MIL-STD-2073.pdf

This is an informational guide prepared by the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) for packaging and marking requirements applicable to Department of Defense contracts and solicitations. The guide is not officially adopted by DoD but serves instructional purposes based on current government packaging documents and technical manuals.

The guide establishes that packaging requirements in solicitations and contracts are typically located in Section D (Packaging & Marking), with additional specifications potentially found in Sections A through J, including references to Commercial Item Descriptions, 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 modal regulations including Title 49 CFR for land transport, IMO/IMDG for water, ICAO/IATA for commercial air, and AFMAN 24-204_IP for military air, with markings per MIL-STD-129 and appropriate modal regulations taking precedence in case of conflicts.

The guide details military packaging standards, including MIL-STD-2073-1E covering military packaging practices with five basic preservation methods (Method 10–physical protection; Method 20–preservative coating only; Method 30–waterproof protection; Method 40–watervaporproof protection; and Method 50–watervaporproof with desiccant). Military packing levels include Level A for severe worldwide conditions using overseas-type wood boxes and reusable containers, and Level B for moderate conditions using domestic wood crates and weather-resistant materials. Commercial packaging under ASTM D-3951 applies to items for immediate use, depot consumption, and small parcel post shipments, marked IAW MIL-STD-129.

The guide provides detailed illustrations and specifications for Methods 31 through 52, demonstrating various packing configurations including waterproof and watervaporproof bags with heat sealing, rigid containers, and floating watervaporproof bag assemblies. Quality assurance provisions in Appendix G require visual preservation examinations, leakage testing using multiple techniques (vacuum retention, submersion, pneumatic pressure, hot water, and squeeze methods), and heat-sealed seam testing. Package markings encompass four types: identification markings (NSN, CAGE code, part number, contract number, military method and date of preservation); bar code markings for unit and intermediate packs; address markings using Military Shipping Labels with Transportation Control Numbers and DODAAC information; and special markings for hazardous materials, shelf-life, project codes, fragile items, Method 50 labels, expedited handling, and electrostatic discharge sensitivity.

The guide includes a sample worksheet for translating packaging requirement codes and detailed explanations of packaging requirement codes (PRC) as specified in MIL-STD-20731E(1), covering quantity per unit pack, intermediate container quantity, preservation methods, cleaning and drying procedures, preservative material, wrap materials, cushioning and dunnage, cushioning thickness, unit and intermediate containers, unit container levels, optional procedure indicators, military and minimal packing levels, and special markings. Additional requirements address wood packaging material heat treatment standards, palletization per MIL-STD-147, and radio frequency identification (RFID) tags meeting EPCglobal Class 1 Generation 2 standards per DFARS Clause 252.211-7006. Key referenced specifications include MIL-STD-2073-1E and MIL-STD-2073-1D for military packaging, MIL-STD-129 for marking, MIL-DTL-117 for heat-sealable bags, MIL-DTL-6060 for complex watervaporproof bags, ASTM D3951 for commercial packaging, and MIL-STD-3010 for packaging material testing procedures.