MIL-STD-2073.pdf

This is an informational guide prepared by the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) that provides guidance on packaging and marking requirements for Department of Defense (DoD) contracts and solicitations. The guide is not officially adopted by DoD and is intended for instructional and familiarization purposes only.

The guide covers packaging requirements found across multiple sections of solicitations and contracts (Sections A through J), including identification of where packaging specifications may appear: in Commercial Item Descriptions (CIDs), Military or Federal Specifications, aperture cards and drawings, special packaging instructions, DLA Master Solicitations, FAR and DFARS clauses, product specifications, Military Standard Drawings, industry standards (ASTM), and Packaging Requirement Codes. For hazardous materials, items must be packaged according to appropriate modal regulations (Title 49 CFR for land, IMO/IMDG for water, ICAO/IATA for commercial air, and AFMAN 24-204_IP for military air) and marked in accordance with MIL-STD-129 and applicable modal regulations. The guide presents five basic military preservation methods (Methods 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50), distinguishes between Level A and Level B military packing requirements, and provides detailed illustrations of specific packing methods with corresponding container types and preservation materials. It includes explanations of Packaging Requirement Codes (PRC) used in MIL-STD-207731E(1), sample worksheets, marking requirements for unit and intermediate containers, examples of exterior container labels, Military Shipping Labels (MSL), special markings for shelf-life, project codes, fragile items, Method 50 packages, expedited handling, hazardous materials, heat-treated wood packaging materials, palletization standards per MIL-STD-147, and RFID tagging requirements. Quality assurance provisions are outlined including preservation inspections, leakage tests, and heat-sealed seam tests per Appendix G of MIL-STD-2073-1E(1). The guide also provides useful website references and lists key specifications including MIL-STD-2073-1E, MIL-STD-129, MIL-DTL-117, ASTM D3951, and related standards.