after they are packaged and packed.

433 Pink Appearance – Patties with pink appearance after cooking will not be 

allowed.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 01/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17 5

434 Shape – Patties will be round or oval shape.

440 LINKS

441 Skinless – Casing must be removed.

442 Weight - Target packaged weight per cooked link will be 1.0 ounce. The raw 

 weight of links shall be declared. All weights will be charted on control charts 

 featuring average weight and range. 

443 IQF – Links will be IQF so individual links do not stick together after they are 

packaged.

444 Pink Appearance – Links with pink appearance after cooking will not be 

allowed.

450 CRUMBLES

451 Size – The size of the crumbles will be 1⁄4-inch maximum with an allowance of 

five percent ‘fines’ (<1/16-inch) in each immediate package. ‘Fines’ per 

immediate package will be charted on control charts featuring average value 

and range.

452 IQF – The crumbles will be IQF or may be produced from IQF’s materials to 

prevent it from sticking together after freezing.

453 Flavor – Crumbles must not have a ‘char-broil’ flavor.

460 COOKING TEMPERATURE

461 All products will be fully cooked in accordance with FSIS regulations.

470 METAL DETECTION

471 All products will be free of metal contaminants. Detection of stainless steel, 

ferrous, and non-ferrous (e.g., lead, copper, and aluminum) metals is 

required. The contractor's technical proposal must identify and describe the 

equipment, location, detection procedure, sensitivity levels, frequency of 

equipment validation, and corrective action procedures. 

500 FINISHED PRODUCT LIMITATIONS

510 The declared serving size, fat content and sodium level will be stated on the 

nutrition facts panel on each label according to FSIS nutritional labeling 

regulations. 
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 01/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17 6

520 FAT

521 The fat content of the finished product will not exceed 13 percent 

522 (Percent Fat = (Total Fat ÷ Serving Size) x 100). 

530 SODIUM

531 Sodium level, must not exceed 440 mg per 100 g basis 

532 ((Declared Sodium Level (mg) X 100) ÷ Declared Serving Size (grams - racc*) 

< 440)).

540 MICROBIAL

541 Contractor will have documented plan to comply with the latest FSIS 

Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes requirements for ready-to-eat foods. 

Product tested positive for any pathogen will not be allowed as rework or 

delivery to USDA.

600 HEATING INSTRUCTIONS

610 Heating instructions for the end-user will be provided in the contractor’s 

technical proposal and must be included on the immediate container and/or 

in the shipping container (e.g. flyer, included on the package label, etc.) as 

specified for a particular packing orientation discussed in Section 722.4

below. Finished product will be processed so that the end-user may prepare 

them in a conventional or microwave type oven for serving. 

700 PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY

710 PACKAGING AND PACKING

711 Packaging – All products will be vacuum packaged or packed in a sealed 

(tamper proof) immediate package. In addition, pork taco fillings and sloppy 

joe mix will be hot-filled into reheatable high oxygen and high moisture barrier 

pouches. 

712 Packing3/ – Four (4) 10-pound, five (5) 8-pound, eight (8) 5-pound, or twenty 

(20) 2-pound immediate containers (packages) will be packed in a 40-pound 

(net weight) shipping container.

3/The contracting officer will designate the packaging orientation permitted for each 

solicitation.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 01/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17 7

720 LABELING4/

721 The shipping containers will be in compliance with the National Motor Freight 

Classification, or the Uniform Freight Classification, as applicable. Both 

immediate and shipping containers will be labeled to include all information 

required by FSIS regulations.

722 Immediate Container Labels – Immediate container labels will contain the 

following information:

722.1 A “Best-If-Used-By” date. 

722.2 A nutrition facts panel based on actual nutritional analysis of the product.

722.3 A traceability code that is traced back to establishment number, production 

lot, and date.

