The Nation’s Combat Logistics Support Agency

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Established 1961

DLA Packaging and 

Marking Guide

Jennifer Smith

DLA Packaging Program Manager

February 2021
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About

Material procured, received, 

stored and issued by DLA 

requires proper care to ensure 

that the items arrive and remain 

in a ready-for-issue condition
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Importance

• Material that is procured, received, stored, and 

issued must be properly identified and 

packaged at the time of receipt

• The warfighter must receive the right item, on 

time, properly packaged
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Contractual Requirements

• Section B of the contract contains

– RA001 – incorporates the TQ master requirements.

– RP001 – DLA Packaging Requirements for Procurement 

• The prep for delivery section displays the packaging 

requirements that pass from the material master and could 

contain additional requirements such as

– IP025 – Packaging, Marking, and Shipping of Hazardous 

Materials

– IP027 - IP027: Packing and Marking Requirements Federal 

Stock Class (FSC) 5961Semiconductors and Hardware 

Devices and FSC 5962 Electronic Microcircuits

– IP056: Mercury or Mercury Compounds are Prohibited in 

Preservation, Packaging, Packing and Marking

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Contractual Requirements, 

Section B

• Vendors must review the entire contract/solicitation

Link to DLA Master List of Technical 

and Quality Requirements

Callout for RP001: DLA 

Packaging Requirements for 

Procurement
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Contractual Requirements, Prep 

for Delivery – Military Packaging

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• Prep for Delivery – Military Packaging – MIL STD 2073-1E

1E Coded packaging data

Marking requirements

Palletization requirements found 

in RP001
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Contractual Requirements, Prep 

for Delivery – ASTM D3951

• Prep for Delivery – ASTM D3951, Standard Practice for 

Commercial Packaging

Quantity per Unit Pack (QUP)-

How many units of issue allowed 

in same unit package

Packaging IAW ASTM D3951

Marking requirements
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Contractual Requirements, Long 

Term Contracts and Hazardous 

Materials

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• Long term contracts (LTC)

– Packaging requirements for long term contracts do not print 

on delivery orders

• Must refer to basic contracts or any contract modifications (MODs) 

that have additional packaging language

• Hazardous materials

– Method of Preservation (MOP) will be HM

– IP025 list hazardous material requirements

– When shipping to an aerial port or a Consolidation 

Containerization Point (CCP), must be prepared for military 

air shipment
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Packaging and Marking Standards, 

Regulations, Issuances

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• MIL STD 2073-1E, DOD Standard Practice for Military 

Packaging

• MIL STD 129R, DOD Standard Practice for Military Marking for

Shipment and Storage

• DLAR 4145.7, Packaging of Materiel

• ASTM D3951, Standard Practice for Commercial Packaging

• DLAR 4145.04, DOD Stock Readiness Program

• MIL STD 147E, DOD Standard Practice, Palletized Unit Loads

* Refer to contract/solicitation for appropriate revision (and 

change number) of specification
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ASSIST Quick Search

• DOD packaging regulations, standards and specifications 

may be obtained online from the ASSIST Quick Search 

Program http://quicksearch.dla.mil/qsSearch.aspx

• Use the most recent version of all posted documents

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MIL STD 2073-1E

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• Coded packaging data for items going into the military 

distribution cycle

• Information contained on solicitations and awards specifying 

the packaging coded data required to protect item through life 

cycle (Section B, on solicitations and awards)

• Information determined by item characteristics (fragility factors, 

destination considerations, etc.)
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MIL STD 2037-1E, Packaging 

Code Lookup

• https://camphill.leidos.com/code_lookup.nsf

• Input packaging codes into designated fields for 

definitions

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ASTM D3951

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• Select items are eligible to be packaged in accordance with 

ASTM-D3951, Standard Practice for Commercial Packaging

• Commercial packaging QUP:

– ASTM-D3951, paragraph 5.1.2.2 governs unit package 

Quantity

– Generally, use QUP of 001 unless otherwise specified in 

your contract

• Commercial packaging Intermediate Container Quantity (ICQ):

– ASTM-D3951, paragraph 5.1.3 governs intermediate 

package

• Commercial packaging “Marking”:

– ASTM-D3951, paragraph 5.1.6.5 governs markings for 

DOD (IAW with MIL-STD-129)
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ASTM D3951, Cont.

• Access to commercial standards requires purchase of 

the standards from the ASTM

–https://www.astm.org/

Military Packaging Commercial Packaging

Use of specification materials Permits use of non-specification materials

Requires interpretation of preservation/packaging/packing 

instructions

ASTM D3951 provides standard commercial guidelines

Requires the preservation methods and materials from MILSTD-2073-1Application of preservation/packing techniques is at the 

discretion of the vendor

MIL-STD-129 marking required MIL-STD-129 marking required

Compliant WPM required Compliant WPM required

Available on ASSIST Must be purchased
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MIL STD 129R Markings

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• Identification markings

– NSN - (National Stock Number)

– CAGE Code

– PN - (Part #)

– Nomenclature (Not always required on exterior containers)

– Quantity and unit of issue

– PIID (or Contract and call for legacy contracts)

– Military Method and date of unit preservation

– Gross Weight (Exterior containers)

– Shelf Life Information (if applicable)

– Serial Numbers (if applicable)

• Identification bar code markings

– NSN (& Serial Number) for unit and intermediate packs

– NSN, Contract number, CAGE, CLIN, Shipment Number (&

Serial Number) on exterior shipping containers
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MIL STD 129R Markings, Cont.

