MIL-STD-2073.pdf

This is an informational guide for packaging and marking procedures for Department of Defense contracts and solicitations, published by the Defense Contract Management Agency in March 2014.

The guide provides comprehensive guidance on military packaging and preservation standards, detailing the locations where packaging requirements appear in solicitations (Sections A through J) and the various standards that apply, including MIL-STD-2073-1E for military packaging, ASTM D-3951 for commercial packaging, hazardous materials regulations (Title 49 CFR, IMO/IMDG, ICAO/IATA, AFMAN 24-204), and MIL-STD-129 for marking. The document outlines five basic preservation methods (Method 10 through Method 50) with increasing levels of protection, ranging from physical protection only to watervaporproof protection with desiccant. It specifies container types (Level A and Level B military packing standards), provides detailed visual examples of packing methods including waterproof bags, rigid containers, and floating watervaporproof bags, and establishes quality assurance inspection requirements including preservation inspections, leakage tests, and heat-sealed seam testing. The guide includes information on packaging requirement codes (QUP, ICQ, MOP, CD, PM, WM, CUD, CT, UC, IC, UCL, OPI, and PACK), marking standards with examples of unit, intermediate, and exterior container labels, Military Shipping Labels (MSL), special markings for hazardous materials, shelf-life items, fragile items, and electrostatic discharge sensitive devices. Additional sections address wood packaging material heat treatment requirements, palletization standards per MIL-STD-147, RFID tag requirements per DFARS Clause 252.211-7006, and relevant specifications including MIL-DTL-117 for heat-sealable bags and MIL-STD-3010 for packaging material testing procedures. The document emphasizes that it is informational only and does not replace contractual requirements, specifications, or regulations.