722.4 For the twenty (20) 2-pound packing orientation, the heating instructions must 

be included on the immediate container. The heating instructions for the four 

(4) 10-pound, five (5) 8-pound and eight (8) 5-pound packing orientations 

must be included in/on the shipping container and/or on the immediate 

container.

722.5 Ingredient declaration (including single ingredient products).

723 Shipping Container Labels – Shipping container labels will contain the 

following information: 

723.1 USDA shield at least 2 inches high and appearing on the top of the container 

or on the principal display panel.

723.2 Applicable purchase order number.

723.3 A traceability code that is traced back to establishment number, production 

lot, and date.

723.4 A nutrition facts panel based on actual nutritional analysis of the product.

4/All labeling illustrations must be provided.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 01/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17 8

723.5 The appropriate product name and material number listed in the table below 

for each of the items.

Item Material Number

Pork Taco Filling, Fully Cooked 100150

Breaded Pork Patties, Fully Cooked 100149

Pork Sloppy Joe Mix, Fully Cooked 100148

Pork Patties with SPP, Fully Cooked, 2.7 ounce 100145

Pork Patties with SPP, Fully Cooked, 1.2 ounce 100146

Pork Patty Links, Skinless, Fully Cooked, 1.0 ounce 100143

Pork Patty Crumbles, Fully Cooked 100144

723.6 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 ______.

730 CLOSURE

731 Shipping containers will be closed by strapping, taping or gluing. When 

strapping is used, the initial closure (usually the bottom of container) shall be 

secured by the gluing or taping method.

740 PALLETIZED UNIT LOADS

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

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

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

shipping containers over the edges of the pallets and exposes each shipping 

container’s principal display panel to facilitate certification examinations.

800 DELIVERY UNIT

810 Each delivery unit will consist of 1,000 cases and 40,000 pounds, except for 

pork patties 1.2/2.7 ounces which will consist of 950 cases and 38,000 

pounds.

900 DELIVERED PRODUCT

910 SIZE AND STYLE OF CONTAINER

911 Only one size and style of immediate and shipping containers may be offered 

in an individual shipping unit.

920 TEMPERATURE

921 All products will not exceed 0°F at the time of shipment and delivery.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 01/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17 9

930 SEALING

931 Sealing - All products must 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 the Master Solicitation. Seals shall be >1⁄8th

inch diameter cable, high-security bolt, or equivalent.

1000 PRODUCT ASSURANCE

1010 WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT RESOLUTION

1011 Warranty – The contractor will guarantee that the product complies with all 

contractual requirements required under the Master Solicitation and

Supplement.

1012 Complaint Resolution – The contractor’s technical proposal must provide 

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

contact, cause and effect analysis, corrective and preventative actions taken, 

and product replacement).

1020 AMS MONITORING AND PRODUCTION ASSESSMENT

1021 The contractor has the option for using an AMS audit-based system or an 

AMS monitoring and production assessment system.

1022 If the contractor uses the AMS monitoring and production assessment 

system, it shall be implemented in accordance with Sections 460 and 470 of 

Supplement 404.

1023 The contractor’s technical proposal shall identify the AMS oversight option 

employed.

1030 NON-CONFORMING PRODUCT

1031 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 

cooked product or destroyed).

1040 CONTRACTOR CHECKLOADING

1041 Contractor will 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:
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 01/01/10

Date Revised: 07/17/17 10

1041.1 Purchase Order Number/Purchase Order Line Item Number;

1041.2 Sales Order Number/Sales Order Line Item Number;

1041.3 Destination of shipment;

1041.4 Name of Product and applicable Material Number;

1041.5 Shipping Date;

1041.6 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;

1041.7 Count of shipping containers and total projected net weight in each 

production lot;

1041.8 Identity of car or truck (car numbers and letters, seals, truck license, etc.) as 

applicable;

1041.9 Contractor certification that product conforms with the applicable specification 

(FPPS-CP-2017);

