MIL-STD-2073.pdf

This is an informational guide published by the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) in March 2014 that provides guidance on packaging and marking requirements for Department of Defense (DoD) contracts and solicitations. The guide is not officially adopted by DoD but serves as an instructional reference for contractors and procurement personnel.

The guide comprehensively covers packaging requirements found across solicitation and contract sections (A through J), including provisions for hazardous materials, which must comply 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. For non-hazardous items, contractors may use ASTM D-3951 (commercial packaging) for items intended for immediate use, depot consumption, or not-for-stock shipments. Military packaging is governed by MIL-STD-2073-1E, which applies to items for wartime deployment, reusable containers, sea delivery, or storage exceeding six months. The standard defines two military packing levels: Level A for severe worldwide conditions using overseas-type wood boxes or reusable metal containers, and Level B for moderate conditions using domestic wood crates or weather-resistant fiberboard containers.

The guide details five basic military preservation methods (Methods 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50), with Method 10 providing physical protection only; Method 20 adding preservative coating with grease-proof wrap; Methods 31, 32, and 33 providing waterproof or greaseproof bag protection with heat sealing at varying levels; Methods 41, 42, and 43 offering watervaporproof protection with specialized bag configurations; and Methods 51 and 52 adding desiccant and humidity indicators for maximum protection. Contractors must apply proper markings including identification data (NSN, CAGE code, part number, contract number, military method and preservation date), bar codes, address markings using Military Shipping Labels (MSL), and special markings for shelf-life, project codes, fragile items, Method 50 packages, expedited handling, hazardous materials, electrostatic discharge sensitivity, heat-treated wood packaging materials, and RFID tags. The guide includes sample worksheets, packaging requirement code tables, container specifications, quality assurance inspection provisions, and references to key specifications including MIL-STD-129 (military marking), MIL-DTL-117 (heat-sealable bags), and ASTM standards for commercial and military packaging practices.