Department of Defense UID Mandates

If your company has only just started shipping items to the Department of Defense, the abreviation UID might be a new one to you. However, it's a crucial technology to know about because the DoD is moving towards making it mandatory for more and more types of shipments.

UID 101

UID labels are required on all mission critical items shipped to the DoD, as well as all items that 
are worth $5000 or more. The label must contain specific information about the item, as well as be capable of withstanding the entire life of the item. A sturdy, accurate label is a must.

DoD Mandate

The mandate number issued by the DoD is MIL-STD-130. Download MIL-STD-130N-20080111. It's a long, dense document, but the important part regarding UID is what's been mentioned already in this article. As for the information the DoD requires on UID labels, it's simple. They only ask for the a Cage code part number, and a serial number. It's not necessary to include anymore information than that. The CAGE code is the unique 5 digit number given to contractors with the Department of Defense. In addition, the type of UID label used must be at least a B rating, refering to its durability.

UID options

Getting ready to start shipping with UID labels? There are a few options available to you. Your company can print in-house labels after an initial investment in a printer. This can be expensive but might be worth it if you print a lot of labels. If you only need a few labels, you can order them pre-printed with all relevent information already included. Click for more information about SimplyRFiD's pre-printed UID tags and in-house UID printing options. Ready to order? Call us at 1 800.909.5524 to order your UID tags now.

For more information about the UID mandate for the DoD, visit support.simplyrfid.com.

Ashley Lange is the PR assistant for SimplyRFiD.