MIL-STD-2073.pdf

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

The guide establishes that packaging requirements in DoD contracts are typically located in Section D (Packaging & Marking) and may reference military standards, commercial item descriptions, federal specifications, military drawings, and industry standards such as ASTM. For hazardous materials, packaging must comply with modal regulations: Title 49 CFR for land transport, IMO/IMDG for water, ICAO/IATA for commercial air, and AFMAN 24-204_IP for military air. The document outlines five basic military preservation methods (Methods 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50) ranging from physical protection only to watervaporproof protection with desiccant, with specific packing levels (Level A for severe conditions, Level B for moderate conditions) detailed for various container types. Key standards referenced include MIL-STD-2073-1E for military packaging procedures, MIL-STD-129 for marking and identification, MIL-DTL-117 for heat-sealable bags, and ASTM D3951 for commercial packaging. The guide includes worksheets for translating packaging requirement codes, examples of unit and intermediate container labels with bar codes and 2D symbols, exterior shipping container markings, Military Shipping Labels (MSL), special markings for shelf-life, project codes, fragile items, Method 50 packages, expedited handling, hazardous materials, electrostatic discharge sensitive devices, heat-treated wood, and RFID tags. Quality assurance provisions outlined in Appendix G require visual preservation examinations, leakage testing, and heat-sealed seam testing for packaged items.