USMC contract dates

[Marchville1918]

I would like to know what year or general period the contractors for USMC web gear stoped simply marking the company name and date (Boyt -44-) and started to mark equipment with contract numbers? How do you read the date from these contract numbers? Thanks

[Bob Hudson]

I would like to know what year or general period the contractors for USMC web gear stoped simply marking the company name and date (Boyt -44-) and started to mark equipment with contract numbers? How do you read the date from these contract numbers? Thanks

 

There were contract numbers on some items even as other items only got the maker's name and year on them. Some WWII items - uniforms and some equipment had contract numbers and dates that included the month, day and year. After the war they started moving to contract numbers that incorporated just the year. The easiest stuff to date is from the Vietnam war era when they used the DSA contract numbers.

 

Here's the contents of a file I keep on the desktop for quick reference:

 

Military procurement was done through the Defense Supply Agency 1962-1977 and all contracts had a DSA prefix. The dates were by fiscal year...July 1 through June 30. Fiscal year 1962 had a DSA 1 prefix and E-62 suffix. 1963 and 1964 were the same but substitute "63" or "64" in the suffix. Fiscal year 1965 will just have the DSA 1 prefix and no date code. Fiscal year 1966 will have a DSA 100 prefix and no date code. Starting in 1967 there will be a DSA 100 prefix plus a two digit date code. So, for example, fiscal year 1968 contracts will have a DSA 100-68 prefix.

 

Contract numbers

WW2 - 195? no prefix - Contract for U.S Marine Corps (BuSandA symbol, stamped in sleeve)

1946 - 195? "Supply Department of the United States Marine Corps" and date (stamped in sleeve)

1953 – 1961 DA (Defense Agency)

confirmed examples of contract numbers: 1957 – 1961 DA prefix on the tag

1962 – 1977 DSA (Defense Supply Agency)

confirmed examples of contract numbers: 1962 – 1977 DSA prefix on the tag

1978 – 1993 DLA (Defense Logistic Agency)

confirmed examples of contract numbers: 1978 – 1993 DLA prefix on the tag

1994 – 2003 SPO (System Program Offices)

confirmed examples of contract numbers: 1994 – present SPO prefix on the tag

 

Stock numbers

195? - 1956 example of stock number "72-R-307-112" ????

1957 – 1975 FSN (Federal stock number), 11-digit number

1975 – present NSN (National stock number), 13-digit number

 

and here's a graphic image about WWII Navy contract numbers:

 

[Greg Robinson]

During WW2 the Marine Corps often used contract numbers with an NOm prefix. Thst prefix wasn't always used but only the USMC used it. Here's a link to a French website that shows examples of wartime used NOm contracts and dates they were used.

 

http://pagesperso-orange.fr/usmc-collector...resentation.htm

[dustin]

One of my interests is the subject of Supply & Procurement, this really adds a new perspective for the collector. Over the years I have really gained a really good grasp on the procurement system. For Navy contracts they can be a bit confusing and I recently addressed this briefly in the Uniforms section under "us navy contracts". What I didn't touch base on was the NOA, NOM prefixes.

The best and easiest way to explain it is NXS contracts are negotiated and awarded through the Bureau of Supplies & Accounts. NO contracts (not to be confused with the pre war contract system this is simply an abbreviation for Number ---No. #####) are contracts negotiated by the cognizant bureau but awarded through

the BuS&A.

For example:

-Contract prefix NXSA tells me that this item was negotiated and awarded by the BuS&A for the Bureau of Aeronautics.

-Contract prefix NOA tells me the contract was negotiated by the BuAer awarded through the BuS&A.

- Contract prefix 288 tells me the contract was negotiated and awarded by the BuAER.

To my knowledge I have never see a contract prefix NXSM they may exist, I don't know. From above you drop the A and add M (Marine Corps) ......

NOM seems to be the norm telling us that the contract was negotiated by the Marine Corp and awarded by the BuS&A

What does NOM mean?

immediately when the US enetered the war spending exploded with a lot of money changing hands. To better monitor spending designators were applied making it easier for the accountants at the Treasury Dept. to keep track of the spending of each service, to put it simply.

The N is this designator signifies it is a Navy contract

N= Navy

The second letter X is a procurement symbol. This symbol tells purchasing officers that purchase orders can be issued against this contract at that fixed pricing and this contract is open for re-negotiation if needed essentially wiggle room for serving many purposes.

The O is also a procument symbol but is reffered to as a Limitation Symbol. Basically this means if the contract was negotiated for 5,000 gidgets at a total contract price $15,500 the contractor will deliver no more or no less than than 5,000 gidgets and the price is set and non negotiable. In other words this contract is closed to any type of renegotiation and addtional purchase orders. If addtional gidgets are needed a new contract will have to be drafted. Thats the rules anyway!

So NOM breaks down as follows

N= Navy contract

O= Limitation Symbol

M= Marine Corps

 

To continue a little further on NXSX prefix's:

N= Navy Contract

X= Procurement Symbol

SX= Bureau of Supplies & Accounts

For an NXSA:

N= Navy Contract

X= Procurement Symbol

S= shortened symbol for BuS&A

A= Bureau of Aeronautics

[Kadet]

What does a contract # with a prefix of MSMX represent?