1041.10 Count and projected net weight verified and;

1041.11 Signature of company official responsible for checkloading.
APPROVED

FEDERAL PURCHASE 

PROGRAM SPECIFICATION 

(FPPS) FOR FULLY COOKED 

PULLED PORK, 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 PP March 2016 – Changes from 

previous requirements in blue

Effective: July 2017

Approved by CMS 

Date Issued: 03/03/16 

Date Revised: 07/17/17

100 ITEM DESCRIPTION 

101 Pulled Pork, Fully Cooked – This fully cooked pork item shall have a coarsely 

striated appearance (i.e. shredded with minimal chunking; not ground or 

comminuted) and be mildly seasoned for use in a variety of applications such 

as barbeque, chili, burritos, casseroles and pasta dishes. 

110 Formula – Pork shall comprise at least 90 percent of the raw formula.

120 Non-Meat Component – Non-meat components shall comprise no more than 

10 percent of the raw formula.

130 Fat – Fat shall not exceed 9 g / 100 g basis.

140 Sodium – Sodium content shall not exceed 440 mg / 100 g basis.

150 Packing – Eight (8) 5-pound immediate containers (packages) shall be 

packed in a 40-pound (net weight) shipping container.

160 Delivery Unit – Each delivery unit shall consist of 1,000 cases and 40,000 

pounds.

200 CHECKLIST OF REQUIREMENTS

210 All items shall be produced in accordance with Food Safety and Inspection 

Service (FSIS) regulations. The contractor’s technical proposal, submitted to 

the FSCS Division, shall adhere to the following Checklist of Requirements.

300 MATERIALS 

310 The contractor’s technical proposal shall include procedures to address 

conformance with the following material requirements.

SUPPLEMENT 404 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT A2
Approved by CMS 

Date Issued: 03/03/16

Date Revised: 07/17/17 2

320 MEAT COMPONENT

321 Pork shall be derived from suitable lean (e.g. Boston butt and leg cushion; 

shank meat precluded) from any portion of the sow and/or hog carcass and 

be the only meat component allowed. Pork derived from boars is not 

permissible.

322 Domestic Origin of Meat Component – All sows and/or hogs shall originate 

from U.S. produced livestock as defined in the Master Solicitation for 

Commodity Procurements and the Supplement.

323 Harvesting (Slaughtering) – All sows and/or hogs shall be harvested in 

facilities that comply with the following requirements:

323.1 Humane Handling – All sows and/or hogs shall be humanely handled in 

accordance with all applicable FSIS regulations and AMS requirements.

323.2 Non-Ambulatory Disabled Animals – Meat from carcasses of non-ambulatory 

disabled livestock shall not be included in USDA Purchase Programs.

324 Boneless Pork – Boneless pork shall comply with the following requirements:

324.1 Traceability – Contractors are responsible for providing sufficient product 

traceability and shall have records to verify the source of raw materials used 

in each lot of product.

324.2 Handling – All boneless pork shall be maintained in excellent condition. The 

contractor’s technical proposal shall include detailed production scheduling 

that addresses time and temperature controls necessary to maintain excellent 

condition of the boneless pork. Frozen boneless pork may be used provided 

it is processed into the final product within 90 days from the date of pack.

324.3 Objectionable Materials – Boneless pork shall be free of skin, bones, 

cartilages, organ tissue, heavy connective tissue, significant glandular tissue, 

spinal cord, and foreign materials.

325 Mechanical Separation - Pork that is mechanically separated from bone with 

automatic deboning systems or advanced lean (meat) recovery (AMR) 

systems is not allowed.

326 Pathogen Testing – Boneless pork previously tested and found positive 

for any pathogen shall not be allowed. 

330 NON-MEAT COMPONENTS

331 Domestic Origin of Non-Meat Component – Significant ingredients (more than 

one percent) shall be derived from U.S. produced products.

