Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 06/10/11

Date Revised: 03/30/15

SUPPLEMENT 302 TO THE AMS 

MASTER SOLICITATION FOR 

PURCHASE OF BONELESS 

PORK PICNICS AND LEG 

ROAST ITEMS 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

 Effective: March 2015

100 OVERVIEW

110 This document provides additional program requirements for the purchase of Boneless Pork 

Picnics and Leg Roast Items by the Department of Agriculture (USDA), including the 

applicable Federal Purchase Program Specification (FPPS) (Exhibit A).

200 INSTRUCTIONS TO POTENTIAL SUPPLIERS

210 The frozen pork products will 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. Actual purchases 

will be described in the AMS Master Solicitation and Solicitations.

230 Documentation Requirements

231 Technical Proposal Requirement

231.1 Include a detailed description of the boneless pork picnics and leg roast items 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 will 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)
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Date Issued: 06/11/11

Date Revised: 03/30/15

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 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, forms provided with the technical proposal, if appropriate with the 

applicable document name and reference number.

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

adequate and will 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 must meet the animal handling and welfare 

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

Handling and Welfare, effective January 2015 (Exhibit C).

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 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 must 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. The technical proposal must 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 will 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 
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Date Issued: 06/11/11

Date Revised: 03/30/15

the FSCS Division. All technical proposal revisions must 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 must 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 will contact the supplier to set up a pre-award onsite 

capability assessment audit of the facility’s processes, food security 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 will conduct a food defense audit that will include, but is not limited to, a 

thorough evaluation of the potential contractors’ and subcontractors’ food defense plan. 

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

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

by the FSCS Division that they are ineligible to bid. The applicant will have an opportunity 

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

description for further consideration. Eligibility will depend on whether the modifications 

demonstrate compliance with their food defense plan.

422 Documentation must support:

422.1 the production of the boneless pork picnics and leg roast items that complies with the 

applicable specification and the potential contractor’s approved technical proposal, and

422.2 the contractor’s or subcontractor’s food security plan. In addition, the audit will 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 will 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 will be notified by the FSCS Division and 

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

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

applicant will be notified by the FSCS Division that they are ineligible to bid. The supplier 

will have an opportunity to correct identified deficiencies, modify their process, food security 

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

Date Issued: 06/11/11

Date Revised: 03/30/15

423.2 Eligibility will depend on whether the modifications demonstrate that:

423.2.1 the process is capable of delivering frozen boneless pork picnics and leg roast items in 

compliance with the FPPS,

423.2.2 the supplier is in compliance with their food security 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 must have their documented food security plan, 

technical proposal, and supporting documentation readily available for review by the FSCS 

Division or AMS agents. Records may be maintained on hard copy or electronic media. 

However, records maintained as electronic media will be made available in printed form 

immediately upon request by the FSCS Division or AMS agents.

432 The QA Division will 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 will 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 will be immediately reported by the contractor 

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

will notify the contractor regarding eligibility to continue to participate as a contractor.

442 Contractor will 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 must be borne by the contractor. 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 contact 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 
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Date Issued: 06/11/11

Date Revised: 03/30/15

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

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

will 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 will 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.

800 EXHIBITS
Approved by

Date Issued: 10/01/09

Date Revised: 03/30/15

CMS

SUPPLEMENT 302 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT A

FEDERAL PURCHASE PROGRAM 

SPECIFICATION (FPPS) FOR 

PORK LEG (FRESH HAM) 

ROASTS, BONELESS, FROZEN; 

PORK LEG (FRESH HAM), BULK, 

BONELESS, FROZEN; AND

PORK SHOULDER, PICNICS, 

BULK, BONELESS, FROZEN

APPROVED

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

Effective: March 2015

100 ITEM DESCRIPTIONS

101 Pork Leg (Fresh Ham) Roasts, Boneless, Frozen – This item consists of a 

boneless ham with the shank removed and divided into approximately two 

equal roasts which are netted and vacuum packaged.

