Military Engineering Data Asset Locator System 

MEDALS 

History 

The Defense Procurement Reform Act of 1984, Public Law 98-525, Section 1252, 

mandated procedures for developing a centralized system that identifies the repository within the 

DoD that is responsible for technical data relating to an item of supply. As a result of the DoD

Data Management Improvement Plan dated October 1985, OSD directed the DLA Logistics 

Information Service to establish, maintain, and operate the DoD central index/locator system 

called the Military Engineering Data Asset Locator System (MEDALS). 

Implemented in October 1988, the MEDALS program serves as the DoD’s only central 

locator system for engineering drawings. DoD technical data repositories, which store, maintain, 

and distribute the engineering drawings, supply the MEDALS program with technical drawing 

indexing data and associated information. The MEDALS program in turn supplies this 

information to include the drawing location(s) on demand to its customers. The MEDALS 

program is linked to the acquisition process by maintaining and indexing technical data 

throughout the documents life cycle. 

Program Description 

The MEDALS program is an interactive on-line system that is accessed globally and 

indicates quickly and easily where engineering drawings or documents reside, it provides the 

user with the technical drawing information and further provides the capability to order it if 

needed. The MEDALS program is a research tool, or first discovery mechanism, for those who 

do not know where engineering documents might reside, or where all revision levels are located. 

It also contains information on which repositories are holding specific engineering documents. 

The MEDALS program currently provides its customers with the location of over 44 million 

engineering data assets, located at 45 different data repositories. For those repositories that 

support a web interface, MEDALS has the ability to take the customer to the repository log on 

screens to view engineering data online. Information on these repositories can be found on the 

MEDALS homepage using the Directory of DoD Engineering Data Repositories link. There you 

will find a comprehensive listing of service agency repositories and contact information. Access 

to the MEDALS program does not in any imply or grant access to any of the technical data that it 

indexes. All access requires a trusted agent, (i.e. Common Access Card (CAC) or External 

Certification Authority (ECA) card). DoD sponsor can assist in this matter.

Program Enhancements 

The MEDALS program has been enhanced to simplifying and accelerating research 

capabilities by incorporating the On Line High Volume Inquiry option which allows the user to 

submit up to two hundred inquires per transaction. The process allows for the ability to cut and 

paste from EXCEL where the data is reviewed for proper formatting prior to submission. The 

results are processed returned via email which is obtained from the user profile. The MEDALS 

program has also enhanced the database to be eXtensible Markup Language (XML) capable and 

support a web services interface allowing for system-to-system interfaces. The MEDALS 

program has incorporated several help features that include mouse rollover helps, acronym 
listing, navigational aids, and a quick reference guide for each page to aid the user in any 

questions or issues they may have.

Access Information

MEDALS is a CAC Enforced System

Access is granted to all DoD military and civilians, Defense Agencies, Federal 

Government, and Contractors. Request for access can be accomplished via the MEDALS 

Registration Link at https://www.logisticsinformationservice.dla.mil/medals/ 

Contractors may have access to MEDALS under the following conditions:

a. Contractor must be U.S. Citizen.

b. Contractor must have a DoD sponsor which may vary by Service/Agency.

c. Contractor must have a current favorably adjudicated background investigation; DoD

sponsor can assist in this matter. Cost of investigation is usually incurred by the 

contractor.

d. Contractor or company must be DD 2345 certified (Militarily Critical Technical Data 

Agreement Form). DD Form 2345 Certification: This is the Militarily Critical 

Technical Data Agreement (DD Form 2345) which the individual contractor or 

company completes and is assigned a certification number. The DLA Logistics 

Information Service Joint Certification Program (JCP) office is responsible for this 

process. Accessing and completing the DD 2345 Form can be accomplished at the 

JCP homepage: http://www.logisticsinformationservice.dla.mil/JCP

e. All access requires a trusted agent, (i.e. Common Access Card (CAC) or External 

Certification Authority (ECA) card). DoD sponsor can assist in this matter.

Indexing Information 

The MEDALS program has the capabilities to support indexing from many of the 

Contractor Integrated Technical Information System (CITIS) and various other electronic 

libraries or Product Data Management systems (PDMs) that support the DoD mission. 

Indexing is easy to initiate. Indexing data is submitted to MEDALS in a 256-column text 

format. Input requirements are supplied by the MEDALS office which works closely with the 

new repository to ensure success. MEDALS can also support ACCESS or EXCEL inputs.