SUPPLEMENT 404 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT A2
Approved by CMS 

Date Issued: 03/03/16

Date Revised: 07/17/17 3

332 Seasonings and Other Ingredients – Seasonings and other ingredients 

shall be used to produce a finished product with mild flavor profiles suitable 

for institutional feeding systems and shall comprise no more than 10 

percent of the raw formula.

333 The following non-meat ingredients shall be precluded from use in the 

formulation:

333.1 MSG – Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). 

333.2 Soy Protein Products (SPP).

333.3 Gluten-containing ingredients.

400 PROCESSING 

410 AGGREGATION

411 The pulled pork shall be aggregated such that it is coarsely striated in 

appearance (i.e. shredded with minimal chunking; not ground or 

comminuted).

420 COOKING TEMPERATURE

421 All products shall be fully cooked in accordance with FSIS regulations.

430 METAL DETECTION

431 All products shall be free of metal contaminants. Detection of stainless steel, 

ferrous, and non-ferrous (e.g., lead, copper, and aluminum) metals is 

required. The contractor's technical proposal shall identify and describe the 

equipment, location, detection procedure, sensitivity levels, frequency of 

equipment validation, and corrective action procedures. 

500 FINISHED PRODUCT LIMITATIONS

510 The declared serving size, fat content and sodium level shall be stated on the 

nutrition facts panel on each label according to FSIS nutritional labeling 

regulations. 

520 FAT

521 The fat content of the finished product shall not exceed nine (9) percent 

522 (Percent Fat = (Total Fat ÷ Serving Size) x 100). 

530 SODIUM

531 Sodium level, shall not exceed 440 mg / 100 g basis 

SUPPLEMENT 404 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT A2
Approved by CMS 

Date Issued: 03/03/16

Date Revised: 07/17/17 4

532 ((Declared Sodium Level (mg) X 100) ÷ Declared Serving Size (grams - racc*) 

< 440)).

540 MICROBIAL

541 Contractor shall have documented plan to comply with the latest FSIS 

Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes requirements for ready-to-eat foods. 

Product tested positive for any pathogen shall not be allowed as rework or 

delivery to USDA.

600 HEATING INSTRUCTIONS

610 Heating instructions for the end-user shall be provided in the contractor’s 

technical proposal and shall be included on the immediate container and/or in 

the shipping container (e.g. flyer, included on the package label, etc.). 

700 PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY

710 PACKAGING AND PACKING

711 Packaging – All products shall be vacuum packaged or packed in a sealed 

(tamper proof) immediate package. 

712 Packing – Eight (8) 5-pound immediate containers (packages) shall be 

packed in a 40-pound (net weight) shipping container.

720 LABELING1/ 

721 CN Labeling information or a Product Formulation Statement demonstrating 

product contribution to the National School Lunch Program meal pattern 

requirements is required. For more information on the CN Labeling Program, 

see the section for Food Manufacturers/Industry on the FNS website: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnlabeling/child-nutrition-cn-labeling-program 

722 The shipping containers shall be in compliance with the National Motor 

Freight Classification, or the Uniform Freight Classification, as applicable. 

Both immediate and shipping containers shall be labeled to include all 

information required by FSIS regulations.

723 Immediate Container Labels – Immediate container labels shall contain the 

following information:

723.1 A “Best-If-Used-By” date. 

723.2 A nutrition facts panel based on actual nutritional analysis of the product.

1/All labeling illustrations shall be provided.

SUPPLEMENT 404 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT A2
Approved by CMS 

Date Issued: 03/03/16

Date Revised: 07/17/17 5

723.3 A traceability code that is traced back to establishment number, production 

lot, and date.

723.4 Ingredient declaration. 

724 Shipping Container Labels – Shipping container labels shall contain the 

following information: 

724.1 USDA shield at least 2 inches high and appearing on the top of the container 

or on the principal display panel.

724.2 Applicable purchase order number.

724.3 A traceability code that is traced back to establishment number, production 

lot, and date.