102 Pork Leg (Fresh Ham) Bulk, Boneless, Frozen – This item consists of boneless 

ham with shank removed which are bulk packaged in leak-proof shipping 

containers.

103 Pork Shoulder, Picnics, Bulk, Boneless, Frozen – This item consists of 

boneless picnics which are bulk packaged in leak-proof shipping containers.

200 CHECKLIST OF REQUIREMENTS

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

Service (FSIS) regulations and the AMS Checklist of Requirements.

210 ITEMS

210.1 Contractor’s technical proposal must describe the necessary processing steps 

to comply with the items below.

211 PORK LEG (FRESH HAM) ROAST, BONELESS, FROZEN

211.1 This item is a netted, boneless pork leg with all shank meat ((inner shank 

(gastrocnemius and flexor digitorum superficialis) and outer shank)) excluded. 

In addition, all bones, cartilages, skin, flank muscle (rectus abdominus), 

cutaneous trunci, fat and lean above the aitch bone and significant glandular 

material shall be excluded. The item will be trimmed practically free of surface 

fat and star fat. Also, the boneless item will be divided into two approximate 

equal portions (roasts) by a cut perpendicular to the longest dimension of the 

netted roast.
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Date Issued: 10/01/09

Date Revised: 03/30/15

CMS

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212 PORK LEG (FRESH HAM), BONELESS, BULK, FROZEN

212.1 This item is a boneless pork leg with all shank meat ((inner shank 

(gastrocnemius and flexor digitorum superficialis) and outer shank)) excluded. 

In addition, all bones, cartilages, skin, flank muscle (rectus abdominus), 

cutaneous trunci, fat and lean above the aitch bone and significant glandular 

material shall be excluded.

213 PORK SHOULDER, PICNICS, BONELESS, BULK, FROZEN

213.1 This item is a boneless pork picnic with the cushion (triceps brachii group)

attached. In addition, all bones, cartilage, and skin shall be excluded.

220 MATERIALS

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

conformance with the following material requirements.

221 MEAT COMPONENT

221.1 Pork will be the only meat component allowed.

221.2 Domestic Origin Of Meat Component – Pork must originate from U.S. produced 

livestock as defined in the Master Solicitation and Supplement.

221.3 Harvesting – Hogs will be harvested in facilities that comply with the following 

requirements:

221.3.1 Humane Handling – All hogs shall be humanely handled in accordance with all 

applicable FSIS regulations and AMS requirements.

221.3.2 Non-Ambulatory Hogs – Meat from carcasses of non-ambulatory hogs will not 

be included in USDA purchased boneless pork product.

221.3.3 Spinal Cord Removal – All spinal cord tissue must be removed during the 

harvest process.

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

221.4.1 Traceability – Contractors are responsible for providing sufficient product 

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

each production lot.

221.4.2 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.
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Date Revised: 03/30/15

CMS

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221.4.3 Lean Quality – Fresh-chilled pork must be reasonably uniform in color (slightly 

two-tone color is permissible) ranging from light pink to light red. The pork 

muscles must not exhibit any evidence of pale, soft, and/or exudative 

conditions.

221.4.4 Objectionable Materials – Pork will be free of skin, bone, cartilage, organ tissue, 

significant glandular tissue, heavy connective tissue and foreign materials.

221.5 Fresh-Chilled Pork – Only fresh-chilled pork which has never been previously 

frozen will be allowed.

221.6 Mechanically Separated – Pork that is mechanically separated from bone with 

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

is not allowed.

222 FAT LIMITATIONS

222.1 Pork Leg Roasts – The pork leg roasts will be trimmed so they are practically 

free of surface and star fat. There shall be at least 75 percent lean/seam 

surface exposed and the remaining fat shall not exceed 1⁄8-inch (3 mm) in 

thickness at any one point.

