MIL-STD-2073.pdf

This is an informational guide prepared by the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) in March 2014 that provides instruction on packaging and marking requirements for Department of Defense (DoD) contracts and solicitations. The guide is not officially adopted by DoD but serves as a familiarization resource for understanding packaging standards.

The guide details packaging requirements found across solicitation sections (A through J) and identifies key standards applicable to DoD shipments. For hazardous materials, packaging 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, with markings per MIL-STD-129 and appropriate modal regulations. Military packaging standards are defined in MIL-STD-2073-1E (with Change 1, dated January 7, 2011) for items requiring military preservation methods, encompassing wartime deployment, reusable containers, sea delivery, and Defense Transportation System storage exceeding six months. The standard establishes two packing levels: Level A for severe worldwide conditions using overseas-type wood boxes and metal reusable containers, and Level B for moderate conditions using domestic crates and weather-resistant materials. Five basic preservation methods are defined (Methods 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50), each employing different protective techniques from physical protection alone to watervaporproof bags with desiccants. Commercial packaging per ASTM D-3951 applies to items for immediate use, not-mission-capable supply, depot consumption, and small parcel post shipments. The guide includes detailed illustrations of specific packing methods, packaging requirement codes (PRCs) in MIL-STD-20731E(1) format, marking standards per MIL-STD-129, quality assurance provisions, and additional specifications for special items such as hazardous materials, heat-treated wood, palletization per MIL-STD-147, and RFID identification per DFARS Clause 252.211-7006.