724.4 A nutrition facts panel based on actual nutritional analysis of the product.

724.5 Material number: 110730

724.6 Product Name: Fully Cooked Pulled Pork, Frozen

724.7 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 ______.

730 CLOSURE

731 Shipping containers shall be closed by strapping, taping or gluing. When 

strapping is used, the initial closure (usually the bottom of container) shall be 

secured by the gluing or taping method.

740 PALLETIZED UNIT LOADS

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

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

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

shipping containers over the edges of the pallets and exposes each shipping 

container’s principal display panel to facilitate certification examinations.

SUPPLEMENT 404 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT A2
Approved by CMS 

Date Issued: 03/03/16

Date Revised: 07/17/17 6

800 DELIVERY UNIT

810 Each delivery unit shall consist of 1,000 cases and 40,000 pounds. 

900 DELIVERED PRODUCT

910 SIZE AND STYLE OF CONTAINER

911 Only one size and style of immediate and shipping containers may be offered 

in an individual shipping unit.

920 TEMPERATURE

921 All products shall not exceed 0°F at the time of shipment and delivery.

930 SEALING

931 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 the Master Solicitation. Seals shall 

be > 1⁄8th-inch diameter cable, high-security bolt, or equivalent.

1000 PRODUCT ASSURANCE

1010 WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT RESOLUTION

1011 Warranty – The contractor shall guarantee that the product complies with all 

contractual requirements required under the Master Solicitation and

Supplement.

1012 Complaint Resolution – The contractor’s technical proposal shall provide 

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

contact, cause and effect analysis, corrective and preventative actions taken, 

and product replacement).

1020 AMS MONITORING AND PRODUCTION ASSESSMENT

1021 The contractor has the option for using an AMS audit-based system or an AMS 

monitoring and production assessment system.

1022 If the contractor uses the AMS monitoring and production assessment 

system, it shall be implemented in accordance with Sections 460 and 470 of 

Supplement 404.

1023 The contractor’s technical proposal shall identify the AMS oversight option 

employed.

SUPPLEMENT 404 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT A2
Approved by CMS 

Date Issued: 03/03/16

Date Revised: 07/17/17 7

1030 NON-CONFORMING PRODUCT

1031 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 

cooked product or destroyed).

1040 CONTRACTOR CHECKLOADING

1041 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:

1041.1 Purchase Order Number/Purchase Order Line Item Number;

1041.2 Sales Order Number/Sales Order Line Item Number;

1041.3 Destination of shipment;

1041.4 Name of Product and applicable Material Number;

1041.5 Shipping Date;

1041.6 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;

1041.7 Count of shipping containers and total projected net weight in each production 

 lot;

1041.8 Identity of car or truck (car numbers and letters, seals, truck license, etc.) as 

 applicable;

1041.9 Contractor certification that product conforms with the applicable specification 

 (FPPS-PP-2017);

1041.10 Count and projected net weight verified and;

1041.11 Signature of company official responsible for checkloading. 

SUPPLEMENT 404 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT A2
APPROVED

FEDERAL PURCHASE 

PROGRAM SPECIFICATION 

(FPPS) FOR ANIMAL 

HANDLING AND WELFARE

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-AHW-2015 January 2015 – Changes 

from previous requirements in blue

Effective: August 2017

Approved by_______CMS 

Date Issued: 08/11/08 

Date Revised: 08/02/17

100 GENERAL 

101 This document is for use by the Department of Agriculture (USDA), AMS, LPS 

Program to ensure that the animal handling and welfare requirements for Federal 

nutrition assistance programs reflect industry best practices. 

110 PROGRAM APPROACH 

111 All animal harvest facilities that supply raw materials from bovine, porcine and 

ovine species for the production of AMS destined finished products must develop 

and implement a written program that is consistent with a systematic approach to 

humane animal handling and welfare as outlined in 69 FR 54625. The program will 

ensure proper animal handling and welfare techniques are conducted from the time 

the transportation conveyance enters the facility’s premises through the stunning 

and exsanguination of the animal. 