222.2 Pork Leg Bulk - There shall be at least 75 percent lean/seam surface exposed 

and the average fat thickness shall be 1⁄4-inch (6 mm) and the maximum fat 

thickness at any one point shall be 1⁄2-inch (13 mm) or less.

222.3 Pork Shoulder Picnics Bulk – The maximum average fat thickness for pork 

shoulder picnics shall be 1⁄4-inch (6 mm) and the maximum fat thickness at any 

one point shall be 1⁄2-inch (13 mm) or less.

223 WEIGHT RANGE

223.1 Pork Leg Roasts – Individual pork leg roasts will weigh 6-10 pounds.

223.2 Pork Leg and Shoulder Picnics Bulk – A weight range is not required.

224 NETTING AND TYING

224.1 Pork Leg Roasts – Roasts will be netted or tied so that all portions are held 

intact, without any portions protruding through the ends of the netting to make 

roasts firm and compact.

224.2 Pork Leg and Shoulder Picnics Bulk – Netting and tying is not allowed.

225 STATE OF REFRIGERATION

226 Product will be frozen to an internal temperature of not higher than 0°F 

(-17.8°C) within 72 hours from the time of final fabrication of the lot.
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230 PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY

231 PACKAGING

231.1 Pork Leg Roasts – Each leg roast will be vacuum packaged.

231.2 Pork Leg and Shoulder Picnics Bulk – Bulk pork legs and picnics will be bulk 

packaged in leak-proof shipping containers.

232 PACKING

232.1 Pork Leg Roasts – Vacuum packaged pork leg roasts will be placed into 

shipping containers to a net weight ranging 36–42 pounds. Box liners are not 

required.

232.2 Pork Leg and Shoulder Picnics Bulk – Bulk pork legs and picnics will be bulk 

packaged in leak-proof shipping containers without the use of plastic liner bags 

to a net weight of 60 pounds.

233 LABELING

233.1 The shipping containers shall be in compliance with the National Motor Freight 

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

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 following information:

233.2 Immediate Container Labels – Immediate container labels shall contain a 

traceability code that is traced back to establishment number, production lot, 

and date.

233.3.1 Shipping Container Labels – Shipping container labels will contain the following 

information:

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

on the principal display panel.

233.3.3 Applicable purchase order number.

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

and date.
1

/

The phrase “For Further Processing” shall appear on the principal display panel.

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Date Issued: 10/01/09

Date Revised: 03/30/15

CMS

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

Item Material Number

Pork Leg (Fresh Ham) Roast, Boneless, Frozen 100173

Pork Leg (Fresh Ham), Bulk, Boneless, Frozen1/ 110138

Pork Shoulder, Picnics, Bulk, Boneless, Frozen1/ 100193

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

233.3.7 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 .

240 PALLETIZED UNIT LOADS

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

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

242 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.

250 DELIVERY UNIT

251 Pork Leg Roasts – The delivery unit will be 40,000 pounds net weight

(1000 shipping containers). A tolerance of minus 60 pounds is permissible.

252 Pork Leg Bulk – The delivery unit will be 42,000 pounds net weight

(700 shipping containers).

253 Pork Shoulder Picnics Bulk – The delivery unit will be 40,020 pounds net weight

(667 shipping containers).

260 DELIVERED PRODUCT

261 SIZE AND STYLE OF CONTAINER

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

an individual shipping unit.

262 TEMPERATURE

262.1 All products will not exceed 0°F at the time of shipment and delivery.
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263 SEALING

263.1 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.

270 PRODUCT ASSURANCE

271 WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT RESOLUTION

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

contractual requirements required under the Master Solicitation and 

Supplement.

271.2 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).

272 NON-CONFORMING PRODUCT

272.1 The contractor must have documented procedures that assure nonconforming 

product identification, segregation, and disposition in order to prevent misuse 

and that nonconforming product is not delivered to USDA. The plan must 

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

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

vendor notification in writing to the FSCS Division of final disposition (e.g., 

diverted to commercial production, cooked or destroyed).

