Supplement 304 Frozen Pork Loin Roast & Chops - May 2026

The Agricultural Marketing Service issued an updated Supplement 304 to the Master Invitation for Purchase of Frozen Pork Loin Roast and Chops, effective May 2026, with responses due by December 31, 2026. No set-aside applies.

The supplement establishes procurement requirements for USDA food and nutrition assistance programs and covers two products: boneless frozen pork loin roasts (3.5–6.5 pounds per unit, IMPS Item 413A) and center-cut boneless frozen pork loin chops (4 ounces +/- 0.5 ounces per chop, IMPS Item 1413). All meat must originate from U.S.-born, raised, and harvested livestock with documented traceability. Product specifications include fat content not exceeding 10 percent, sodium not exceeding 70 mg per 100 grams, and freezing to 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below within 72 hours of fabrication. Contractors must comply with FSIS regulations, humane handling requirements consistent with Meat Institute guidelines, and maintain documented quality assurance programs addressing production scheduling, time and temperature controls, and complaint resolution.

Contractors choose between two monitoring options: Option A requires continuous USDA grader supervision without contractor technical proposals for the finished product, or Option B requires approved technical proposals and periodic onsite audits. A QAD-approved Food Defense Plan is mandatory prior to bid opening. Contractors submit comprehensive technical proposals covering materials, processing, quality assurance, metal detection protocols, labeling, packaging, and nonconforming product procedures. All products require tamper-proof serially numbered seals and specified pallet configurations with Certificates of Conformance and checkloading certificates documenting production lots, traceability codes, and product temperatures. The contractor bears all costs of AMS audits, grading, and certification services.