MIL-STD-2073.pdf

This is an informational guide prepared by the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) in March 2014 on packaging and marking requirements for Department of Defense contracts and solicitations. The guide is not officially adopted by DoD but serves as an instructional reference for familiarization purposes only.

The guide establishes that packaging requirements for DoD contracts are located across multiple sections of solicitations and contracts, including Section D (Packaging & Marking), Section E (Inspection & Acceptance), and Section F (Deliveries or Performance), with additional specifications found in Commercial Item Descriptions (CIDs), Military or Federal Specifications, drawings, and Military Standard requirements. Hazardous materials must be packaged in accordance with appropriate modal regulations (Title 49 CFR for land, IMO/IMDG for water, ICAO/IATA for commercial air, and AFMAN 24-204_IP for military air), and marked in accordance with applicable modal regulations and MIL-STD-129. The guide details five basic military preservation methods (Methods 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50) ranging from physical protection to watervaporproof protection with desiccant, and provides comprehensive illustrations of preservation and packing processes. It also establishes military packing levels (Level A for severe conditions and Level B for moderate conditions) and describes specific methods for packaging items using waterproof bags, rigid containers, and floating bags with heat sealing. Additional guidance covers military packaging requirement codes (PRCs), quality assurance provisions including visual examinations and leakage tests, marking requirements for unit and intermediate containers (identification, bar code, address, and special markings), and compliance with MIL-STD-2073-1E standards for commercial or minimal packaging options.