MIL-STD-2073.pdf

This is an informational guide published by the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) in March 2014 that provides packaging and marking standards for Department of Defense (DoD) contracts and solicitations. The guide serves as a reference document for familiarization purposes and does not constitute official DoD policy or contractual requirements.

The document outlines packaging requirements found across multiple sections of DoD solicitations and contracts (Sections A through J), including those derived from Military Specifications (MIL-STD standards), Commercial Item Descriptions (CIDs), industry standards (ASTM), and federal specifications. Hazardous materials must be packaged according to applicable modal regulations: Title 49 CFR for land transport, IMO/IMDG for water transport, ICAO/IATA for commercial air transport, and AFMAN 24-204_IP for military air transport. The guide emphasizes that MIL-STD-129 marking standards apply to DoD shipments, and when conflicts arise between regulations, appropriate modal regulations take precedence. Key military packaging standards covered include MIL-STD-2073-1E (Standard Practice for Military Packaging) with five basic preservation methods (Method 10 through Method 50), container specifications, marking requirements, and quality assurance provisions. The document includes detailed visual representations of preservation methods, packaging requirement codes (PRCs), inspection and testing procedures, and labeling examples for unit, intermediate, and exterior containers. Additional topics address special markings (shelf-life, project codes, fragile/delicate handling, Method 50 packaging, expedited handling, hazardous materials), heat-treated wood packaging material requirements, palletization standards per MIL-STD-147, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag specifications, and references to relevant websites and key packaging specifications for contractor reference.