Over the years, we have helped thousands of contractors navigate the intricacies of Mil-Std-129. Our focus has been on contractor compliance and we’ve worked with the biggest of the big and the smallest of the small. We help our customers with sensible tools, supplies, and services that allow them to cost-effectively manage Mil-Std-129 compliance over the long haul. Invariably, when anyone gets started it is helpful to have a basic overview of what you’re dealing with. This is what you’re dealing with in Mil-Std-129:
- It is all about an efficient supply-chain and supporting the warfighter
- It is all about rules under certain scenarios
- It references other international, commercial, and military standards
- It does involve terminology that is unique to the logistics and the military
- Bottom Line: Be prepared to learn a lot!
Positives for getting Mil-Std-129 right
Mil-Std-129 defines exactly how packaging that is destined for the DoD supply-chain gets marked for storage and shipment. If you are doing business with the federal government and your contract indicates that Mil-Std-129 is in effect, you are contractually obligated to get up to speed on this mil standard. When you label and mark your packaging and shipment correctly, it gets received, stocked, and forwarded through the supply-chain efficiently. If you don’t get it right, you will incur more inspections; shipments will be delayed or not even received at their intended destination – which is also described as ‘frustrated freight’. When that happens, you may incur penalties and you may not even get paid. Historical performance against Mil-Std-129 is also taken into account when awarding future contracts. So it would seem that every motivator is properly aligned. That doesn’t necessarily make it any easier.
Mil-Std-129 requirements overview
The standard itself is specifically known as Mil-Std-129P with Change 4 and it runs less than 200 pages and contains many informative samples, illustrations, rules, and tables of data. It can be very specific and provides guidance on everything from marking shipments containing lumber, electronics, ammunition, vehicles, perishables and hazardous materials. It also references other standards for determining the types of label materials and marking processes that should be used.
There are three basic labels defined in the standard that are most frequently used by contractors.
- Unit PACK: This identifies the contents at the item level bag or box (essentially the EACH)
- Exterior Container Markings: This identifies the contents of a shipping container (holds many EACHes)
- Military Shipping Label (MSL): This is an address label that is affixed to a shipping container.
There are more types of labels and variations for things such as ammunition, hazardous materials, and electrical equipment but these three are the biggies. There are other requirements within the standard that address serialization and packing lists among other things.
The standard is also closely related to other military standards such as Mil-Std-2073 and Mil-Std-130 and includes information relating to combining these labels with passive RFID. You can see why there are so many packing houses out there. They stay on top of the interrelated rules and scenarios that are encountered supporting the DoD supply chain.
First steps for Mil-Std-129 compliance
For the contractor looking to succeed over the long-haul you’ll need to look at four aspects of Mil-Std-129 compliance.
- Secure Mil-Std-129 and related standards expertise and training
- Assign compliance validation to the quality function
- Determine how Mil-Std-129 barcoding will be sustained
- Secure reputable material sources that understand Mil-Prf-61002
Technologies for Mil-Std-129
- Barcode Software
- Label Printer
- Barcode Scanner
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