120 PROGRAM SUBMISSION 

121 The program will be submitted as a supporting document to the organization’s 

approved technical proposal and must address the requirements outlined in 

Section 200 – PROGRAM COMPONENTS. 

200 PROGRAM COMPONENTS 

201 The contractor must ensure that any facility that harvests animals has a: 

210 MANAGEMENT COMMITMENT 

211 Steering Committee (internal) which is ultimately accountable for animal handling 

and welfare initiatives within the organization. 

212 Mission Statement on animal handling and welfare that is distributed to all 

employees and conspicuously displayed at the premises. 

SUPPLEMENT 210 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT B
Approved by_______CMS 

Date Issued: 08/11/08 

Date Revised: 08/02/17 2 

220 TRAINING PROGRAM 

221 Training program on Animal Handling and Welfare that:

221.1 is provided to all employees interacting with animals; 

221.2 covers the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) Recommended Animal Handling 

Guidelines & Audit Guide: A Systematic Approach to Animal Welfare, dated June 

2017;

221.3 is facilitated by an employee that has earned and maintained a certification of 

animal handling and welfare training, such as that offered through the Professional 

Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO) or an equivalent. 

221.4 is conducted no less frequently than once a year for each designated employee; 

and, 

221.5 requires signed documentation from each employee and confirmation by signature 

of the designated, certified trainer upon successful completion of training. 

230 QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN 

231 Written quality management plan (internal) which addresses all provisions of 

Chapter 3: Transportation Audit Guidelines, 7 Core Criteria and Chapter 4: Auditing 

Animal Handling and Stunning, 7 Core Criteria, of the NAMI Recommended Animal 

Handling Guidelines & Audit Guide: A Systematic Approach to Animal Welfare, 

dated June 2017, found at the following web site address: 

231.1 http://www.animalhandling.org/sites/default/files/forms/animal-handling-guidelinesJune152017.pdf

 

232 This internal quality management plan must also provide for routine assessment 

and monitoring of humane handling through the use of a numerical scoring system 

conducted by a trained employee. 

233 All animal harvest facilities that supply raw materials from bovine, porcine and 

ovine species for the production of AMS destined finished products must have a 

fully functioning back-up stunning device onsite wherever animal stunning is 

performed.

240 REGULATORY OVERSIGHT 

241 For all species, animals/carcasses that are inspected and passed by the Food 

Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) are eligible for AMS purchase programs. 

300 PROGRAM EVALUATION AND ELIGIBILITY 

301 The program will be audited (external) by AMS or a firm accredited by AMS. The 

accreditation of the firm will be conducted by the Quality Assessment Division 

(QAD) through the USDA ISO Guide 17065 Program. 
Approved by_______CMS 

Date Issued: 08/11/08 

Date Revised: 08/02/17 3 

302 Audit findings will be communicated to the establishment’s Food Safety and 

Inspection Service (FSIS) Inspector in Charge (IIC) or designee. 

310 AUDIT FORMAT 

311 Audits will be conducted utilizing the following format: 

312 TRANSPORTATION SEGMENT (CHAPTER 3: NAMI Recommended Animal 

Handling Guidelines & Audit Guide: A Systematic Approach to Animal Welfare,

dated June 2017) 

312.1 Audited organizations must pass Core Criteria 1 and 6 with a minimum scoring of 

excellent, Core Criteria 2 through 5 with a minimum scoring of acceptable and Core 

Criteria 7 must be adhered to with full compliance (zero tolerance) each time an 

audit is performed. 

