MIL-STD-2073.pdf

This is an informational guide to packaging and marking requirements for Department of Defense (DoD) contracts, prepared by the Defense Contract Management Agency in March 2014. The guide is not officially adopted by DoD but serves as an instructional reference for understanding packaging requirements found in solicitations and contracts.

The guide covers locations where packaging requirements appear in contract documents (Sections A through J), with detailed information on hazardous materials regulations requiring packaging compliance with Title 49 CFR for land transport, IMO/IMDG for water, ICAO/IATA for commercial air, and AFMAN 24-204_IP for military air transport. It explains when commercial packaging under ASTM D-3951 applies versus military packaging under MIL-STD-2073-1E, which applies to items requiring military preservation for deployment, reusable containers, sea delivery, or storage exceeding six months. The document defines military packaging components including preservation methods (Methods 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50), packing materials, wrapping, and cushioning, with detailed illustrations of specific packaging methods. It provides guidance on packaging requirement codes (PRCs) from MIL-STD-20731E(1), package markings including identification, bar codes, address markings, and special markings for shelf-life, hazardous materials, Method 50, and ESD-sensitive items. The guide also addresses palletization standards per MIL-STD-147, wood packaging material heat-treatment requirements, and RFID tag requirements per DFARS 252.211-7006, referencing key specifications including MIL-STD-129 for military markings and MIL-DTL-117 for heat-sealable bags.