MIL-STD-2073.pdf

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

The guide provides comprehensive instructions for contractors on packaging and marking practices applicable to DoD solicitations and contracts. It identifies where packaging requirements appear in contract documents (Sections A through J), including solicitation forms, supplies and services descriptions, specifications, statements of work, inspection and acceptance criteria, and contract clauses. The guide covers five basic military preservation methods: Method 10 (physical protection), Method 20 (preservative coating only), Method 30 (waterproof protection), Method 40 (watervaporproof protection), and Method 50 (watervaporproof protection with desiccant). It details two primary military packing levels—Level A for severe worldwide conditions and Level B for moderate conditions—with specific container requirements for each. The document explains hazardous materials packaging requirements, which 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) and MIL-STD-129 marking standards. It provides detailed descriptions of packaging methods 31 through 52, illustrating unit pack construction, heat-sealing specifications, desiccant placement, and container selection. The guide includes packaging requirement codes (PRC) definitions, sample worksheets for translating codes into requirements, marking examples for unit and exterior containers, special marking requirements (shelf-life, project codes, fragile handling, Method 50 labels, ESD sensitive items), Military Shipping Label (MSL) formats, and references to key specifications including MIL-STD-2073-1E, MIL-STD-129, MIL-DTL-117, ASTM D3951, and others. Additional guidance addresses wood packaging material heat treatment requirements, palletization standards per MIL-STD-147, and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag applications.