MIL-STD-2073.pdf

This is an informational guide for packaging and marking requirements specific to Department of Defense (DoD) federal contract opportunities, published by the Defense Contract Management Agency in March 2014.

The guide provides comprehensive instructions for complying with military packaging and preservation standards across solicitations and contracts. It identifies where packaging requirements are typically located within contract documents (Sections A through J, including specifications, drawings, and attachments) and specifies that packaging requirements must also comply with hazardous materials modal regulations including Title 49 CFR for land transport, IMO/IMDG for water transport, ICAO/IATA for commercial air, and AFMAN 24-204_IP for military air shipments. The guide details five basic military preservation methods: Method 10 (physical protection), Method 20 (preservative coating), Method 30 (waterproof protection), Method 40 (watervaporproof protection), and Method 50 (watervaporproof with desiccant). It includes visual examples of each preservation and packing method, explains the two military packing levels (Level A for severe worldwide conditions and Level B for moderate conditions), and provides guidance on commercial packaging alternatives using ASTM D-3951. The document covers packaging requirement codes (PRCs), container specifications, cushioning requirements, marking standards per MIL-STD-129, quality assurance provisions, special handling markings (hazardous materials, shelf-life, project codes, Method 50, expedited handling), heat-treated wood packaging material requirements, palletization standards, and RFID tag specifications. It includes sample worksheets, label examples for unit/intermediate and exterior containers, and references to applicable military standards and specifications for contractors to ensure compliance with DoD packaging expectations.