313 ANIMAL HANDLING AND STUNNING SEGMENT (CHAPTER 4: NAMI 

Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines & Audit Guide: A Systematic Approach 

to Animal Welfare, dated June 2017) 

313.1 Audited organizations must adhere to Core Criteria 1, 2, 6 and 7 with full 

compliance (zero tolerance) and to Core Criteria 3, 4 and 5 with a minimum scoring 

of Acceptable each time an audit is performed.1/ 

313.2 The auditor shall inform FSIS and organization officials in writing of all audit 

findings, including any observations of missed stuns and/or animals regaining 

sensibility following stunning, upon completion of the audit during the exit interview. 

320 INITIAL AUDIT 

321 Initial audit must be performed prior to award of contracts. 

330 AUDIT FAILURE 

331 If an audit is failed for any of the Core Criteria, the organization is not eligible to 

provide product until such a time that corrective and preventative actions are 

approved by the Food Safety and Commodity Specification (FSCS) Division, 

implemented and proven effective. 

340 AUDIT FREQUENCY AND STATUS 

341 STANDARD - Until four (4) consecutive successfully passed audits are attained, an 

audit must be conducted within 3 months of the previous audit. 

1/Religious harvest (Kosher and Halal) shall be exempt from the AMS auditing of Core Criteria 1: Effective Stunning. 
Approved by_______CMS 

Date Issued: 08/11/08 

Date Revised: 08/02/17 4 

342 MONTHLY - If at any time an audit identifies any of the Core Criteria not meeting 

the pass requirements while in the STANDARD phase, auditing will be required to 

be conducted on a monthly basis once corrective and preventative actions have 

been approved by the FSCS Division, implemented and proven effective. This 

schedule will be for a period of time until four (4) successive audits are found to 

meet the passing requirements noted in SECTION 310 – AUDIT FORMAT; at 

which time audits shall be conducted on the STANDARD basis. 

343 If four successfully conducted audits are sequentially completed within a one year 

period while in STANDARD auditing phase, the facility may move to a SEMIANNUAL audit basis. 

344 SEMI-ANNUAL - Semi-annual audits may continue until such time that a failed 

audit is reported or a period of greater than six months has elapsed without any 

audits being performed; at which time the audits must resume as described for 

STANDARD audits. 

345 FOR-CAUSE – Any official enforcement actions issued by FSIS for missed stuns or 

for an animal regaining sensibility following stunning shall result in an immediate 

for-cause animal handling and welfare audit by AMS. Subsequent audit frequency 

will be determined by results of the AMS audit, as described above. 

400 FSCS DIVISION 

401 The FSCS Division can declare an organization’s Animal Handing and Welfare 

Program out of compliance at any time. 

402 The organization shall immediately notify the FSCS Division when any animal 

handling and welfare official enforcement action is issued by FSIS. 
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 06/10/12

Date Revised: 08/03/17

SUPPLEMENT 404 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT C

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 number 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

200 CHECKLIST OF REQUIREMENTS

300 MATERIALS

320 MEAT COMPONENT

321 Domestic Origin of Meat Component 

322 Harvest (Slaughter)

322.1 Humane Handling

322.2 Non-Ambulatory Cattle

322.3 Spinal Cord Removal

323.1 Traceability

330 NON-MEAT COMPONENTS

390 PACKING

400 PROCESSING

420 LABELING

430 PALLETIZED UNIT LOADS

440 DELIVERY UNIT
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 06/10/12

Date Revised: 08/03/17

450 DELIVERED PRODUCT

460 SIZE AND STYLE OF CONTAINER

470 TEMPERATURE

480 SEALING

500 PRODUCT ASSURANCE

510 WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT RESOLUTION

511 Warranty

512 Complaint Resolution

600 NON-CONFORMING PRODUCT

700 AMS MONITORING AND PRODUCTION ASSESSMENT

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

name and reference number.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 06/10/12

Date Revised: 08/03/17

SUPPLEMENT 404 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT D

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE 

LIVESTOCK, POULTRY AND SEED PROGRAM

CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMANCE FOR

THE PROCUREMENT OF COOKED BEEF AND 

PORK PRODUCTS, FROZEN

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: