Defense Logistics Agency 

INSTRUCTION

DLAI 3221.00

Effective Date: November 2018

SUBJECT: VETERINARY MEDICAL OVERSIGHT AND INSPECTIONS OF 

SUBSISTENCE SUPPLIES AND SERVICES

REFERENCES: See Enclosure 1.

1. PURPOSE. This Instruction:

a. Replaces the cancelled DLAR 4155.3 Reference (a).

b. Revises DLAI 3221 Reference (b) with authority in DoD Directive 5101.1 Reference (c) 

to establish policy and assign responsibilities within the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) for 

providing inspection service support for subsistence supplies and services; and provide direction 

on DLA Food Safety, Defense, and Quality Assurance programs and specifications. 

2. APPLICABILITY. This DLA Instruction applies to DLA Headquarters (HQ); DLA Major 

Subordinate Commands (MSC); DLA Regional Commands; Defense Depots (DD); Defense 

Contract Management Agency (DCMA); Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and those 

activities of the Military Services, including Reserve Forces involved in the contracting, 

inspection, administration, shipment, storage, distribution, and maintenance of subsistence 

supplies and services; and affiliated organizations.

3. POLICY. It is DLA policy that:

a. Military veterinary/medical food inspection personnel will perform receipt, instorage, and prior-to-shipment inspections, of all subsistence items received, stored or

shipped at depots, supply points, posts, camps, stations, and bases.

b. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), as the designated Executive 

Agent for the Federal Food Program, is responsible for the quality assurance and 

specification management of all federal agency food acquisitions in the United States. 

Under the program parameters, the USDA will perform all in-plant quality assurance 

inspections. The United States Department of Commerce (USDC) will be responsible for 

the inspections of seafood items except for farm-raised seafood inspected by USDA. 
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c. Military veterinary inspections in contractor facilities will normally be limited to inplant Contract Quality Assurance (CQA) actions in overseas locations or operational ration 

assembly facilities. 

d. The Designated Federal Agencies (DFA) will perform CQA in facilities processing 

food components, both animal and non-animal, for operational rations.

e. The Defense Health Agency (DHA) and Surgeons General of the Services are 

responsible for establishing acceptance criteria, sanitary standards, technical requirements, 

inspection procedures, and food safety policies to assure wholesomeness and suitability. 

f. The DCMA will administer the CQA requirements for non-food ration components 

and selected non-animal semi-perishable subsistence items.

g. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will perform the pre-award and postaward evaluations of leaf tea and coffee beans. The National Coffee Association (NCA) 

of the USA will grade and certify green coffee beans as needed. 

4. RESPONSIBILITIES. Refer to Enclosure 2.

5. RELEASABILITY. Unlimited. This instruction is approved for public release and is 

available on the internet from the DLA issuances website. 

6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This instruction is effective November 2018.

Enclosures:

1. References

2. Responsibilities

Glossary
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ENCLOSURE 1

REFERENCES

(a) DLA Regulation 4155.3, “Inspection of Subsistence Supplies and Services,” November

3, 1986 (cancelled)

(b) DLA Instruction 3221 “Veterinary Affairs,” July 24, 2003 (reissued with a new subject 

line)

(c) DoD Directive 5101.10, “DoD Executive Agent (DoD EA) for 

Subsistence,” September 27, 2004

(d) DoD Directive 6400.04E, “DoD Veterinary and Public Health Services,” June 27, 

2013.

(e) AR 40-660/DLAR 4155.26/NAVSUPINST 10110.8C/AFR 161-42/MCO 10110.38C, 

“DoD Hazardous Food and Nonprescription Drug Recall System,” November 14, 2003.

(under revision)

(f) DLAR 4155.24/AR 702-7/SECNAVINST 4855.5A/AFR 74-6, “Product Quality 

Deficiency Report Program,” July 20, 1993. (under revision)

(g) DLM 4000.25, “Defense Logistics Management Standard,” (DLMS), December 14, 2016.

