Is RFID Required for MIL-STD-129?

Do you really know what you are signing up for when you bid on a government contract? Are your customers sending you their government contract along with the responsibility of knowing your responsibilities?

With economic times forcing most businesses to watch that bottom line even closer than ever, you will want to be sure you know what you are signing up for when bidding a government contract or accepting a subcontractor’s project.

One area we hear about all the time is MIL-STD-129. Some assume if it’s MIL-STD-129, it requires RFID.   That’s not necessarily so.

For those of you who will need to comply with the RFID component, there is the added cost of the label and managing the data. If you’re not set up to do this, this could a serious impact on your profits (and in some cases, the shipment can wind up costing you all your profits or more.)

So, it’s important that you know if you need the RFID component, and if you do, how to deal with it efficiently before you incur penalties, costly delays or loss of business.

As mind-boggling as it may be to read through pages of specifications, the answer can be found in your contract. You can save yourself a lot of headache and expense when you know what your contract calls for. 

There are two steps to determining if you need RFID labels:

The first thing you want to look for is the DFARS clause, DFARS-252.211-7006 Radio Frequency Identification. If this clause is present, you may need to supply an RFID tag. 

Second, look further down the contract for a more specific listing such as shipments of a particular item class, or a list of distribution destinations that require the RFID component.

If your item matches a specific item called out in the contract, or is destined for a specific distribution location that requires RFID, then you will know your product or shipment requires that RFID tag in accordance with MIL-STD-129.

So now when your customer sends you their contract and tells you it’s your job to read through pages of standards and figure out the type of label you will need under MIL-STD-129 or MIL-STD-130, you will have a better idea of what you are signing up for.

If you’re still not sure about meeting the Military Labeling Standards,  we will help you review the part of your contract pertaining to shipments. Since labeling is what Winco ID specializes in, we can help you be efficient and save any unnecessary costs.

For more on meeting Military Labeling Standards:
David Holliday
1.800.325.5250 X237.