MIL-STD-2073.pdf

This document is an informational guide published by the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) in March 2014 that provides standards and best practices for packaging and marking items being delivered under federal contracts to the Department of Defense (DoD).

The guide establishes that packaging requirements are located across multiple sections of solicitations and contracts (Sections A through J), and that all packaging must comply with applicable modal regulations for transportation (Title 49 CFR for land, IMO/IMDG for water, ICAO/IATA for commercial air, and AFMAN 24-204_IP for military air). The document details 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). Each method includes specific requirements for cleaning, drying, wrapping, cushioning, and containerization. The guide specifies that military packaging applies to items for wartime deployment, those requiring reusable containers, items for delivery-at-sea, and items entering the Defense Transportation and Distribution System with expected storage exceeding six months. Additional sections address hazardous materials packaging, commercial packaging standards (ASTM D-3951), marking requirements (identification, bar code, address, and special markings), inspection and testing provisions, and packaging requirement codes (PRC). The document includes sample worksheets, label examples, and references to key military specifications including MIL-STD-2073-1E, MIL-STD-129, MIL-DTL-117, and MIL-STD-147.