(h) AR 40-657/NAVSUP 4355.4H/MCO P10110.31H, “Veterinary/Medical Food Safety,

Quality Assurance, and Laboratory Service,” January 21, 2005. (under revision)

(i) AFI 48-116, “Food Safety Program,” March 17, 2004.
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ENCLOSURE 2

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Headquarters, Defense Logistics Agency

a. The Senior Veterinary Advisor, Technical and Quality Assurance (J-344) will:

(1) Manage, publish, and update DLA Food Safety, Defense, and Quality Assurance 

policies and processes.

(2) Provide policy guidance and exercise technical and operational oversight for the 

Quality Assurance of subsistence material and services managed by DLA Troop Support. 

(3) Be the point of contact for DLA-procured/managed subsistence inspection policies

with the Services, other government agencies, and industry partners.

(4) Ensure inspection policy, program, and procedure compliance for all DLA-managed 

subsistence items. 

b. The Chief, Technical and Quality Assurance Division, (HQ-DLA/J344) will:

(1) Provide policy guidance and exercise process oversight for the Quality Assurance of 

subsistence material and services managed by DLA Troop Support and for DFA CQA actions on 

DLA Troop Support-issued subsistence contracts.

(2) Be the point of contact for DLA-procured/managed subsistence inspection processes 

with the Services, other government agencies, and industry partners.

c. The Chief, Inventory Management Division (HQ-DLA/J345) will: 

(1) Administer policies, programs, and procedures related to the visibility and 

accountability of the DLA-managed subsistence items received, stored, maintained, transiting 

through, or issued at worldwide wholesale, warehousing, and distribution facilities.

(2) Be the point of contact for the DLA-procured/managed subsistence warehousing and 

distribution policies, procedures, and programs.

2. DLA Major Subordinate Command

a. The Commander, DLA Troop Support will: 

(1) Ensure that the quality of DLA-managed subsistence supplies and services meet the 

customer requirements through efforts including, but not limited to: 

(a) Establishment of contractor responsibilities for inspection requirements.
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(b) Selection of appropriate contract quality parameters based on item application 

and complexity.

(c) Development of DLA Subsistence acquisition, storage, and technical data 

packages and implementation of subsequent cyclical data review and analysis.

(d) Ensure military veterinary/medical food inspection and designated federal agency 

CQA procedures are compatible with DLA Subsistence requirements.

(2) Coordinate compliances with standards, technical programs and procedures relating 

to sanitation, quality and wholesomeness of subsistence supplies and services with the DHA and 

Surgeons General of the Military Services.

(3) Arrange for the necessary preaward survey and sanitary inspection by DCMA, 

USDA, USDC, and the Public Health Activity food inspection personnel as appropriate.

(4) Arrange for necessary Public Health Activity subsistence inspection support at DLA 

Defense Depots and DLA contractor sites.

(5) Resource and assign the most effective and economical subsistence inspection 

method. 

(6) Develop technical requirement compliance and product conformance assessments 

through:

(a) Collaborations with academic, industry, DOD, and non-DOD government

organizations.

(b) Quality Systems Management Visits to contractor facilities.

(c) DLA worldwide integrated management of subsistence storage sites and other 

government activities.

(7) Develop and administer programs to determine contractor testing system suitability 

and reliability.

(8) Develop and administer in-storage quality control and inspection programs to assure 

the serviceability of stored subsistence. 

(9) Designate the Director, Subsistence Supplier Operations, as the principal point of 

contact on wholesomeness, quality, and suitability-for-intended-use matters with: 

(a) The installation military Veterinary/Medical Services representatives.

(b) The regional FDA offices.

(c) The inspector in charge of the servicing USDA establishments.

(d) The DCMA personnel administering DLA Troop Support contracts.
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(e) The Military Major Commands and their components in the areas serviced by 

DLA Troop Support.

(10) Develop procedures facilitating direct communication between DLA Troop Support 

and the Commander, USAMEDCOM and overseas MACOMs and their component commands

on subsistence inspection matters.

(11) Establish continuing liaison between DLA Troop Support, DoD, federal agencies, 

and Military Services and their components on matters related to subsistence inspection support, 

nonconforming subsistence materials, quality complaints and inspection system improvements. 

(12) Operate a notification system in accordance with DLAR 4155.26/AR 40-

660/NAVSUPINST 10110.8C/AFR 161-42/MCO 10110.38C Reference (e) for hazardous food 

alerts and recalls received from FDA, USDA, USDC, or other agencies, which may involve the 

Military Services and DLA subsistence supply chain.

(13) Process, investigate, resolve, and respond to Product Quality Deficiency Reports 

(PQDR) and Supply Deficiency Reports (SDR) IAW DLAR 4155.24 Reference (f), PQDR 

Program and DLM 4000.25 Reference (g), Defense Logistics Management Standard (DLMS), 

respectively.

(14) Render Quality Assurance support for first article inspection and production testing 

contracts.

(15) Provide Quality Assurance Letters of Instruction (QALI), as appropriate, to the 

assigned Quality Assurance Activity.

(16) Coordinate known or anticipated additional inspection requirements with the 

USDA, USDC, or Military Services, as appropriate.

(17) Ensure DFA inspection procedures comply with ISO 10012-1 or ANSI/NCLS 

Z540-1 requirements, where applicable.

(18) Coordinate, establish, and execute inter-agency agreements (e.g., MOU, MOA, and 

IAA) for inspection service support, where necessary. 

(19) Designate the Chief, Supplier Support Division as the principal point of contact and 

as the liaison between DLA Troop Support and supporting elements (including the Military 

Services) for all Operational Rations matters including sanitation and integrated pest 

management, except for wholesomeness. 

b. The Commander, DLA Distribution will:

(1) Arrange for the necessary AVI support of DLA-managed semi perishable subsistence 

items received, stored, and issued.

(2) Program for the necessary resources in terms of qualified personnel, equipment and 

facilities to perform the necessary quality and reliability assurance functions. 
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3. Defense Contracting Management Agency (DCMA). The Commander, DCMA will 

administer CQA actions on assigned subsistence contracts efficiently and effectively IAW 

published procedures, contract requirements, and QALIs. 

4. The Military Services are jointly responsible for: 

a. Establishing technical requirements and acceptance criteria to identify subsistence quality 

parameters. 

b. Providing a competent, technically qualified inspection service with their assigned areas 

of responsibility.

c. Positioning military veterinary/medical food inspection personnel in a manner to support 

the DLA procurement, storage, distribution, and issue programs.

d. Providing military veterinary/medical food inspection personnel to determine 

acceptability of subsistence supplies as to condition, quality, and wholesomeness. Naval/Marine 

Corps activities, which have no assigned military veterinary personnel, will provide technically 

qualified personnel for this function.

e. Determining the military veterinary/medical food inspector workload, training and 

mobilization requirements and facilitating a base for the personnel rotations between the 

Continental United States (CONUS) and overseas assignments.

f. Notifying DLA Troop Support of suspected hazardous foods identified in Service property 

accounts IAW Reference (h). 

5. The Surgeons General of the Military Departments are jointly responsible for: 

a. Establishing acceptance criteria, technical requirements, and inspection procedures needed 

to assure foods are wholesome and suitable for intended use. Wholesomeness assurance 

measures include but are not limited to: 

(1) Wholesomeness evaluations from a microbiological, chemical, physical, and 

radiological standpoint. 

(2) Inspection of sources and their component items for sanitation when required IAW 

Reference (h). 

(3) Assessment and approval of manufacturing processes and integrated technical 

procedures are in place to ensure wholesomeness, quality, and suitability for the intended use.

(4) Tests during processing or on the finished products to detect unsanitary practices or 

unwholesomeness.

b. Providing adequate training programs, facilities, and funds for military veterinary/medical 

personnel to sustain the knowledge of and to continue to develop relevant subsistence inspection 

requirements and systems.
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c. Appointing representatives for the respective Medical Departments to assure 

dissemination of acceptance/rejection information for wholesomeness suspect items. 

d. Appointing individuals, when requested, to represent the respective Medical Departments 

for developing sanitary standards and wholesomeness criteria for subsistence items.

e. Developing an enduring system to share and inform Federal and State regulatory agencies 

of the reported inspection rejection of locally procured subsistence.

f. Appointing individuals, as considered appropriate, to service DCMA in an attending or 

liaison capacity. 

6. U.S. Army Medical Command (USAMEDCOM). CG, USAMEDCOM or future designated 

authority will provide policy guidance and exercise staff supervision for CQA actions performed 

by AVI elements on DLA Troop Support subsistence contracts for Operational Rations assembly 

within CONUS, or outside CONUS, when designated in the contract.
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GLOSSARY

PART I. ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

AFR Air Force Regulation

AR Army Regulation

AVI Army Veterinary Inspector

ANSI American National Standards Institute

CAS Contract Administration Services

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

CONUS Continental United States

CQA Contract Quality Assurance

DCSLOG Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, US Army

DCMA Defense Contract Management Agency

DD Defense Depot

DDC Defense Distribution Center

DFA Designated Federal Agency

DHA Defense Health Agency

DLA Defense Logistics Agency

DLAM Defense Logistics Agency Manual

DLAR Defense Logistics Agency Regulation

FDA Food and Drug Administration

HQ Headquarters

IAA Interagency Agreement

ISO International Organization for Standardization

JCCoE Joint Culinary Center of Excellence

MACOM Major Command

MCO Marine Corps Order

MOA Memorandum of Agreement

MOU Memorandum of Understanding

NAVSUP Naval Supply Systems Command

NAVSUPINST Navy Support Instruction

NCA National Coffee Association of the U.S.A.

NCSL The National Conference of Standards Laboratories

NSRDEC U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center

OCONUS Outside the Continental United States
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PQDR Product Quality Deficiency Report

QALI Quality Letter of Instruction

ROD Report of Discrepancy

SDR Supply Deficiency Report

SF Standard Form

USA U.S. Army

USAF U.S. Air Force

USAMEDCOM U.S. Army Medical Command

USAPHA U.S. Army Public Health Activity

USDA United Stated Department of Agriculture

USDC United Stated Department of Commerce

PART II. DEFINITIONS

Inspection Assignment. The Purchasing office determines which Federal or DoD agency can 

provide the most economical and effective inspection support, depending on the commodity 

involved and the point of inspection. 

a. Inspection assignments for subsistence material is normally made to the USDA, USDC, 

DCMA, or, under special circumstances, the military veterinary/medical personnel. Inspection 

assignments to the military veterinary/medical personnel are based on the current letter, 

“Location of Military Veterinary Personnel Available for Inspection and Services,” Office of the 

Surgeon General, Department of the Army. 

b. Inspection assignments to DCMA are based on DoD 4105.59H, DoD Directory of 

Contract Administration Services Components.

c. USDA inspection/grading support is arranged directly with regional USDA offices.

d. USDC inspection/grading support is arranged directly with the USDC.

Technically Qualified Personnel. Includes military veterinary/medical food inspection 

personnel, personnel of other Federal agencies, FDA inspectors, DLA Troop Support Quality 

Assurance Specialist, DCMA Quality Assurance Specialists, and DLA Defense Depot personnel 

designated as subsistence qualified. In the absence of inspection support from the Army military 

veterinary inspection personnel at Naval and Marine Corps receiving facilities, inspection will be 

provided by technically qualified personnel of the receiving Service. Such personnel would 

include military medical personnel, the receiving officer, or their designated representatives. 

Worldwide. Includes any facility in or outside the CONUS, which stores or issues DLAmanaged subsistence supplies.