272 CONTRACTOR CHECKLOADING

273 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:

273.1 Purchase Order Number/Purchase Order Line Item Number;

273.2 Sales Order Number/Sales Order Line Item Number;

273.3 Destination of shipment;

273.4 Name of Product and applicable Material Number;

273.5 Shipping Date;
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Date Revised: 03/30/15

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273.6 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;

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

lot;

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

applicable;

273.9 Contractor certification that product conforms with the applicable specification

(FPPS-PLS-2015);

273.10 Count and projected net weight verified and;

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

Date Issued: 06/10/12

Date Revised: 03/30/15

SUPPLEMENT 302 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 (must be authorized to represent the company).

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

Table of Contents (all pages and attachments must be number and identified – any attachments 

must 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

220 MATERIALS

221 MEAT COMPONENT

221.2 Domestic Origin of Meat Component 

221.3 Harvest (Slaughter)

221.3.1 Humane Handling

221.3.2 Non-Ambulatory Hogs

221.3.3 Spinal Cord Removal

221.4.1 Traceability

221.4.2 Handling

222 FAT LIMITATIONS

231 PACKAGING

232 PACKING

233 LABELING

240 PALLETIZED UNIT LOADS
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 06/10/12

Date Revised: 03/30/15

250 DELIVERY UNIT

260 DELIVERED PRODUCT

261 SIZE AND STYLE OF CONTAINER

262 TEMPERATURE

263 SEALING

270 PRODUCT ASSURANCE

271 WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT RESOLUTION

271.1 Warranty

271.2 Complaint Resolution

272 NON-CONFORMING PRODUCT

273 CONTRACTOR CHECKLOADING

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

name and reference number.
Approved by CMS

Date Issued: 08/11/08

Date Revised: 01/13/15

SUPPLEMENT 302 TO AMS MASTER SOLICITATION EXHIBIT C

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-2014 June 2014 – Changes 

from previous requirements in blue

Effective: January 2015

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

and conspicuously displayed at the premises.

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 AMI Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines and Audit Guide 2013 

Edition;

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 AMI Recommended Animal Handling 

Guidelines and Audit Guide 2013 Edition, found at the following web site address: 

231.1 http://animalhandling.org/ht/d/sp/i/26752/pid/26752

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 NON-AMBULATORY AND U.S. SUSPECTS

241 CATTLE

242 Written protocol in-place and enforced that precludes the receipt of or having nonambulatory, disabled cattle on the harvest facility premise. In the event that animals 

become non-ambulatory or disabled at any time while present at the harvest facility, 

the animal will be humanely euthanized and the carcass removed from the premise in 

a timely manner through contracted services or other means.
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Date Issued: 08/11/08

Date Revised: 01/13/15 3

243 HOGS AND SHEEP

244 Written protocol in-place and enforced that ensures all animals designated by Food 

Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) as U.S. Suspects (9 CFR 301.2) that are 

slaughtered are appropriately segregated during the harvest and production 

processes and precluded from inclusion in any products purchased by AMS.

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 65 Program. Alternatively, at the option of the 

organization, the audits can be performed by QAD auditors. 

302 Audit findings thought to be in conflict with Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) 

regulations will be communicated to the establishment’s FSIS Inspector in Charge 

(IIC) or designee. 

310 AUDIT FORMAT

311 AMS or the AMS accredited auditing firm will conduct audits utilizing the following 

format:

312 TRANSPORTATION SEGMENT (CHAPTER 3: AMI RECOMMENDED ANIMAL

HANDLING GUIDELINES AND AUDIT GUIDE 2013 EDITION)

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: AMI 

RECOMMENDED ANIMAL HANDLING GUIDELINES AND AUDIT GUIDE 2013

EDITION)

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. 

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: 01/13/15 4

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.

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 SEMI-ANNUAL 

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 forcause 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: 03/30/15

SUPPLEMENT 302 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 BONELESS PORK PICNICS, 

FROZEN ANDLEG ROAST ITEMS, 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: