Agricultural Marketing Service

Commodity Procurement Program

1400 Independence Ave SW

Room 3522-S, STOP-0239

Washington, DC 20250-0239

USDA COMMODITY REQUIREMENTS

WHEAT FLOUR AND BAKERY FLOUR PRODUCTS

FOR USE IN DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

Effective Date: July 2021

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

WHEAT FLOUR AND BAKERY FLOUR PRODUCTS

FOR USE IN DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

Table of Contents

Part 1 COMMODITYSPECIFICATIONS ...................................................................................................3

Section 1.1 COMMODITIES........................................................................................................................3

Section 1.2 WARRANTY.............................................................................................................................5

Section 1.3 KOSHER ONLY PRODUCTS...................................................................................................5

Section 1.4 QUALITY ASSURANCE..........................................................................................................5

Part 2 CONTAINER AND PACKAGINGREQUIREMENTS ...................................................................5

Section 2.1 GENERAL .................................................................................................................................5

Section 2.2 COMMERCIAL PACKAGING.................................................................................................6
3

Part 1 COMMODITYSPECIFICATIONS

Section 1.1 COMMODITIES

A. Quality of the Commodity

(1) All wheat shall be tested for vomitoxin in accordance with procedures approved 

by the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS). Any wheat testing higher than 2 

parts per million (ppm) shall not be used in production of the commodity. The 

final product shall not contain more than 1 part per million (ppm) of vomitoxin.

(2) The commodity delivered shall meet the requirements as specified in the 

Commercial Item Description (CID) A-A-20126H (May 23, 2019) for flours, 

cereal grain products available at

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/AA20126H_Flours_Cereal_G

rain.pdf except for the following analytical and physicalrequirements:
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Material 

Codes

Pack 

Size

Material 

Description Protein Level1 Ash Level Moisture Falling Number 

Units

Min Max Min Max Max Min Max

100400 8/5 lb. 

bag

Flour, All Purpose, 

Enriched, Bleached 8.70% 11.80% 0.50% 0.56% 14.00% 250 350

100409 50 lb. 

bag

Flour, 100% Whole 

Wheat (Red wheat 

only)

11.50% 14.40% 1.56% 1.90% 14.00% 300

100413 50 lb.

Flour, Bakers Hard 

Wheat, Unbleached

100418 Bulk 10.50% 12.00% 0.50% 0.56% 14.00% 250 350

100417 Bulk Flour, Bakers Hard 

Wheat, Bleached

110855 50 lb. 

bag Flour, 100% White 

Whole Wheat

11.50% 14.40% 1.56% 1.90% 14.00% 300

110857 8/5 lb. 

bag

100420 Bulk

Flour, Bakers Hard 

Wheat, Hearth, 

Unbleached

10.50% 12.00% 0.50% 0.56% 14.00% 250 350

100421 Bulk Flour, Bakers Soft 

Wheat, Unbleached 6.30% 10.00% 0.50% 0.56% 14.00% 250 350

100912 Bulk Flour, Bread 12.00% 14.00% 0.50% 0.56% 14.00% 300

110482 50 lb. 

bag Flour, High Gluten 12.50% 14.50% 0.50% 0.56% 14.00% 300 350

110208

25 lb. 

bag Flour, White Whole 

Wheat/ Enriched 

60/40 Blend2

11.00% 13.50% 1.10% 1.40% 14.00% 250 350

110211

8/5 lb. 

bag

(3) Storage conditions: 70 degrees F., 70 percent humidity,

(4) Sifting specifications: See FDA definitions in 21 CFR 137.200.

(5) Bakery flour shall be enriched, bleached, or unbleached. The enrichment and 

bleaching requirements shall be those listed in the latest “Food and Drug 

Standards of Identity.” chlorine using amounts and procedures that allow the 

product to attain performance specifications related to those for cake and cookie 

1 Based on 14% + 0.20% moisture. Ash level tolerance + 0.02% 2 White Whole Wheat/Enriched Flour Blend shall consist of 60% White Whole Wheat Flour plus 40% All Purpose 

Flour containing niacin, iron, folic acid. (All approved by the Association of Cereal Chemists).
5

manufacture and be suitable for that use.

(6) Bakers hard wheat bread flour shall be suitable for use in continuous and 

conventional baking processes or, in the case of hearth-style, may contain 

potassium bromate added in a quantity not exceeding 25 parts to each million 

parts of finished enriched flour to achieve maximum quality commercially 

acceptable hearth-type bread products.

(7) Bulk Flour Shipments

i. At the time of shipment, the contractor shall furnish to the destination

consignee a mill laboratory analysis that the flour meets all the testing and

quality requirements of the contract.

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

shipped shall be evidenced by an official weight certificate and included 

with the invoice. If official weights are not available at the plant location, 

the contractor shall obtain the official weight certificates at an 

intermediate point or at destination.

Section 1.2 WARRANTY

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

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

Section 1.3 KOSHER ONLY PRODUCTS

“Kosher Only” products will be identified in the solicitation. Kosher only products shall 

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

Manufacturing plants shall be certified for compliance with the aforementioned requirement by 

contacting the Board of Jewish Education of Greater New York (BJENY) at 646-472-5368. At 

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

manufacturing plant with the dietary (kosher) laws.

Offeror shall certify that their manufacturing plant is capable of meeting applicable dietary 

(kosher) laws as established by the “613 Council of Kashruth” and certification by BJENY.

Section 1.4 QUALITY ASSURANCE

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

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

a Certificate of Analysis (COA). The COA shall be maintained by the 

contractor. USDA requires the contractor to retain the COA for a minimum 

of seven years from the date of issuance. If quality discounts are provided in the 

contract, and the product to be delivered by the contractor falls within the quality 

discount table, those factors shall be identified by an asterisk on the copies of the 

COA.

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

contractrequirements.

Part 2 CONTAINER AND PACKAGINGREQUIREMENTS

Section 2.1 GENERAL
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This part provides the container specifications and packaging materials requirement 

used under this contract.

Section 2.2 COMMERCIAL PACKAGING

A. Contractors shall supply commercial brand products only and shall certify at 

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

has a history of successful distribution and use in domestic commercial 

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

consumer acceptance.

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

commercial shipping practices and shall comply with: 

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

printed on the principal display panel of the food label. 

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

on the commercial bill of lading. 

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

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

with the shipping container manufacturers to determine the safe 

stacking height. 

(4) For identification upon receipt at delivery warehouses, all commerciallabeled product shipping documents shall specify “FOR USDA FOOD 

DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS.” 

C. Container, packaging, and unitization requirements shall comply with Section 

4A52.211-3, 4A52.211-4, and 4A52.211-6 in the Master Solicitation for 

Commodity Procurement-Domestic Programs which is available at 

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