Unit of competency Outline

Date retreived
22/07/2026 10:04 AM AWST

Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.

Import product

Import product

Unit of competency
National Code
SFIDIST502C
State Code
D9290
TGA Status
Deleted
DTWD Status
Transition (Deleted)
Current Release Number
1.00
Current Release Date
22/07/2011
View on TGA
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
29/02/2012
Field of Education
080311 - International Business
Original Release Date
29/02/2012
Nominal Hours
40
Description
This unit of competency involves importing seafood product and ensuring that it meets customer needs and Australian food regulations. It covers placing an order for product with an overseas supplier, negotiating product specifications and organising transport, Australian Customs clearance, and storage and/or delivery of product to the Australian customer. Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements may apply to this unit. Therefore it will be necessary to check with the relevant state or territory regulators for current licensing, legislative or regulatory requirements before undertaking this unit.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Communicate with suppliers
  • 1.1. Effective business communication with suppliers is established, maintained and conducted in a professional manner.
  • 1.2. Contact with suppliers is maintained until sale is completed (or terminated).
  • 1.3. Current product and market knowledge is demonstrated, in all communications with suppliers.
2. Order product
  • 2.1. Orders for products are placed with approved suppliers.
  • 2.2. Product description is sufficiently detailed so that customer specifications, Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) requirements and state/territory food regulations can be met.
  • 2.3. Price, product description, time of delivery and payment terms are negotiated with supplier.
  • 2.4. Contract to purchase is checked and approved by appropriate person before being forwarded to supplier.
3. Complete documentation
  • 3.1. All documentation associated with the transaction is completed.
  • 3.2. Documentation shows all information required to identify product, supplier and customer contract and is completed to the satisfaction of AQIS and Australian Customs.
  • 3.3. Contracts to supply product are not signed and dispatched until checked by appropriate person.
  • 3.4. A copy of the full set of negotiable documents is checked to ensure that the terms and conditions are consistent with that agreed to.
  • 3.5. A full set of negotiable documents is signed.
4. Inspect product
  • 4.1. Product is inspected, when appropriate, against customer specification to ensure that it meets customer's requirements as well as those of AQIS and relevant state/territory food regulations.
  • 4.2. Arrangements are made for product that does not meet agreed specifications to be held for re-direction to other uses/markets.
5. Manage records
  • 5.1. Records of all communications with supplier and customer are maintained and filed against a contract number.
  • 5.2. Records from receival point confirm that the correct product has been picked-up/delivered, product has been checked against manifest, the container number is consistent with that on the documentation and that the container's seal was still intact when delivered.
  • 5.3. Records of inspections of product are maintained and type of product identification marks for traceability are recorded against contract number.
  • 5.4. Records of import documentation are checked for completion before being filed against contract number.
  • 5.5. Records of supplier/customer complaints are maintained and copies forwarded to the appropriate person for resolution.
RANGE STATEMENT
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Relevant government regulations, licensing and other compliance requirements may include:
biodiversity and genetically modified organisms
biosecurity, translocation and quarantine
AQIS and other import requirements
business or workplace operations, policies and practices:
commercial law, including fair trading and trade practices
consumer law
corporate law, including registration, licensing and financial reporting
disability policies and practices
equal opportunity, anti-discrimination and sexual harassment
industrial relations and awards, individual employment contracts and share of catch agreements
jurisdictional variations
superannuation
taxation
trade practices
warnings and dismissals
worker's compensation
ecologically sustainable development (ESD) principles, environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
fisheries or aquaculture regulations, permits, licences, quotas, catch restrictions, and other compliance requirements, including:
Australian Exclusive Economic Zone
international treaties and agreements
food safety, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), hygiene and temperature control along chain of custody
imports quarantine and inspection, and importing approved arrangements for AQIS, Australian Customs Service (ACS) and Biosecurity Australia (BA)
occupational health and safety (OHS) hazard identification, risk assessment and control
product quality assurance
correct naming and labelling (e.g. country of origin, Australian Fish Names Standard and eco-labelling)
correct quantities, sizes and other customer requirements
third-party certification (e.g. Australian Grown and ISO 14001:2004 Environmental management systems).
Food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures may include:
Australian Shellfish Sanitation program
display, packaging and sale of food, including seafood and aquatic products
equipment design, use, cleaning and maintenance
handling and disposal of condemned or recalled seafood products
HACCP, food safety program, and other risk minimisation and quality assurance systems
location, construction and servicing of seafood premises
people, product and place hygiene and sanitation requirements
Primary Products Standard and the Australian Seafood Standard (voluntary)
processing, further processing and preparation of food, including seafood and aquatic products
product labelling, tracing and recall
receipt, storage and transportation of food, including seafood and aquatic products
requirements set out in Australian and New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) Food Standards Code and state and territory food regulations
temperature and contamination control along chain of custody.
Communication may include:
email
face to face
facsimile
letter
telephone and SMS.
Product and market knowledge may include:
AQIS requirements
assessment of spoilage defects and parasites
Australian Food Standards Code
correct marketing name
harvest or fishing area
local and overseas market situation
potential food safety hazards
presentation of product
prohibited species
saleability of product
seasonality
shelf life of fresh and frozen product
species' scientific name.
Specifications may include:
delivery point
fresh and frozen, dried, live, salted and pickled seafood
gross weight or net weight
mode of transport
packaging
product form
quality
species
time of delivery
weight grade, count grade and grade code.
Documentation may include:
contract to purchase
contract to supply
enterprise product testing/quality forms
import documentation in compliance with AQIS requirements.
Records may include:
manual/paper file
computer/computer storage.
EVIDENCE GUIDE
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
negotiate, arrange and undertake the purchase and sale of imported product that meets both the needs of the supplier and customer as to price, species, specifications and time of delivery, as well as meeting AQIS and other food safety requirements, and at a profit.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
AQIS requirements for importing seafood
food safety requirements imported product
species likely to be in demand in Australia
species suitable for import into Australia.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment.

Resources may include:
a full set of negotiable documents
access to:
cold storage facilities
AQIS office
seafood processing facilities
NATA-certified testing laboratory
central fish markets
product specifications
product to be inspected
samples of contract to purchase
samples of contract to supply
temperature recording devices.
Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
portfolios containing correspondence or records of discussion with customers and suppliers
preparation of a full set of negotiable documents.
Guidance information for assessment
This unit may be assessed holistically with other units within a qualification.
Replaces
State Code National Code Title Type
S4262 SFIDIST502B Import product Unit of competency