MIL-STD-2073.pdf

This is an informational guide on packaging and marking requirements for Department of Defense (DoD) contracts and solicitations, published by the Defense Contract Management Agency in March 2014.

The guide provides comprehensive guidance on military packaging and preservation standards applicable to federal contract opportunities. It identifies key locations where packaging requirements appear in solicitations and contracts (Sections A through J), including specifications, statements of work, and contract clauses. The document outlines hazardous materials packaging requirements, 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. For DoD shipments, markings must follow IAW MIL-STD-129 (ASTM D3951-10). The guide details military packaging standards under MIL-STD-2073-1E with Change 1, which applies to items requiring military preservation for wartime deployment, reusable containers, sea delivery, or extended storage exceeding six months. Five basic preservation methods are defined: Method 10 (physical protection), Method 20 (preservative coating), Method 30 (waterproof protection), Method 40 (watervaporproof protection), and Method 50 (watervaporproof with desiccant). Specific packaging methods (31-45, 51-52) are illustrated with detailed diagrams showing proper layering of preserved items, wrapping, cushioning, and container selection. The guide includes packaging requirement codes (PRC) explanations, sample worksheets, marking examples for unit/intermediate/exterior containers, military shipping label specifications, and special markings for shelf-life, project codes, fragile items, Method 50, expedited handling, and hazardous materials. Additional coverage includes ASTM D-3951 for commercial packaging, palletization standards per MIL-STD-147, heat-treated wood packaging material requirements, RFID tag specifications, and references to key standards including MIL-DTL-117 (heat-sealable bags), MIL-DTL-6060 (watervaporproof bags), and MIL-STD-3010 (test procedures).