MIL-STD-2073 packaging codes on a DLA RFQ tell you exactly how each part has to be preserved, wrapped, cushioned, boxed and marked. On military-packaging items these codes are mandatory unless the contract allows options. Find the packaging data on the RFQ, decode each code, price the materials and labor, and ask the contracting officer if anything is missing. Don't assume your normal shipping box will pass.

Why packaging deserves its own line in your estimate

DLA's stated policy is that materiel will be procured, received, stored and shipped with adequate, continuous protection at the lowest overall cost, and will be procured fully packaged in a ready-for-issue state (DLA Packaging). "Ready for issue" is the key phrase. The part may sit in a DLA distribution center before anyone opens it, so the package is part of what you deliver.

For a small machine shop, packaging can take real bench time: cleaning, preserving, bagging, labeling and boxing one piece at a time. That's labor and material that belong in the quote.

Military packaging vs. commercial packaging (ASTM D3951)

DLA separates the two (DLA Packaging):

• Military packaging uses specification materials, preservation/packing instructions, MIL-STD-129 marking and the preservation methods of MIL-STD-2073-1. DLA says it should be used for items expected to enter the military distribution system: material stored or moved within or between Defense Department facilities, plus items for delivery at sea, wartime delivery, or items needing reusable containers.
• Commercial packaging follows ASTM D3951 and permits non-specification materials. DLA lists the cases for it, including items not going into stock, items for immediate use such as Aircraft on the Ground (AOG), NMCS items, small parcel CONUS not-for-stock shipments and customer direct deliveries in CONUS.

Commercial doesn't mean "anything goes." DLA's ASTM D3951 overview requires clean items, corrosion protection where needed, cushioning against shock, no loose-fill dunnage on DoD or GSA shipments, containers that survive at least one year of enclosed storage, and correct MIL-STD-129 identification markings. Unless the contract says otherwise, the unit pack quantity is one each.

Where MIL packaging requirements live on a DLA RFQ

DLA explains that material shipped to DLA must be packaged in accordance with Section B of the contract, which lists the Technical and Quality (TQ) Master List of Requirements and the DLA Packaging Requirements for Procurement (DLA Packaging). Palletization requirements for current contracts are in RP001 on the TQ Master List, and older contracts may reference MD00100452 Revision C.

On a DIBBS RFQ, look for the packaging data block with fields such as QUP, preservation method, cleaning/drying, wrap, cushioning, unit container, intermediate container, pack code, level and special marking.

How MIL-STD-2073 packaging codes work

MIL-STD-2073-1E says military packaging requirements are generally defined by a twelve-digit, position-sensitive code system, with the codes drawn from Appendix J (MIL-STD-2073-1E, Change 4, para. 4.1). Two rules in the standard matter for quoting:

• They're mandatory. Unless supplemental instructions or Optional Procedure Indicator codes allow options, the military packaging requirements are mandatory and no substitutions are permitted (para. 4.1.1).
• Missing details mean you ask. If the standard is cited but the contract has no specific packaging details, the standard says to contact the contracting officer (para. 4.2).

DLA points vendors to ASSIST Quick Search for the official defense standards and specifications.

Decode the packaging block in plain English

Reading Appendix J by hand is slow. FedOpp's free MIL-STD-2073 packaging code decoder lets you paste the packaging block from a DIBBS RFQ, or type the codes, and read each one in plain English: quantity per unit pack, preservation method, cleaning/drying, preservative, wrap, cushioning and thickness, unit and intermediate containers, optional procedures, pack code, level and special marking. It runs in your browser, and nothing you paste is sent to FedOpp. Codes outside its tables are reported as unknown, so check those in the standard.

Turn the codes into a price, including MIL-STD-129 marking

1. QUP first. If the QUP is 001, every piece gets its own unit pack and label. That's the single biggest labor driver.
2. Preservation and cleaning. Note any preservative coating, barrier bag or desiccant the method calls for, and whether you have the materials on hand.
3. Containers and pack level. The unit container, intermediate container and pack code set your box and crate costs. Level A and Level B use different pallet specs in DLA's palletization guidance.
4. Marking. Everything shipped to a DLA distribution center or directly to a DLA customer needs MIL-STD-129 identification markings. Electrostatic-discharge-sensitive items need ESD labels per MIL-STD-129, and IUID applies when the item description calls for it and DFARS 252.211-7003 is incorporated (DLA Packaging).
5. Pallets. DLA says palletized material ships on 4-way wing-tipped pallets per RP001, and they must be heat-treated with a stamp showing it, or the shipment can't be accepted.

If a packaging requirement is unclear after award, DLA directs vendors to submit a Post Award Request (PAR) through DIBBS. The contracting officer is the primary contact.

Packaging is one of several gates that change a DLA quote. For two others, see First Article Testing for DLA: How to Price It and Approved Source on DIBBS: What AMSC B, C and D Mean.

Where FedOpp fits

MIL packaging capability is part of your FedOpp Match Profile, and packaging is one of the gates Fit Check shows before you quote. On the DIBBS RFQ list there's a one-click MIL Packaging shortcut, and packaging data is one click away in Columns. If packaging is where your quotes keep losing margin, start a 7-day free trial and filter for it up front. For the rest of the quote, see How to Bid on DIBBS and How to Research an NSN Before You Bid.

Frequently asked questions

Can I swap in a different method than the MIL-STD-2073 packaging codes on my RFQ?

Not unless the contract allows it. MIL-STD-2073-1E says requirements are mandatory and no substitutions are permitted unless supplemental instructions or optional procedure codes allow options.

What if the RFQ cites MIL-STD-2073 but gives no codes?

The standard says to contact the contracting officer. After award, DLA directs vendors to use a Post Award Request in DIBBS.

Does commercial packaging still need MIL-STD-129 marking?

Yes. DLA's guidance for adequate commercial packaging (ASTM D3951) includes present and correct MIL-STD-129 identification markings.

Sources

• DLA, DLA Packaging (policy, military vs. commercial, palletization, marking, PAR guidance)
• DoD, MIL-STD-2073-1E w/ Change 4, Standard Practice for Military Packaging (public copy). The official source is ASSIST Quick Search.