• Address markings

– Uses Military Shipping Label (MSL).

– Transportation Control Number (TCN), DODAAC of Ultimate 

Consignee, and Piece Number must be bar coded when 

shipment is destined into the Defense Transportation System

– 2D Bar Coding of MSL Information, 

– TCMD data and line item supply data

• Special markings

– Hazardous Material

– Set Marking

– Project Code

– Warranty, Manufactured, Cured, or Assembled Date

– Expiration, Inspection, or Pack Date

– Arrows, Fragile, Special Handling, etc.

– UID and RFID

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MIL STD 129R Markings, PIID

• Procurement instrument identifier (PIID) (e.g. contract 

number or purchase order number)

– For current DFARS compliant DOD contracts, cite the 

13 character PIID. When applicable, use the 13 

character PIID call order number (identified by F or M 

in the 9th position) alone (since the call order PIID is 

treated as an independent contractual document)

– For legacy contracts, cite the PIIN (contract number or 

purchase order number) including four-digit delivery 

order or call number if applicable, and lot number (see 

5.10.13) shall be shown. Additional information may 

be required by the contract or purchase order

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Unit & Intermediate Container

Markings

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Unit and Intermediate Marking 

Example-Linear Bar Code

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Unit and Intermediate Marking 

Example- 2D (PDF417) Symbol

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Exterior Container Markings

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Exterior Container Example
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Exterior Container Marking 

Example-Linear Bar Code 
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Exterior Container Marking 

Example-2D (PDF417) Symbol
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Military Shipping Label (MSL)

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Special Markings – Shelf-Life

• Required shelf-life markings

– TYPE I (non-extendable):

• MFD DATE 10/01

• EXP DATE 10/06

– TYPE II (extendable):

• ASSEMBLED DATE 10/01

• INSP/TEST DATE 10/04

– RUBBER or ELASTOMER (TYPE I OR II):

• CURED DATE 4Q01

• INSP/TEST DATE 4Q05

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Special Markings – Electrostatic 

Discharge Sensitive (ESDS)

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Special Markings - Miscellaneous
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Special Markings – Hazardous 

Materials

• Proper 

Shipping 

Name

• UN Number

• Hazard 

Labels
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Unit of Issue (UI) and Quantity 

per Unit Pack (QUP)

• Unit of Issue (UI) is the unit by which a material is issued

• The number of UIs bound or packaged in a unit pack is 

the Quantity per Unit Pack (QUP)

• Failure to comply with the UI and QUP requirements will 

result in a Supply Discrepancy Report (SDR) and could 

result in a delay of payment or additional fees for 

remediation

– If the QUP is ONE, only ONE item per unit pack

– If the QUP is greater than ONE, up to the QUP listed 

may be packaged in the same unit pack

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Palletization

• 40X48. The only exception is when there is ONE item that is too big and requires a larger pallet to 

fit.

• Types

• MH1/9-02SW4048 for loads 1500lbs and less

• MH1/9-03SW4048 for loads1500lbs to 3000lbs

• MH1/9-10BW4048 for loads 1500lbs to 3000lbs (alt)

• Material

• Must conform to ISPM-15 and be heat treated (HT)

• Height/Overhang/Condition

• No more that 54”

• Overhang not permitted

• Must be in good shape and functional

• Standard Pallet Loads on a 40” x 48” pallet 

– 43 Inches in Length (1.5-inch overhang on each side)

– 52 Inches in Width (2-inch overhang on each side)

– 54 Inches in Height (includes pallet)

– 3000 Lbs. Max Gross Weight
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Wood Packaging Material (WPM)

• WPM is defined as wood pallets, skids, load boards, 

pallet collars, wooden boxes, reels, dunnage, crates, 

frames, and cleats

• All WPM is required to be heat treated, including pallets, 

and marked accordingly with the heat-treated compliant 

mark
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Contract Questions?

• The primary contact for all contractors/vendors is the 

contracting officer. Vendors should submit a Post Award 

Request (PAR) for any question (packaging related or 

other) using the PAR link on DIBBS

– https://www.dibbs.bsm.dla.mil//

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Useful Links

• Packaging Code Lookup: 

https://camphill.leidos.com/code_lookup.nsf

• DOD HazMat: 

https://www.dau.edu/cop/hazmat/Pages/Default.aspx

• DLA Packaging: 

https://www.dla.mil/HQ/LogisticsOperations/Packaging/

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