MIL-STD-2073.pdf

This is an informational guide for packaging and marking of Department of Defense (DoD) supplies and services, published by the Defense Contract Management Agency in March 2014. The guide is not an officially adopted DoD document but serves as an educational resource for understanding packaging requirements found in solicitations and contracts.

The guide provides comprehensive instruction on military packaging standards, with primary references to MIL-STD-2073-1E (Standard Practice for Military Packaging) and ASTM D-3951 (Standard Practice for Commercial Packaging). It details 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). The document identifies where packaging requirements appear in contract sections (Section D for Packaging & Marking, Section C for Specifications) and explains Packaging Requirement Codes (PRC) used to specify preservation, cleaning, wrapping, cushioning, and container types. Additional coverage includes hazardous materials packaging regulations (Title 49 CFR for land, IMO/IMDG for water, ICAO/IATA for air, and AFMAN 24-204 for military air), military marking standards per MIL-STD-129, quality assurance inspection provisions, and special markings for shelf-life, project codes, fragile items, Method 50 packages, expedited handling, hazardous materials, electrostatic discharge sensitive items, and heat-treated wood packaging materials. The guide includes sample worksheets, label examples, Military Shipping Label (MSL) formats, and references to key specifications including MIL-DTL-117 (Heat-Sealable Bags), MIL-STD-3010 (Test Procedures), and RFID tagging requirements per DFARS Clause 252.211-7006.